A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Medicare Advance Planning for Care Act aims to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare Advance Directive Certification Program. Under this program, the Secretary will encourage Medicare beneficiaries to voluntarily adopt and maintain certified advance directives. These directives include instructions regarding medical treatments and the identification of health care proxies. The program involves the accreditation of specific vendors and entities to provide these services. The Secretary is tasked with implementing the program within five years of enactment. This initiative includes providing educational resources and links to various advance directive forms on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +6
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are seniors, gain a formal mechanism to ensure their medical wishes are respected if they become incapacitated.
- Scored +6
Would retired people be better off under this?
The program provides retirees with better tools to plan for future medical care and the designation of healthcare proxies.
- Scored +5
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The bill explicitly states that its provisions shall not preempt any existing State or local laws regarding advance directives.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill notes that participants may have to pay third-party costs for the creation, storage, or retrieval of their certified advance directives.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Control Over Medical Care: The program encourages the use of "certified advance directives," which allow beneficiaries to outline the specific medical treatments and care they want or do not want when they are incapacitated (Section 2(a)(2)(A)(i)).
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Designation of Representatives: Beneficiaries can identify a health care proxy or legal representative to make medical decisions for them if they become unable to communicate their own decisions (Section 2(a)(2)(A)(i)).
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Enhanced Accessibility: The program encourages the use of technology, such as mobile devices, secure email, and web-based systems, to make it easier for beneficiaries to access their directives (Section 2(a)(4)(A) and Section 2(a)(4)(B)(ii)).
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Privacy Protections: The bill requires that the enrollment and registration system comply with Federal regulations regarding the privacy and security of individually identifiable health information (Section 2(a)(2)(3) and Section 2(a)(2)(3)(B)).
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State Law Preservation: The provisions of the program are not intended to override or preempt any existing State or local laws regarding advance directives (Section 2(a)(5)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Potential Costs to Beneficiaries: According to the requirements for annual surveys, there is a possibility that a participant may have to pay a third party for the creation, storage, or retrieval of their certified advance directive (Section 2(c)(2)(H)(ii)(I)).
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Complexity of Participation: The process requires beneficiaries to indicate where their advance directive is maintained or how it may be accessed when seeking to register it within the program (Section 2(a)(2)(1)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill mandates compliance with Federal HIPAA regulations to ensure the privacy and security of sensitive health information. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill explicitly states that its provisions shall not preempt any existing State or local laws regarding advance directives. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The program requires the Secretary to provide an online index of statutory and alternative advance directive forms to increase public access to information.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — The program provides retirees with better tools to plan for future medical care and the designation of healthcare proxies. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are seniors, gain a formal mechanism to ensure their medical wishes are respected if they become incapacitated. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill notes that participants may have to pay third-party costs for the creation, storage, or retrieval of their certified advance directives.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill enhances healthcare access by providing a standardized system for beneficiaries to communicate medical treatment preferences and designate proxies through certified electronic directives.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this strengthen Social Security? — The bill strengthens the practical application of Medicare benefits by facilitating advanced care planning for beneficiaries.
- Education And Technology
- Does this get reliable internet to more people? — The program encourages the use of web-based and mobile technologies to manage and access advance directives.
- 12/15/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Mike ThompsonDemocrat · California