Federal Bill Tracker | May 2024

Bill Number

Description

Location

H.R. 547

Rep. Debbie Dingell [D-MI]

S. 100

Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. [D-PA]

Better Care Better Jobs Act: This bill establishes programs and provides funds for state Medicaid programs to improve home- and community-based services (HCBS), such as home health care, personal care, case management, and rehabilitative services. Makes permanent the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program (a grant program to help states increase the use of HCBS for long-term care and decrease the use of institutional care), and certain provisions regarding Medicaid eligibility that protect against spousal impoverishment for recipients of HCBS.

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Senate Finance Committee. 

H.R. 542

Rep. Julia Brownley [D-CA]

S. 141

Sen. Jerry Moran [R-KS]

Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act of 2023: This bill would expand community-based services for aging veterans as well as improve VA support for veterans and caregivers of all ages.

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee

H.R. 1795

Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE)

Homecare for Seniors Act: This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow qualified distributions from health savings accounts for certain home care expenses.

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

HR 5159 

Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Adrian Smith (R-NE)

S. 2137

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME)

Preserving Access to Home Health Act:  Safeguards access to Medicare home health services and stops CMS from imposing certain permanent and temporary payment cuts to home health reimbursement.

Referred to House Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce Committees and Senate Finance Committee

S. 2243 

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) 

Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act: Expands education and training programs for hospice and palliative care. 

Pending in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee. 

CONNECT for Health Act of 2023: Expands the use of telehealth services allowed in hospice and home health care. 

Referred to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy & Commerce Committee

Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act: Allows testing of community-based palliative care programs. 

Referred to the Senate Finance Committee 

Medicare Home Health Accessibility Act: Allows occupational therapy to be ordered as a stand-alone service for Medicare beneficiaries.

Referred to the House Energy & Commerce Committee and House Ways & Means Committee 

Credit for Caring Act: Proposes a federal tax credit of up to $5,000 for eligible working family caregivers. 

Pending in the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee 

Direct Support Professionals Act: Increases awareness of the Direct Support Professionals (DSP) workforce through improved data collection, targeted training programs, and recognition of the unique role DSP's play in health care.

Referred to the House Education and the Workforce Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees