The CAT Act of 2025 strengthens protections for healthcare providers when Medicare temporarily stops their payments due to suspected fraud investigations. Currently, Medicare can suspend payments for up to a year with minimal explanation or opportunity for providers to respond, which the bill argues harms honest providers and ultimately reduces patient access to care. The legislation requires Medicare to notify providers at least 30 days before suspending payments, explaining the specific fraud allegations and their source, and to provide updated investigation status every 30 days with a timeline for completion. It also limits initial payment suspensions to 180 days unless the government can prove good cause for extension, and creates an independent appeals process for providers to challenge suspensions. Additionally, the bill excludes mere billing errors and human error from triggering payment suspensions, and requires annual reporting to Congress on suspension data. The measure applies to any fraud investigations initiated after the bill's enactment and has no specified funding requirements beyond standard federal administrative costs.