Ashley Moody (R-FL)
Punishing Health Care Fraudsters Act
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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 "Punishing Health Care Fraudsters Act" aims to increase penalties for health care fraud. It amends Title 18 of the United States Code to increase prison terms for certain offenses. The bill also amends the Social Security Act to increase fines and prison sentences related to federal health care programs. Additionally, it directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review and potentially amend sentencing guidelines for these crimes. The goal is to ensure punishment reflects the seriousness of the offenses and acts as an effective deterrent.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +5
Does this shorten or soften prison sentences?
The bill directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend guidelines to better account for the seriousness and harm caused by health care fraud.
- Scored +4
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
The bill instructs the Sentencing Commission to consider whether fraud involved the unauthorized disclosure of personal health information or violated privacy rights.
- Scored +4
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill directs sentencing guidelines to account for the unauthorized disclosure of personal health information.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased penalties for fraud under Title 18: This provision increases prison terms from 10 to 25 years and from 20 to 30 years, which may serve as a deterrent against health care fraud (Section 2).
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Increased penalties for federal health care programs: The bill increases fines from $100,000 to $250,000 and increases certain prison terms from 10 years to 25 years, which may help penalize those targeting federal programs (Section 3).
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Enhanced sentencing guidelines: By directing the United States Sentencing Commission to review guidelines, the bill aims to ensure punishment accounts for factors like the actual loss to victims, the level of sophistication in the crime, and whether there was an intent to cause physical, psychological, or emotional harm (Section 4).
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Protection of personal information: The review of sentencing guidelines includes considering whether an offense resulted in the unauthorized disclosure of personal health information or violated privacy rights (Section 4).
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Public health and safety: The bill directs the sentencing commission to consider if an offense created a threat to public health or safety (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Increased criminal penalties: The bill increases prison terms and fine amounts for offenses involving federal health care programs and Title 18 (Section 2 and Section 3).
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.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this shorten or soften prison sentences? — The bill directs the United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend guidelines to better account for the seriousness and harm caused by health care fraud. Does this strengthen Social Security? — The bill increases penalties for crimes involving the Social Security Act to protect federal health care program resources.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Protecting federal health care programs helps ensure that resources intended for low-income populations are not lost to fraud. Would retired people be better off under this? — Protecting federal health care programs helps ensure the longevity of services used by retired populations. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Deterring fraud in federal health care programs helps protect the funds used for veteran medical services.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill instructs the Sentencing Commission to consider whether fraud involved the unauthorized disclosure of personal health information or violated privacy rights.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill directs sentencing guidelines to account for the unauthorized disclosure of personal health information.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Deterring fraud in federal health care programs helps ensure resources are available for intended healthcare services. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — By increasing penalties for fraud against federal health care programs, the bill seeks to protect the integrity of these funds.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — By increasing penalties for fraud against federal health care programs, the bill aims to deter the theft of government funds.
- 1/7/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 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.