John Joyce

This bill requires state Medicaid fraud control units to conduct annual audits of high-risk healthcare providers and suppliers starting one year after the law takes effect. The audits will focus on identifying fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid program, with state units working alongside federal health inspectors and state Medicaid administrators. States must report their audit findings annually, including details about any overpayments they identified and collected. The bill defines "high-risk providers" as those with suspicious billing patterns, prior audit problems, unusual payments, questionable ownership changes, or credible fraud allegations. States that fail to conduct the required audits can still maintain their certification if they submit and implement an acceptable corrective action plan approved by the federal government. The legislation affects state Medicaid agencies and providers enrolled in Medicaid programs across the country.

This bill amends Medicare to cover and reimburse services provided by radiologist assistants, who are advanced-level radiographers certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Radiologist assistants can only work under the direct supervision of a radiologist and are not permitted to independently interpret imaging exams, but they can assist with various diagnostic and interventional imaging tasks. The bill requires Medicare to pay for these services when performed in hospitals, critical access hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and other facilities the Secretary designates, with payment made directly to the supervising radiologist at rates determined by the physician fee schedule. The legislation does not change payment for technical components of imaging services or for services personally performed by radiologists. The new coverage and payment provisions take effect on January 1, 2027.

This joint resolution would overturn an Environmental Protection Agency rule that allowed California to set its own vehicle pollution standards, including requirements for zero emission vehicles and advanced clean car programs. The EPA rule, originally issued in 2013, granted California a waiver under the Clean Air Act that permits the state to impose stricter vehicle emissions standards than federal requirements. If passed, this resolution would eliminate that waiver and prevent California from enforcing its own pollution control standards for vehicles from model year 2017 and earlier. The measure uses the congressional disapproval process, a fast-track mechanism that allows Congress to reject federal regulations. The resolution does not include specific funding provisions or implementation timelines beyond the immediate nullification of the EPA rule.

Patients First Act of 2026This bill modifies payments and incentive programs under the Medicare physician fee schedule.The bill establishes a temporary program to provide hybrid payments for certain primary care services. Under the program, payments for services relating to care management, behavioral health integration, office-based evaluation and management (including telehealth), and communications (e.g., phone calls) are made on a monthly basis to providers for each individual that is attributed to the provider's practice. The monthly amount is based on the national average amount for such services. Providers may opt into the model; in order to qualify, providers must be owned or controlled by health care practitioners and must have had the majority of their prior year's payments consist of payments for the covered services.The bill also renames the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and modifies the program to include performance measures relating to care efficiency (e.g., reducing avoidable hospitalizations). (MIPS is an incentive program under Medicare that allows health professionals to receive payment adjustments based on certain performance measures.) The bill generally reduces the program's performance-based payment adjustments, including positive adjustments for providers that are not owned or controlled by health care practitioners.Finally, the bill allows for larger annual adjustments to the Medicare physician fee schedule and bases these adjustments on inflation. It also requires certain corrections to compensate for expenditures under the fee schedule that exceed a certain amount in a given year, and it limits how much certain adjustment factors may vary each year.

The SECURE Data Act establishes a federal data privacy framework that gives consumers rights to access, correct, delete, and port their personal data, as well as opt out of targeted advertising and data sales, with companies required to respond to requests within 45 days. The law applies to companies doing business in the U.S. that collect data on 200,000 or more consumers annually with at least $25 million in revenue, or 100,000 or more consumers where at least 25 percent of revenue comes from selling data, though it exempts government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and entities already covered by laws like HIPAA and FERPA. The bill requires data processors to implement safeguards and follow controllers' instructions, allows companies to adopt approved industry codes of conduct that provide a presumption of compliance, and includes exceptions for law enforcement cooperation, legal defense, and approved scientific research. Most provisions take effect two years after the law is enacted, though core consumer rights to access and delete data and restrictions on sensitive data processing apply one year after enactment, giving companies time to adjust their practices. The law preempts all state and local privacy laws, establishing uniform federal standards across the country.

