Medicare lets some healthcare groups test new reporting methods.

What it does

The bill changes how ACOs report quality measures to Medicare. ACOs can use different data-collection methods through 2029. ACOs can exclude data from people who cannot use the chosen method. From 2028 to 2032, selected ACOs can test new digital reporting methods. Those ACOs can skip some other quality reports. The bill gives $8 million for this work. It takes $2.054 billion from the Medicare Improvement Fund.

Who it affects

Healthcare providers and ACOs face less paperwork and lower costs. Patients may benefit from lower overhead costs at hospitals. Medicare and the public may not see complete quality data.

One thing to notice

ACOs in the pilot program can skip reporting some quality measures. Medicare cannot see the full picture of how well those ACOs perform.

From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.

Where it stands

4 cosponsors: 3 Republicans, 1 Democrats.

• Sep 15, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Sep 15, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce and House Committee on Ways and Means · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a…”
• Sep 17, 2025 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• Sep 17, 2025 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 0”
• Jun 29, 2026 — Passed the House · Congress.gov: “On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4272)”
• Jun 29, 2026 — Floor vote scheduled · Congress.gov: “Mr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

3 groups reported lobbying about this bill. They filed 5 reports from Dec 2025 to Jun 2026.

Those reports show $6,029,869 in lobbying spending. Each report lists about 20 bills. So that money was not all for this bill.

More groups named this bill than 61% of bills with any report.

Vern Buchanan, who sponsored the bill, received $547,200 from PACs for the 2026 election.

• American Medical Association — $5,643,000 in 2 reports
• National Association of Accountable Care Organizations — $276,869 in 2 reports
• America's Physician Groups — $110,000 in 1 report

Lobbying is legal. These reports show who lobbied about this bill, not what changed.

Words to know

• quality measures — Numbers that show how well a hospital or doctor treats patients.
• pilot program — A test of a new idea with a small group before using it everywhere.
• data-collection methods — Different ways to gather and record information about patient care.
• lobbying — Trying to influence lawmakers about a bill. Companies and groups pay people to do this.
• PACs — Groups that collect money and give it to candidates for office.
• sponsored — To sponsor a bill is to introduce it in Congress and put your name on it.