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HR 6951
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Stop Unfair Medicaid Recoveries Act

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the requirement that States establish a Medicaid Estate Recovery Program and to limit the circumstances in which a State may place a lien on a Medicaid beneficiary's property.

Introduced Jan 6, 2026

Latest action (Jan 6, 2026) Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Referred to
Energy and Commerce Committee
Policy area
Health
Issues
Healthcare

Summary

This bill amends Medicaid law to prohibit states from recovering costs of medical assistance from beneficiaries' estates or property. It repeals the requirement that states establish Medicaid Estate Recovery Programs and prohibits states from initiating, maintaining, or collecting adjustments or recoveries for correctly paid medical assistance. The bill requires states to withdraw any existing liens on beneficiaries' property within 90 days of enactment and to notify affected individuals and their representatives of the withdrawal.

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)
23 cosponsors

Money behind the sponsor

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

  • NULL $22,470
  • STATE OF ILLINOIS $21,200
  • STATE OF IL $13,250
  • COONEY AND CONWAY $7,100
  • JENNER & BLOCK $6,800

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

Actions (2)
  1. Jan 6, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
  2. Jan 6, 2026 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 4796 — Restoring Essential Healthcare Act · Introduced Jul 29, 2025 · Cong. 119 74%
  • HR 6148 — Patients Over Paperwork Act of 2025 · Introduced Nov 19, 2025 · Cong. 119 72%
  • S 4176 — STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act · Introduced Mar 24, 2026 · Cong. 119 71%
  • HR 8386 — RECOVER Act of 2026 · Introduced Apr 20, 2026 · Cong. 119 69%
  • HR 9542 — Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act of 2026 · Introduced Jun 30, 2026 · Cong. 119 69%
  • HR 4807 — Protect Our Hospitals Act · Introduced Jul 29, 2025 · Cong. 119 69%

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 6, 2026

Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Goldman of New York, Ms. Norton, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Omar, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Quigley, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Strickland, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Trahan, and Ms. Wasserman Schultz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the requirement that States establish a Medicaid Estate Recovery Program and to limit the circumstances in which a State may place a lien on a Medicaid beneficiary’s property.

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 “Stop Unfair Medicaid Recoveries Act”.

SEC. 2. LIENS, ADJUSTMENTS, AND RECOVERIES FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.

(a) Liens.—Section 1917(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396p(a)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)—

(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “plan, except—” and inserting “plan, except, subject to paragraph (4)—”; and

(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking “in the case of” and inserting “with respect to liens imposed before the date of the enactment of the Stop Unfair Medicaid Recoveries Act, in the case of”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(4) Notwithstanding any preceding provision of this subsection, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, a State shall—

“(A) withdraw any lien imposed under paragraph (1)(B) that is in effect as of such date; and

“(B) notify each individual (or legal representative of such individual (or of such individual’s estate)) subject to such a lien so withdrawn of the withdrawal of such lien.”.

(b) Adjustments and Recoveries.—Section 1917(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396p(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “except that” and inserting “except that, subject to paragraph (6),”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(6) Notwithstanding any preceding provision of this subsection, no adjustment or recovery of any medical assistance correctly paid on behalf of an individual under the State plan may be initiated, maintained, or collected on or after the date of the enactment of this paragraph. Not later than 90 days after such date, a State shall—

“(A) withdraw any lien in effect as of such date with respect to such medical assistance correctly paid; and

“(B) notify each individual (or legal representative of such individual (or of such individual’s estate)) subject to such a lien so withdrawn of the withdrawal of such lien and the prohibition on adjustment or recovery under this paragraph.”. <all>

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