A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
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
This bill, known as the ``Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2026'', seeks to amend the Social Security Act. It aims to provide Medicare payment for services performed by radiologist assistants. These assistants are defined as certified radiographers who work under the supervision of a radiologist. The legislation establishes rules for how these services are covered and how payments are made. Most of these changes would take effect for services provided on or after January 1, 2027.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill aims to remove barriers to care by allowing Medicare coverage for radiologist assistant services.
- Scored +4
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill improves healthcare access and care efficiency for Medicare beneficiaries, who are often seniors.
- Scored +4
Would retired people be better off under this?
The bill facilitates more efficient and accessible diagnostic imaging services for retirees on Medicare.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Patient Care and Outcomes: The bill finds that removing barriers to care provided by radiologist assistants can provide value-sased, efficient solutions to improve patient outcomes while ensuring patient safety (Section 2).
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Increased Access to Care: The legislation aims to remove barriers to care rendered by radiologist assistants under the supervision of a radiologist (Section 2).
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Defined Professional Roles: The bill establishes that radiologist assistants work strictly under the supervision of a radiologist to promote high standards of patient care (Section 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
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? — The bill facilitates more efficient and accessible diagnostic imaging services for retirees on Medicare. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill improves healthcare access and care efficiency for Medicare beneficiaries, who are often seniors. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill improves healthcare access through Medicare, which benefits veterans who are Medicare-eligible.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill aims to remove barriers to care by allowing Medicare coverage for radiologist assistant services. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill expands the scope of covered services under the Medicare program to include radiologist assistant services.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — By allowing Medicare to pay for radiologist assistant services, the bill creates more professional utility for these roles.
- 5/21/2026
- 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.
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico