Bill · S. 3848· Senate(119-S-3848)
Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 2/11/2026
- Last activity
- 2/11/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Tim Scott
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2026" aims to amend the Social Security Act regarding Medicare. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish detailed expenditure information on the CMS public website. This information will be broken down by county, Metropolitan Statistical Area, and various categories of individuals. The bill also mandates that the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) conduct a retrospective analysis comparing Medicare Advantage expenditures to traditional Medicare expenditures. Additionally, the Boards of Trustees must include aggregate and average expenditure information in their annual reports.
Yes· 3 of 4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+7
The bill mandates the publication of detailed, machine-readable Medicare expenditure data broken down by county and demographic category.
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+4
The bill provides seniors with increased transparency regarding Medicare spending and comparative value between Advantage and traditional plans.
Would retired people be better off under this?+4
The bill benefits retirees by requiring public data on the cost-effectiveness and comparative value of different Medicare options.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency of Medicare Spending: The Secretary of Health and Human Services will be required to publish total and average expenditures on the CMS public website in machine-readable files (Section 2). This provides the public with access to detailed financial data regarding Medicare.
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Localized Financial Information: Expenditure data will be broken down by county and Metropolitan Statistical Area (Section 2). This allows people to see how much is being spent on Medicare items and services specifically in their local areas.
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Detailed Demographic and Enrollment Insights: The bill requires data to be broken down by numerous categories of individuals, including their enrollment status in Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D, as well as their enrollment in various health plans or federal programs (Section 2, subsection (h)(1)).
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Comparative Analysis of Plan Value: The MEDPAC Commission will perform a retrospective analysis comparing Medicare Advantage expenditures to the expenditures of eligible individuals not enrolled in such plans (Section 3). This analysis will consider factors like out-of-pocket expenditure caps and supplemental benefits (Section 3, subsection (B)(ii)).
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Public Participation in Data Methodology: Before submitting its analysis, the Commission must make its methodology public and allow for a period of public comment (Section 3, subsection (C)(ii)). This provides an opportunity for the public to weigh in on how the comparison is being conducted.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly identified in the provided text.
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+4Good For Seniors+4
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+7
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Fiscal Responsibility+3
- 2/11/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.