A Republican bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
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 "Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act" aims to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act. This bill focuses on clarifying and preserving protections under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act. It seeks to prevent private health plans from discriminating against people with end-stage renal disease. The legislation intends to stop plans from shifting the cost of dialysis services onto the Medicare program. Finally, it clarifies that singling out dialysis for disfavored treatment is an inappropriate differentiation of benefits.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +8
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill provides significant protections against insurance discrimination for people with renal disabilities.
- Scored +7
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill improves access by preventing insurance companies from shifting costs away from patients with end-stage renal disease.
- Scored +7
Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities?
The bill protects individuals with chronic medical conditions from discriminatory insurance practices.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection against discrimination: The bill aims to ensure that private health plans do not discriminate against individuals with end-stage renal disease based on their diagnosis or need for dialysis (Section 2, Purpose 1).
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Prevention of cost shifting: The act seeks to prohibit health insurance plans from shifting the primary responsibility for covering health care services needed by people with end-stage renal disease to the Medicare program (Section 2, Purpose 2).
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Fairness in benefit coverage: By clarifying that singling out dialysis services for disfavored treatment is inappropriate, the bill seeks to prevent disparities in benefits between individuals with end-stage renal disease and other individuals (Section 2, Purpose 3; Section 3, clause (ii)(I)).
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Protection against disparate benefit limitations: The bill aims to prevent plans from applying benefit limitations that would disparately affect individuals having end-stage renal disease (Section 3, clause (ii)(II)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Limited provider choice restrictions: While the bill prevents discrimination through benefit limitations, it clarifies that it does not change a plan's ability to limit which specific renal dialysis providers are included in its elected provider network (Section 2, Purpose 3; Section 3, clause (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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill provides significant protections against insurance discrimination for people with renal disabilities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill helps prevent cost-shifting that would place a heavy financial burden on those with chronic illnesses. Would retired people be better off under this? — The bill helps stabilize healthcare coverage for retirees requiring dialysis. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill provides financial and coverage security for seniors who may require dialysis services.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill improves access by preventing insurance companies from shifting costs away from patients with end-stage renal disease.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill protects individuals with chronic medical conditions from discriminatory insurance practices.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill strengthens protections for health insurance consumers by preventing discriminatory benefit limitations.
- 12/18/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/29/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/1/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/11/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/27/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Marsha BlackburnRepublican · Tennessee
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Ted BuddRepublican · North Carolina
Kevin CramerRepublican · North Dakota
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Cindy Hyde-SmithRepublican · Mississippi
Roger MarshallRepublican · Kansas