Federal Health Legislation
This page provides summaries of legislation proposed in the 118th Congress affecting federal health policy. This page will be updated as relevant legislation is introduced.
Access and Coverage for Cancer Care
Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act of 2023 (S. 2464)
- The bill would prohibit group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage from imposing cost-sharing requirements with respect to diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations.
Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act (S. 2386)
- This legislation would require health insurance coverage for the treatment of infertility, including fertility preservation for cancer patients.
Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act (H.R. 4779)
- The legislation would amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for custom fabricated breast prostheses following a mastectomy.
Cancer Care Planning and Communications (CCPC) Act (H.R. 5183)
- The bill would provide for coverage of cancer care planning and coordination under the Medicare program.
Cancer Drug Parity Act (S. 2039)
- This legislation would require a group health plan (or health insurance coverage offered in connection with such a plan) to provide for cost-sharing for oral anticancer drugs on terms no less favorable than the cost-sharing provided for anticancer medications administered by a health care provider.
Childhood Cancer Clinical Trials Act (H.R. 5647)
- The bill would require out-of-network coverage for qualified individuals diagnosed with a rare pediatric disease participating in approved clinical trials.
Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment (MPACT) Act of 2023 (H.R. 4473)
- This legislation would provide for site neutral payment for cancer care services under Part B of the Medicare program.
Protecting Patient Access to Cancer and Complex Therapies Act (H.R. 5391)
- The bill would provide for a rebate by manufacturers for selected drugs and biological products subject to maximum fair price negotiation.
The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act (H.R. 549)
- The bill would amend Title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the waiting periods for disability insurance benefits and Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer.
Rolling Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and Drug (RAPID) Reserve Act (S. 2510)
- The bill aims to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies.
Screening, Prevention, and Early Detection
Colorectal Cancer Detection (S. 892)
- The bill would amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage under the Medicare program for FDA-approved qualifying colorectal cancer screening blood-based tests, to increase participation in colorectal cancer screening in under-screened communities of color, and to offset the COVID-19 pandemic-driven declines in colorectal cancer screening.
Colorectal Cancer Payment Fairness Act (H.R. 3382 & S. 1894)
- The legislation would eliminate the coinsurance requirement for certain colorectal cancer screening tests furnished under the Medicare program.
Find It Early Act (H.R. 3086)
- The legislation would provide for health coverage with no cost-sharing for additional breast screenings for certain individuals at greater risk for breast cancer.
Finn Sawyer Access to Cancer Testing Act (S. 642 & H.R. 1780)
- The bill would allow patients enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan to receive molecular diagnostic testing at the time of cancer diagnosis.
Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act (H.R. 4286)
- The bill would require state Medicaid programs, Medicare, and private insurers to cover annual screenings for all eligible individuals based on guidance and recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Taskforce without cost-sharing and would prohibit prior authorization for lung cancer screenings.
Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 2407 & S. 2085)
- The bill would amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of FDA-approved multi-cancer early detection screening tests.
Prostate Cancer Community Assistance, Research and Education “PC-CARE” Act of 2023 (H.R. 1315)
- This legislation would establish a committee to develop, implement, and periodically revise a plan to coordinate federal activities and programs concerning prostate cancer, including those related to research, screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men (PSA Screening for HIM) Act (H.R. 1826 & S. 2821)
- The legislation would amend Title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for prostate cancer screenings without the imposition of cost-sharing requirements.
Reducing Hereditary Cancer Act (H.R. 1526 & S. 765)
- The bill would provide Medicare coverage for germline mutation testing for individuals with a history of a hereditary cancer gene mutation or a suspected history of hereditary cancer, as well as for associated coverage of risk-reducing surgeries and screenings.
The Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act (H.R. 3916 & S. 1840)
- The bill would reauthorize and aims to improve the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program for FYs 2024 – 2028.
Verifying Accurate, Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act (H.R 2369)
- The legislation would create a new framework to verify the accuracy of various medical diagnostic tests.
Telehealth
Advanced Safe Testing at Residence Telehealth Act (H.R. 207)
- The bill would temporarily establish several programs to provide telehealth services for at-home testing, evaluations, and other health care.
Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2023 (H.R. 4189 & S. 2016)
- The bill would permanently remove geographic restrictions on telehealth services and provide the HHS Secretary with the permanent authority to waive telehealth restrictions, a provision currently in place due to the pandemic but on a temporary basis.
Expanded Telehealth Access Act (H.R. 3875)
- The bill would amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the scope of practitioners eligible for payment for telehealth services under the Medicare program.
HEALTH Act of 2023 (H.R. 5611)
- The bill would amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act provide for permanent payments for telehealth services furnished by Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics under the Medicare program and would expand coverage to include audio-only telehealth services.
Tobacco Control
Helping Tobacco Users Quit Act (H.R. 4775)
- The legislation would amend Title XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to provide coverage of comprehensive tobacco cessation services under such titles.
PROTECT (Preventing Opportunities for Teen E–Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction) Act (H.R. 6038 & S.3108)
- The legislation would amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a Reducing Youth Use of E-Cigarettes Initiative that would include research, interventions, and educational campaigns aimed at reducing tobacco use and initiation by youth and young adults.
Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2023 (H.R. 5715 & S.2929)
- The bill would increase the excise tax on cigarettes and cigars and equalize tax rates among all other tobacco products. It would also impose a tax on nicotine for use in vaping.