A Republican bill with 9 Republican cosponsors · See all 9 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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 Medicaid RAC Improvement Act of 2026 aims to improve the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program. It establishes new oversight and communication requirements for the Secretary regarding State program exceptions. The bill mandates more detailed annual reporting to Congress regarding the effectiveness of these programs. It also requires Medicaid managed care organizations and health plans to be included in the recovery process. Finally, the act directs studies and demonstration projects to increase State participation in these audit programs.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates annual, detailed reporting to Congress regarding the effectiveness of Medicaid RAC programs and state-specific data.
- Scored +4
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill aims to recover Medicaid overpayments through improved audit program oversight and requirements.
- Scored +3
Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes?
By increasing the recovery of overpayments, the bill helps ensure more Medicaid funds are available for intended purposes.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Oversight of State Exceptions: The Secretary will implement policies to communicate expiration dates of State program exceptions and monitor upcoming expirations (Section 2(a)(2)).
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Improved Transparency Through Reporting: The Secretary must submit annual reports to Congress that include State-specific information such as overpayments recovered, underpayments identified, and audit categories conducted (Section 2(a)(3)).
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Enhanced Accountability for Managed Care: Managed care organizations, prepaid inpatient health plans, and prepaid ambulatory health plans must now be included in the review of claims to identify overpayments (Section 3).
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Identification of Program Barriers: The Secretary is directed to conduct a study to identify barriers to State participation, such as startup costs and the effectiveness of fee structures (Section 4(b)).
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Increased State Participation: A 5-year demonstration project will be conducted to increase the number of States that establish and implement a Medicaid RAC program (Section 4(b)(6)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Strict Expiration of Exceptions: State plan amendments that grant exceptions to certain requirements are set to expire, and the bill specifies that these expiration dates shall not be extended after 2029 (Section 2(a)(2)(A)).
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Requirements for Managed Care Organizations: Managed care organizations and health plans must adhere to specific review periods or permit State-engaged recovery audit contractors to conduct reviews (Section 3).
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Retrospective Audit Limits: Contracts with recovery audit contractors must provide that audit and recovery activities cover a period of 4 fiscal years prior to the current fiscal year (Section 4(c)).
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 make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates annual, detailed reporting to Congress regarding the effectiveness of Medicaid RAC programs and state-specific data.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill aims to recover Medicaid overpayments through improved audit program oversight and requirements.
- Healthcare
- Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — By increasing the recovery of overpayments, the bill helps ensure more Medicaid funds are available for intended purposes.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Improving the integrity of Medicaid funds can help ensure the program remains sustainable for low-income recipients.
- 7/30/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/6/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/24/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 7 Cosponsors 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.
Rick AllenRepublican · Georgia
Jodey ArringtonRepublican · Texas
Aaron BeanRepublican · Florida
Kat CammackRepublican · Florida
Earl CarterRepublican · Georgia
Mariannette Miller-MeeksRepublican · Iowa
August PflugerRepublican · Texas
Gary PalmerRepublican · Alabama
Lloyd SmuckerRepublican · Pennsylvania