BPC Action-Supported Health Bills in the 118th Congress

26 Mar BPC Action-Supported Health Bills in the 118th Congress in Health

The following bipartisan bills align with Bipartisan Policy Center health policy recommendations and are endorsed by BPC Action. This list is continuously updated.

Behavioral Health and the Substance Use Crisis

H.R. 5116 and S. 2688, the Behavioral Health Information Technology (BHIT) Coordination Act

Led in the House by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Bill Johnson (R-OH), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Ron Estes (R-KS)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Improves coordination between mental and physical health care by helping behavioral health providers in adopting health information technology (IT) systems.

S. 3430, the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act

Led by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Includes several BPC priorities, including policies supporting the integration of behavioral health and primary care (COMPLETE Care Act), requiring Medicare Advantage plans to improve provider directories, expanding access to inpatient mental health services (IMD exclusion), protecting Medicaid coverage for targeted populations with substance use disorder (Due Process Act), and strengthening data metrics.

H.R. 5819 and S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care (COMPLETE Care) Act

Led in the House by Reps. Michelle Steele (R-CA), Daniel Kildee (D-MI), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), August Pfluger (R-TX), and Susie Lee (D-NV)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and John Cornyn (R-TX)
Provides incentives for behavioral health integration under the Medicare program and includes several BPC recommendations.

H.Res. 434, Declaring a mental health crisis among youth in the United States, and expressing the pressing need for historic investments in mental health care for students

Led by Reps. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Chris Stewart (R-UT), David Trone (D-MD), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
Signifies the U.S. House’s official recognition of the youth mental health crisis in the United States and calls on the federal government to take certain actions to begin addressing the problem.

H.R. 7808, the Early Action and Responsiveness Lifts Youth (EARLY) Minds Act

Led by Reps. August Pfluger (R-TX), Kathy Castor (D-FL), John Joyce (R-PA), and John Sarbanes (D-MD)
Provides for prevention and early intervention services under the Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services program.

H.R. 4950 and S. 2481, the IMPROVE Addiction Care Act

Led in the House by Reps. David Trone (D-MD), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Ann Kuster (D-NH).
Led in the Senate by Sens. Joe Manchin III (D-WV), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Thomas Carper (D-DE), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Promotes treatment and recovery after a nonfatal overdose.

H.R. 7212 and S. 2733, the PEER Support Act

Led in the House by Reps. Andrea Salinas (D-OR) and Tracey Mann (R-KS)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mike Braun (R-IN)
Elevates the role of ‘peer support specialists,’ individuals who have lived experience with a mental health condition or substance use disorder and are certified to assist individuals and their families in recovery.

H.R. 2400, the Reentry Act

Led by Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY), Michael Turner (R-OH), David Trone (D-MD), and John Rutherford (R-FL)
Allows for Medicaid payment of medical services furnished to an incarcerated individual during the 30-day period preceding the individual’s release. The Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Payment and Access Commission must report on specified information relating to the accessibility and quality of health care for incarcerated individuals, including the impact of the bill’s changes.

H.R. 3011, the Servicemembers Mental Health Improvement Act

Led by Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Robert Wittman (R-VA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA)
Develops and provides recommendations for a comprehensive strategy to tackle mental health issues across the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), including establishing a mental health task force within DoD.

H.R. 4531 and S. 3106, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act

Led in the House by Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Ann Kuster (D-NH)

Led in the Senate by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Reauthorizes programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment.

H.R. 3432 and S. 3651, the Telemental Health Care Access Act

Led in the House by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Bill Johnson (R-OH)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tina Smith (D-MN), John Thune (R-SD), and Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Amends the Social Security Act to ensure coverage of mental and behavioral health services furnished through telehealth.

Chronic/Long-Term Care

H.R. 2829, the Chronic Care Management Improvement Act

Led by Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Chris Pappas (D-NH), and Donald Davis (D-NC)
Eliminates the cost-sharing requirements for chronic care management (CCM) services, the critical services provided behind the scenes to ensure that providers can appropriately coordinate care for these patients.

H.R. 3549 and S. 1703, the PACE Part D Choice Act

Led in the House by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Allows Medicare-only beneficiaries enrolled in Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to choose prescription drug plans not operated by PACE.