The DAIRY PRIDE Act would prohibit non-dairy products from using the names of standardized dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt on their labels. Under this legislation, only foods that are made from or contain animal milk as a primary ingredient would be allowed to use these dairy product names, while plant-based alternatives such as almond milk or oat milk would be considered misbranded if they use these terms. The bill requires the Food and Drug Administration to issue draft guidance within 90 days and final guidance within 180 days on how to enforce these labeling rules, and directs the FDA to report to Congress within two years on any enforcement actions taken, including warnings and penalties. This bill affects food manufacturers, particularly those producing plant-based milk alternatives, and could alter how these products are marketed and labeled in stores nationwide.

The Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 is a bipartisan bill that reforms how Medicare Advantage insurance plans operate to improve patient access to care and increase transparency. Starting in 2028, the legislation requires plans to speed up authorization decisions for medical services (responding to standard requests within 72 hours and urgent ones within 24 hours), implement automated approval systems for routine procedures, streamline the appeals process for denied coverage (with decisions made within 30 days), and ensure patients receive notices and have time to submit additional medical evidence. The bill also establishes a new compliance scoring system that grades Medicare Advantage organizations on six performance categories and imposes financial penalties of 1.0 to 2.0 percent on underperforming plans, while preventing plans from denying payment for previously authorized services except in cases of fraud or good cause. Additionally, the legislation requires plans to establish adequate networks of long-term care and rehabilitation hospitals to ensure Medicare Advantage enrollees have sufficient access to specialized post-acute care facilities. These reforms aim to reduce delays in patient care, hold insurance plans accountable through public performance ratings, and protect beneficiaries from unfair coverage denials.

The Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026 makes two key changes to federal health programs for people with diabetes. First, it requires Medicaid to cover podiatrists (doctors of podiatric medicine) as physicians, expanding foot and ankle care access for low-income beneficiaries starting January 1, 2026, though states may have additional time if they need to change state law. Second, it updates Medicare's rules for covering diabetic shoes by clarifying that physicians can now authorize custom-molded or extra-depth shoes with inserts based on documented medical conditions like nerve damage, foot deformities, or poor circulation, with fittings by qualified professionals like pedorthists, effective January 1, 2028. The bill affects Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries with diabetes, podiatrists, and foot care specialists, with no specific federal funding amounts mentioned in the text.

This bill allows public libraries to serve as passport acceptance facilities and collect execution fees for passport applications. Currently, only government offices and post offices can accept passport applications and collect these fees; this legislation expands that authority to public libraries organized as nonprofits, charities, or trusts, provided they comply with State Department regulations. The bill requires the Secretary of State to authorize within 30 days any public library that was already serving as a passport acceptance facility before the bill's enactment, and to report to Congress on compliance with this requirement. By enabling libraries to collect and keep execution fees, the bill aims to improve access to passport services in communities, though it does not specify new funding amounts or timelines beyond the initial 30-day authorization deadline.

Reducing and Eliminating Duplicative Environmental Regulations Act or the RED Tape ActThis bill removes the requirement under the Clean Air Act that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review and comment on newly authorized federal construction projects and other major federal agency actions that already require review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and proposed federal regulations.

H.R. 6197 modifies how Medicare pays for healthcare services that use artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, such as diagnostic tools and clinical decision-support software cleared by the FDA. The bill ensures these algorithm-based services receive appropriate payment under Medicare's outpatient payment system by allowing them to be classified as new technology services based on manufacturer-submitted costs, including technology fees, staffing, and overhead. Services newly assigned to this classification or those that have been in it for less than five years are protected from reclassification for at least five years or until sufficient claims data becomes available for reassessment. The legislation expands eligibility for these payments to include services performed alongside other procedures that require additional resources. The bill also codifies an existing policy allowing Medicare to pay for healthcare software delivered as a subscription service, effective retroactively to January 1, 2023.

