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HR5388FEDERALIN_COMMITTEE

Proposed Changes to Medicare Coverage for New Medical Technologies

Original title: Supporting Innovation for Seniors Act

December 17, 2024

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

If passed, this bill would expand the types of medical devices and technologies available to Medicare Advantage enrollees, potentially increasing access to innovative treatments that do not currently qualify for standard Medicare coverage.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Medicare Advantage enrollees

These individuals may gain access to supplemental coverage for medical devices and technologies not previously covered under their plans.

Medicare Advantage plans

These plans are granted the option to provide new supplemental benefits and may be subject to waived uniformity requirements.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Background

  • Mr. Balderson is a U.S. Representative serving Ohio's 12th congressional district. context
  • Mr. Buchanan is a U.S. Representative serving Florida's 16th congressional district. context

Summary

This bill would allow Medicare Advantage plans to offer coverage for certain medical devices and technologies that currently fall outside standard Medicare benefit categories starting in 2025. It grants the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to waive specific to facilitate these supplemental benefits.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

If passed, this bill would expand the types of medical devices and technologies available to Medicare Advantage enrollees, potentially increasing access to innovative treatments that do not currently qualify for standard Medicare coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

When would these changes take effect?
The changes would apply to plan year 2025 and all subsequent plan years.
Which insurance plans are affected?
The bill applies to s, including s for special needs individuals.
What kind of medical devices would be covered?
The bill covers devices or technologies that have a coverage determination for a different indication, or technologies that do not currently fit into any other Medicare benefit category.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Expansion of Supplemental Benefits

The bill represents a shift toward allowing Medicare Advantage plans more flexibility to cover emerging technologies that do not fit traditional benefit categories.

Connected Entities

other42 U.S.C.U.S. Code citationMap →
dateSeptember 12, 2023Date the bill was introducedMap →
organizationHouse of RepresentativesBody that introduced the billMap →
date2025Plan year for coverageMap →
bill_number1852Section of the Social Security ActMap →
organizationEnergy and Commerce CommitteeCommittee to which the bill was referredMap →
bill_number1859Section of the Social Security ActMap →
organizationWays and Means CommitteeCommittee to which the bill was referredMap →
organizationU.S. Government Publishing OfficeSource of the documentMap →
personBaldersonBill sponsorMap →
personBuchananBill sponsorMap →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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