House committee advances drug, Medicare legislation

The House Energy and Commerce Committee Dec. 6 advanced 19 health care bills, including legislation (H.R. 6364) that would prevent Medicare from publicizing a telehealth provider’s home address when the provider delivers telehealth services from their home. AHA has additionally urged Congress to remove a requirement that these telehealth providers report their home address on Medicare enrollment and claims forms effective Jan. 1, 2025. 

The committee also advanced H.R. 6545, as amended, which included provisions that were part of two other bills that had previously moved through the health subcommittee: H.R. 6366, to extend for one year the Geographic Practice Cost Index floor for physician work under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule; and H.R. 6369, to extend the 3.5% incentive payment for eligible Advanced Alternative Payment Model participants for the calendar year 2026 period. AHA supports the extension, but would prefer Congress to restore the incentive payment to 5% and remove the legislation’s payment reductions for longstanding participants.