Broadband and Telecommunications RAIL ActThis bill establishes a framework for the placement or modification of broadband or telecommunications equipment in a railroad corridor.Specifically, if a broadband or telecommunications provider is seeking to place or modify equipment within a railroad carrier’s right-of-way, the provider must submit an application to the carrier. A carrier must approve or deny an application within 60 days of receipt, and may only deny an application for safety reasons or if the placement or modification would substantially interfere with or damage railroad infrastructure. Once an application is approved, work must be scheduled in coordination with the carrier and generally must begin within 30 days. A provider must pay the railroad carrier for actual costs incurred with respect to the application.However, if a provider has been authorized by a state or local government to place or modify equipment in a public right-of-way in an area that intersects with a railroad corridor, the provider need only notify the relevant railroad carrier and schedule the work in coordination with the carrier. Work must generally begin between 15 and 30 days after the notification is submitted. No fee is required.A provider or carrier may petition the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for relief if the other has failed to comply with these provisions.The FCC must promulgate regulations to implement these provisions in a manner that ensures railroad safety, provides a timelier process for emergency situations, and prevents substantial interference with railroad infrastructure or operations, among other requirements.

This resolution recognizes National Bread Month.

This bill streamlines the process for deploying broadband infrastructure by exempting certain telecommunications projects from federal environmental and historical preservation reviews. Specifically, when companies place, construct, or modify telecommunications facilities on existing infrastructure (like utility poles or towers) that already support communications equipment, these projects would no longer require environmental impact assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act or historical preservation reviews under the National Historic Preservation Act. The exemption applies only to projects requiring Federal Communications Commission approval or authorization. The bill affects broadband providers, telecommunications companies, and state and local governments that oversee such deployments, with the stated goal of reducing regulatory delays and costs to accelerate broadband expansion. No specific funding or implementation timeline is outlined in the legislation.

H.Con.Res. 47 is a non-binding statement of Congress expressing support for state licensure requirements for design professionals, including architects, engineers, surveyors, and mappers. The resolution argues that professional licensing in these fields is essential for protecting public health and safety, citing over a century of state licensing history and references to structural failures that resulted from inadequate professional oversight. The measure responds to concerns that some states are reducing or eliminating licensing requirements for certain occupations, and it calls attention to the importance of maintaining these standards to ensure the integrity of the built environment and critical infrastructure. This concurrent resolution does not create new law, impose funding requirements, or establish timelines; instead, it serves as an expression of Congress's position that states should continue licensing design professionals to safeguard the public interest.

The SPARC Act creates a federal loan repayment program designed to attract specialty medicine physicians and certain other healthcare providers to work in rural communities that lack these specialists. Under the program, the Health Resources and Services Administration would repay up to $250,000 in student loans for participants who commit to six years of full-time work in underserved rural areas, with payments distributed over the service period. The bill covers specialty physicians and, to a limited extent, non-physician specialists like nurse practitioners and physician assistants, though non-physicians can receive no more than 15 percent of available program funds and are excluded from other federal loan forgiveness programs. Participants must complete their full six-year commitment in good faith, though they can leave without penalty if they've completed all years for which they've received payments. The bill authorizes unlimited appropriations through fiscal year 2034 and requires the administration to report to Congress every two years on whether the program successfully improves specialty care access in rural America.

The Access to Claims Data Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a process by January 1, 2026, that allows clinical data registries to request and access Medicare claims data (and potentially Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program data) for research and quality improvement purposes. The bill enables these registries to link claims data with clinical outcomes, conduct quality assessments of healthcare providers, perform risk-adjusted analyses to support patient safety improvements, and publish research findings using deidentified data. The legislation streamlines the process by exempting these registries from certain federal qualification requirements that currently apply to other entities seeking claims data access. The bill does not authorize new appropriations; instead, any reasonable fees charged for providing the data will be deposited into the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' administrative account to cover the costs of making the data available.

