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HR 6160
Introduced Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.

Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an update to a single conversion factor under the Medicare physician fee schedule that is based on the Medicare economic index.

Introduced Nov 19, 2025

Latest action (Nov 19, 2025) Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Referred to
Ways and Means Committee Energy and Commerce Committee
Issues
Healthcare

Summary

This bill would amend Medicare law to change how physician payment rates are updated starting in 2026. Currently, Medicare uses a complex formula to update the physician fee schedule conversion factor. This bill would replace that with annual updates based on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), which measures changes in the costs of inputs used by physicians in providing care. The bill would also transition from two separate conversion factors to a single conversion factor for all physician services.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)
12 cosponsors

Money behind the sponsor

Top reported contributors to Raul Ruiz’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.

  • NULL $112,200
  • DAVITA $15,500
  • US ACUTE CARE SOLUTIONS $14,100
  • CHANDI GROUP USA, INC. $13,200
  • ST. GEORGE'S UNIVERSITY $13,200

Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Raul Ruiz → · Outside spending →

Actions (2)
  1. Nov 19, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
  2. Nov 19, 2025 Introduced in House

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

  • HR 8163 — Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 · Introduced May 21, 2026 · Cong. 119 73%
  • HR 7520 — Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act · Introduced Feb 12, 2026 · Cong. 119 71%
  • HR 8109 — Save Struggling Hospitals Act · Introduced Mar 26, 2026 · Cong. 119 63%
  • HR 9336 — Better Care, Better Cost Act · Introduced Jun 18, 2026 · Cong. 119 62%
  • HR 6166 — Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act · Introduced Nov 20, 2025 · Cong. 119 62%
  • HR 6010 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and modify the enhanced premium tax credit, and for other purposes. · Introduced Nov 10, 2025 · Cong. 119 61%

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 19, 2025

Mr. Ruiz (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Bera, and Ms. Schrier) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an update to a single conversion factor under the Medicare physician fee schedule that is based on the Medicare economic index.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act”.

SEC. 2. TRANSITION TO AN UPDATE TO A SINGLE CONVERSION FACTOR UNDER THE MEDICARE PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE BASED ON THE MEDICARE ECONOMIC INDEX.

(a) In General.—Section 1848(d)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(d)(20)) is amended to read as follows:

“(20) Update for 2026 and subsequent years.—The update to the single conversion factor established in paragraph (1)(C) for 2026 and each subsequent year shall be equal to the Secretary’s estimate of the percentage increase in the MEI (as defined in section 1842(i)(3)) for the year.”.

(b) Conforming Amendment To Provide for a Single Conversion Factor After 2025.—Section 1848(d)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(d)(1)(A)) is amended—

(1) by striking “and ending with 2025”; and

(2) by striking “There shall be two separate conversion factors” and all that follows through the end of the subparagraph. <all>

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