Social Security and Medicare

Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025

This bill expands coverage of cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare.

Specifically, the bill allows physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to administer these programs in their offices, prepare and sign treatment plans, and prescribe exercise.

Physicians for Underserved Areas Act

This bill modifies how a hospital's residency positions are redistributed after it closes for purposes of graduate medical education payments under Medicare.

Under current law, if a hospital with an approved medical residency program closes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must redistribute the hospital's residency positions to other hospitals in the following order: (1) hospitals in the same core-based statistical area as the closed hospital, (2) hospitals in the same state as the closed hospital, (3) hospitals in the same region of the country as the closed hospital, and (4) other remaining hospitals. In order to receive the additional positions, hospitals must demonstrate a likelihood of filling the positions within three years.

The bill removes the requirement that the CMS prioritize hospitals in the same region of the country as the closed hospital. It also requires hospitals to demonstrate a likelihood of (1) starting to use the positions within two years, and (2) filling the positions within five years.

Survival Aid For Emergencies through Medicare Act or the SAFE through Medicare Act

This bill provides for Medicare coverage of medically necessary services for beneficiaries who are determined to be medically at-risk during a climate or manmade disaster (i.e., home resiliency services), such as heat pumps, batteries for medical equipment, and energy efficient storage for medical supplies.

Social Security Overpayment Relief Act

This bill prohibits the Social Security Administration from collecting overpayments made in error to Social Security or Supplemental Security Income recipients 10 or more years prior to the discovery of the error by the administration. This prohibition extends to the collection of funds directly from overpaid recipients and to the adjustment of future payments to those recipients.

Physicians for Underserved Areas Act

This bill modifies how a hospital's residency positions are redistributed after it closes for purposes of graduate medical education payments under Medicare.

Under current law, if a hospital with an approved medical residency program closes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must redistribute the hospital's residency positions to other hospitals in the following order: (1) hospitals in the same core-based statistical area as the closed hospital, (2) hospitals in the same state as the closed hospital, (3) hospitals in the same region of the country as the closed hospital, and (4) other remaining hospitals. In order to receive the additional positions, hospitals must demonstrate a likelihood of filling the positions within three years.

The bill removes the requirement that the CMS prioritize hospitals in the same region of the country as the closed hospital. It also requires hospitals to demonstrate a likelihood of (1) starting to use the positions within two years, and (2) filling the positions within five years.

Rebuild America’s Health Care Schools Act of 2025

This bill allows hospitals to receive reimbursement under Medicare for certain costs associated with training nursing and allied health students in settings other than the hospital itself.

Currently, hospitals may receive reimbursement under Medicare for the reasonable costs associated with training nursing and allied health students if certain conditions are met; the criteria vary depending on whether the students are enrolled in an educational program that is operated by the hospital or another entity. If the students are part of a program that is operated by another entity, the training must occur at the hospital itself or in areas immediately surrounding the hospital in order to qualify for reimbursement (among other requirements). The bill allows hospitals to receive reimbursement for these costs if the training is conducted at an entity that is related to the hospital (i.e., common ownership or control).

The bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update regulations to reflect these changes. Additionally, the CMS may not recoup or reduce payments to hospitals with respect to costs that are allowed under the bill and must refund any such recoupments or reductions that occurred during the six-year period prior to the bill's enactment.

Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025

This bill increases certain payment adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule for services furnished between June 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026.

Medicare Beneficiary Co-Pay Fairness Act

This bill limits the amount of coinsurance that may be assessed under Medicare for services performed in ambulatory surgical centers.

Specifically, if the applicable coinsurance amount exceeds the inpatient hospital deductible, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must reduce the coinsurance amount so that it is equal to the amount of the deductible and pay the difference to the service provider.

Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025

This 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.

Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act

This bill establishes an advisory committee on falls prevention to assess federal efforts to prevent falls and recommend related policies to the Administration on Aging (AOA).

The advisory committee must oversee the creation and maintenance of a national plan to address falls prevention, including through the advancement of programs or interventions to prevent falls and reduce the number and severity of fall-related injuries. The committee must also assist the AOA in coordinating falls prevention research and services across federal agencies.

The committee must be comprised of members representing specified federal agencies, non-government organizations, and populations (e.g., caregivers and health care providers).

Within a specified period, the advisory committee must submit an initial report to the AOA and Congress, including

• an evaluation of all federally funded efforts related to falls prevention and recommendations for adjusting these efforts based on their purpose and performance;

• a recommendation for developing a Medicare pilot or demonstration program to provide coverage for basic home modifications to reduce falls; and

• recommendations for increasing provider use of a fall risk screening, assessment, and intervention tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The AOA must submit regular reports to Congress with assessments of U.S. progress in addressing falls prevention, outcomes of the committee’s recommendations, and recommended priority actions. These reports must evaluate the implementation of any Medicare program initiated pursuant to a committee recommendation.

Comprehensive Reimbursement Initiative Targeting Investment and Care in rural Locations or the CRITICAL Act

This bill increases the Medicare payment rate by 4% for services provided by critical access hospitals in Alaska and Hawaii.

More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2025

This bill provides for additional Medicare payments to health care practitioners who provide services in mental health professional shortage areas for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. The bill applies to physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors.