Bill · H.R. 5347· House(119-HR-5347)
Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act
- Introduced
- 9/15/2025
- Last activity
- 7/13/2026 — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Vern Buchanan
- Cosponsors
- - 3 - 1
- Introduced
- Passed House
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act seeks to amend the Social Security Act regarding the Medicare Shared Savings Program. It requires the Secretary to ensure specific collection types, such as electronic and MIPS clinical quality measures, are available for performance years 2025 through 2029. The bill also provides clarifications on data completeness requirements for ACOs when certain participant data is excluded. Additionally, it establishes a digital quality measure reporting pilot program for performance years 2028 through 2032. Finally, the act provides $8,000,000 for implementation and adjusts the Medicare Improvement Fund.
Yes
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+1
The bill improves the quality reporting processes and flexibility for Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs which benefit seniors' coverage.
Would retired people be better off under this?+1
The bill's updates to Medicare data collection and quality reporting could improve efficiency for the Medicare system used by retirees.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-1
The bill reduces the Medicare Improvement Fund by $8,000,000.
Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65?-1
The bill reduces the Medicare Improvement Fund from $2,062,000,000 to $2,054,000,000.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Flexibility in Data Reporting: The Secretary must ensure that various collection types—including electronic clinical quality measures and MIPS clinical quality measures—are available for specific performance years (Section 2).
-
Protection against Unfair Performance Findings: The Secretary may not find an ACO's data to be unrepresentative solely because it excludes data from a participant who was unable to collect it through the selected collection type, provided the ACO meets other requirements (Section 2).
-
Support for Digital Transition: A pilot program will be established to allow ACOs to report quality measures through a digital collection type, including technical assistance from the Secretary (Section 3).
-
Reduced Reporting Burdens during Pilot: ACOs selected for the digital pilot program may be relieved of the requirement to report on other required quality measures (Section 3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Reduction in Medicare Improvement Fund: The amendment to the Social Security Act reduces the amount in the Medicare Improvement Fund from $2,062,000,000 to $2,054,000,000 (Section 4).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Retirees+1Good For Seniors+1
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending-1
- Healthcare
- Increases Medicare Funding-1
- 7/13/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 6/29/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4272)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4272)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5347.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4272-4273)
- Mr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 5/21/2026
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0.
- 5/13/2026
- Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- 1/12/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/17/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 0.
- 9/15/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
- Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Dan CrenshawRepublican · Texas
Darin LaHoodRepublican · Illinois
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Jimmy PanettaDemocrat · California