H.R. 766 and S. 114, the Preventive Health Savings Act

Led in the House by Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Diana Degette (D-CO)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Angus King (I-ME), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
Directs CBO to provide additional long-term budget projections related to potential savings in preventive health care.

H.R. 2941 and S. 1332, the Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act

Led in the House by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Joseph Morelle (D-NY)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME)
Requires the Office of Management and Budget to consider establishing a separate category within the Standard Occupational Classification system for direct support professionals.

Nutrition

H.R. 4856, the GusNIP Expansion Act and S. 2577, the GusNIP Improvement Act

Led in the House by Reps. Eric Crawford (R-AR) and Daniel Kildee (D-MI)
Led in the Senate by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Improves and expands the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), which awards funding to nonprofit organizations and government agencies for projects that provide incentives to income-eligible consumers to increase their purchase of fruits and vegetables.

H.R. 6407 and S. 3297, the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act

Led in the House by Reps. Robin Kelly (D-IL) and Brian Kiggans (R-VA)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Gary Peters (D-MI)
Expands Medicare beneficiaries’ access to Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), a cost-effective method to treat obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and other chronic conditions.

H.R. 6780 and S. 2133, the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act

Led in the House by Reps. James McGovern (D-MA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Dwight Evans (D-PA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Establishes a four-year demonstration program to provide the medically tailored meal intervention for some of our nation’s most vulnerable Medicare enrollees, while helping researchers identify how we can integrate medically tailored meals into the healthcare system to improve health equity, cost-efficacy, and health outcomes.

H.R. 4706 and S. 2361, the Senior Nutrition Task Force Act

Led in the House by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Bob Casey (R-PA) and Susan Collins (R-ME)
Establishes a task force featuring federal agencies, advocacy organizations, and affected populations, to identify ways to increase access to healthy foods and address hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition among older adults and people with disabilities.

H.R. 4909 and S. 2326, the SNAP Nutrition Security Act

Led in the House by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Helps guarantee that the SNAP program not only addresses hunger but also facilitates access to nutritious foods.

H.R. 3127, the Supporting All Health Options When Purchasing Produce (SHOPP) Act

Led by Reps. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) and Mark Alford (R-MO)
Clarifies that all fruits and vegetables are eligible for the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), consistent with the recommendation of BPC’s Food and Nutrition Security Task Force.

H.R. 4818 and S. 2407, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act

Led in the House by Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IN), and Gwen Moore (D-WI)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Thomas Carper (D-DE) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Helps combat the obesity crisis and the comorbidities associated with excessive weight by expanding Medicare coverage to include new health care specialists, regular screenings, and chronic weight management medications.

Public/Global Health

S. 2333, the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act

Led in the Senate by Sens. Robert Casey (D-PA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Reauthorizes programs critical to the preparedness and defense against pandemics and other biological threats.

S.Res. 139, the Resolution recognizing the critical role that PEPFAR has played in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

Led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Boozman (R-AR), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Rural Health

H.R. 1711 and S. 940, the Rural America Health Corps Act

Led in the House by Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), and David Kustoff (R-TN)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Establishes a student loan repayment demonstration program for eligible providers who agree to work for five years in a rural area with a shortage of primary, dental, or mental health care providers.

H.R. 1712 and S. 953, the Rural Health Innovation Act

Led in the House by Reps. David Kustoff (R-TN) and Ann Kuster (D-NH)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Establishes two grant programs to increase access to emergency care in rural areas.

S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act

Led by Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Modifies and extends certain payment adjustments for rural hospitals under Medicare’s inpatient prospective payment system.

H.R. 3635 and S. 803, the Save Rural Hospitals Act

Led in the House by Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Establishes an area wage adjustment floor for Medicare hospital payments in states that are not frontier states and excludes such adjustments from certain budget neutrality rules.

Misc.

H.R. 8107, the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-In Program Act

Led by Reps. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA)
Lifts the age limit for the Medicaid buy-in program for working people with disabilities.

H.R. 3120 and S. 1451, the Healthy Competition for Better Care Act

Led in the House by Reps. Michelle Steele (R-CA)
Led in the Senate by Sens. Mike Braun (R-IN) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Addresses anti-competitive prices for hospitals.

S. 2112, the SEE Care Compare Act

Led by Sens. Mike Braun (R-IN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), James Lankford (R-OK), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make the Care Compare website and its data more findable online by reviewing and updating search engine optimization (SEO) practices.