US Congress House Bill 3253 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Completed Legislative Action
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Passed on August 6 2019 - 100% progression
Action: 2019-08-06 - Became Public Law No: 116-39. (TXT | PDF)
Text: Latest bill text (Enrolled) [PDF]

Extends several health care programs and requirements and revises certain Medicare drug payment methodologies. (Sec. 2) The bill temporarily extends the Medicaid demonstration program for certified community behavioral health clinics. (Sec. 3) The bill also temporarily extends the applicability of Medicaid eligibility criteria that protect against spousal impoverishment for recipients of home- and community-based services. (Sec. 4) The bill increases appropriations for FY2019 for the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program. (Under this program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may award grants to state Medicaid programs to assist states in increasing the use of home and community care for long-term care and decreasing the use of institutional care.) (Sec. 5) Additionally, the bill extends the Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Program, which is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The program awards grants to family-run organizations to support the provision of information and peer support to families of children with special health care needs. (Sec. 6) Finally, the bill provides statutory authority for a Medicare payment methodology that applies an add-on payment of up to 3% for new drugs or biologics (furnished on or after January 1, 2019) when the average sales price is unavailable and payment is instead based on the wholesale acquisition cost (WAC). (Effective January 1, 2019, the CMS reduced the WAC add-on payment in such situations from 6% to 3%.)

Empowering Beneficiaries, Ensuring Access, and Strengthening Accountability Act of 2019

Rep. Debbie Dingell [D-MI]	Rep. Brett Guthrie [R-KY]	Rep. Frank Pallone [D-NJ]	Rep. Greg Walden [R-OR]
Rep. Anna Eshoo [D-CA]	Rep. Michael Burgess [R-TX]	Rep. Fred Upton [R-MI]	Sen. Peter Welch [D-VT]
Rep. Tim Walberg [R-MI]	Rep. Joseph Kennedy [D-MA]

2019-06-18 - House - On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended RC# 333 (Y: 371 N: 46 NV: 15 Abs: 0) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2019-08-06	House	Became Public Law No: 116-39. (TXT | PDF)
2019-08-06	House	Signed by President.
2019-08-01	House	Presented to President.
2019-07-30	House	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2019-07-30	House	On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (text: CR H7477-7478)
2019-07-30	House	Ms. Norton asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's Table and agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H7477-7478)
2019-07-25	Senate	Message on Senate action sent to the House.
2019-07-25	Senate	Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
2019-07-25	Senate	S.Amdt.930 Amendment SA 930 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
2019-07-25	Senate	S.Amdt.930 Amendment SA 930 proposed by Senator Scott FL for Senator Blunt. (consideration: CR S5114; text: CR S5114) In the nature of a substitute.
2019-07-25	Senate	Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S5114)
2019-06-19	Senate	Received in the Senate, read twice.
2019-06-18	House	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2019-06-18	House	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 371 - 46 (Roll no. 333). (text: CR H4706-4707)
2019-06-18	House	Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4751)
2019-06-18	House	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
2019-06-18	House	DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3253.
2019-06-18	House	Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4706-4710)
2019-06-18	House	Mrs. Dingell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2019-06-13	House	Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
2019-06-13	House	Introduced in House

HB233 (Similar To) 2019-01-25 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
HB1342 (Related) 2019-02-26 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
SB548 (Related) 2019-02-25 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
HB3276 (Related) 2019-06-14 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
SB2379 (Related) 2019-07-31 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3253/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr3253/BILLS-116hr3253ih.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr3253/BILLS-116hr3253eh.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr3253/BILLS-116hr3253eas.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr3253/BILLS-116hr3253enr.pdf
Roll Call	https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2019333