The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act aims to speed up the approval process for new sunscreen ingredients by modernizing how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluates their safety and effectiveness. The bill requires the FDA to establish clear standards that allow for real-world evidence and non-animal testing methods in addition to traditional clinical trials, and mandates that the agency issue guidance within 180 days on how companies can use alternative testing approaches. This legislation directly affects sunscreen manufacturers and consumers seeking access to new sun protection products, as no new sunscreen active ingredients have been approved in the United States since 1999 despite growing skin cancer rates, which now exceed 9,500 diagnoses per day. The bill also requires the FDA to submit annual reports to Congress starting one year after enactment detailing the implementation of these new standards and progress on approving pending sunscreen ingredient applications. By removing regulatory barriers while maintaining safety requirements, the bill intends to bring innovative sunscreen products to market faster and improve Americans' ability to prevent skin cancer.

The ABC-ED Act of 2025 aims to reduce overcrowding and patient delays in hospital emergency departments by modernizing how hospitals track and share real-time information about bed availability. The bill allows federal public health grants to fund the creation of state and regional systems that monitor hospital bed capacity and emergency department wait times, including how long ambulances must wait to drop off patients, with this information displayed on public-facing dashboards. Additionally, it directs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to develop and test new approaches to emergency care, particularly for elderly patients and those experiencing psychiatric crises, including dedicated units and improved coordination with nursing facilities. The legislation also requires the Government Accountability Office to study best practices for hospital capacity tracking systems within one year and report back to Congress on how these systems reduce boarding rates and wait times. This bill affects hospitals, emergency medical services, patients, and state health agencies nationwide.

This joint resolution revokes the waiver granted to the California Air Resources Board regarding its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations, which include new requirements for low-emission vehicles and zero-emission vehicles. (Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek waivers of the preemption prohibiting states from enacting certain emission standards.)Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency notice titled California State Motor Vehicle and Engine Pollution Control Standards; Advanced Clean Cars II; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision.

Information and Communication Technology Strategy Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to report on the information and communication technology supply chain and to develop a strategy to ensure the economic competitiveness of trusted information and communication technology vendors. The report must include (1) an identification of technology that is critical to U.S. economic competitiveness and the industrial capacity of U.S. vendors and other trusted vendors that produce such technology, (2) an assessment of whether and to what extent there is a dependence by providers of advanced telecommunications capability in the United States on technology that is not trusted, and (3) an identification of federal government actions and resources needed to support the economic competitiveness of trusted vendors and reduce dependence on companies that are not trusted.

Access to Pediatric Technologies Act of 2025This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish, upon request, specific payment methodologies for qualifying pediatric technologies under the Medicare physician fee schedule. Qualifying pediatric technologies are medical devices that are (1) covered under Medicare, (2) approved by the Food and Drug Administration, (3) currently billed using a specified temporary billing code for emerging technologies, and (4) predominantly used or specifically designated for pediatric patients.The CMS must develop a payment methodology for a qualifying pediatric technology upon request from the manufacturer and based on available data, including pricing information and claims data. Manufacturers must include relevant information in their requests to enable the CMS to develop the corresponding methodologies.

Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish specific billing codes under Medicare for certain materials used in ultralightweight manual wheelchairs.Specifically, the CMS must establish at least two billing codes for the base of the wheelchair, with at least one code for a base with titanium or carbon fiber construction material and at least one code for a base without these materials. Suppliers receive the same payment under Medicare for these wheelchairs as would otherwise apply, but may bill beneficiaries for any difference between the payment and the actual charge for the wheelchair. The CMS may require suppliers to inform beneficiaries of their potential financial liability in these cases.

Optimizing Research Progress Hope And New Cures Act or the ORPHAN Cures ActThis bill modifies certain provisions under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program with respect to orphan drugs.The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs under Medicare beginning in 2026. Among other requirements, drugs must have had market approval for at least 7 years (for drug products) or 11 years (for biologics) to qualify for negotiation. The program does not apply to orphan drugs that are approved to treat only one rare disease or condition.The bill modifies these provisions so as to exclude any period in which a drug was an orphan drug from market approval calculations. It also excludes orphan drugs that are approved to treat more than one rare disease or condition from the program.