Todd Young (R-IN)
Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026
A Republican bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 6 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 bill is called the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026. It aims to change how the Medicaid and Medicare programs handle foot and ankle care. Specifically, it updates Medicaid to cover physician services delivered by podiatric physicians. It also modifies the requirements for diabetic shoes to be included under Medicare. These changes affect services furnished on or after January 1, 2026, and January 1, 2028, depending on the provision.
Yes· 3 of 17
- Scored +8
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
High impact for seniors who are the primary users of Medicare and often suffer from diabetic foot complications.
- Scored +8
Would retired people be better off under this?
Seniors and retirees are the primary beneficiaries of the updated Medicare shoe documentation.
- Scored +7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Significantly improves access to specialist foot care for Medicaid beneficiaries.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Section 2 recognizes doctors of podiatric medicine as physicians under the Medicaid program. This is positive because it ensures Medicaid beneficiaries have access to appropriate quality foot and ankle care by covering physician services delivered by podiatric physicians.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Based on the provided text, there are no explicitly stated negative impacts or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
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 retired people be better off under this? — Seniors and retirees are the primary beneficiaries of the updated Medicare shoe documentation. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — High impact for seniors who are the primary users of Medicare and often suffer from diabetic foot complications. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Significantly improves access to specialist foot care for Medicaid beneficiaries. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Specifically helps those with peripheral neuropathy and foot deformities. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Positively impacts a demographic with statistically higher rates of diabetes and Medicaid reliance. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Positively impacts a demographic with statistically higher rates of diabetes and Medicaid reliance. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Beneficial for middle-aged adults managing diabetes. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Positively impacts a demographic with high diabetes prevalence. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Beneficial for those with diabetes utilizing Medicare. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — General improvement in diabetic care access. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Many veterans utilize Medicare/Medicaid for chronic condition management. Would white Americans be better off under this? — General improvement in diabetic care access.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Increases access to podiatric care for Medicaid beneficiaries and therapeutic footwear for Medicare patients. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — Expands the definition of physicians under Medicaid to include podiatric physicians, likely increasing service utilization. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — Modifies requirements to potentially increase coverage for therapeutic diabetic shoes.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — Improves access to necessary medical footwear for those with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and deformities.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Sets federal standards for physician recognition and Medicare documentation.
- 9/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/23/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/11/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 3/12/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor 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.
Chuck GrassleyRepublican · Iowa
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
James JusticeRepublican · West Virginia
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Raphael WarnockDemocrat · Georgia