119th Congress · introduced in the Senate · Sep 30, 2026
Patients First Act of 2026
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Sep 30, 2026): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Health
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in Senate (Sep 30, 2026)
Patients First Act of 2026
This bill modifies payments and incentive programs under the Medicare physician fee schedule.
The bill establishes a temporary program to provide hybrid payments for certain primary care services. Under the program, payments for services relating to care management, behavioral health integration, office-based evaluation and management (including telehealth), and communications (e.g., phone calls) are made on a monthly basis to providers for each individual that is attributed to the provider's practice. The monthly amount is based on the national average amount for such services. Providers may opt into the model; in order to qualify, providers must be owned or controlled by health care practitioners and must have had the majority of their prior year's payments consist of payments for the covered services.
The bill also renames the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and modifies the program to include performance measures relating to care efficiency (e.g., reducing avoidable hospitalizations). (MIPS is an incentive program under Medicare that allows health professionals to receive payment adjustments based on certain performance measures.) The bill generally reduces the program's performance-based payment adjustments, including positive adjustments for providers that are not owned or controlled by health care practitioners.
Finally, the bill allows for larger annual adjustments to the Medicare physician fee schedule and bases these adjustments on inflation. It also requires certain corrections to compensate for expenditures under the fee schedule that exceed a certain amount in a given year, and it limits how much certain adjustment factors may vary each year.
No cosponsors.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 24, 2026.
9 citations.
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Health Issues
$254,772
Spent on own lobbying
…are Act H.R. 7520, the Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act H.R. 3277/S. 1677, the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act H.R. 10476, The Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026 H.R. 9693/S. 5672, the Patients First Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Medicare/Medicaid
$390,000
Spent on own lobbying
…kforce Act H.R. 7106 - Enhancing Skilled Nursing Facilities Act H.R. 7973/S. 5283 - Momnibus Act H.R. 8163 - the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act H.R. 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act of 2026 Hospice certification and recertification Skilled nursing facility admitting examination and assessment requirements Reducing regu…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
SOCIETY FOR VASCULAR SURGERY · lobbying firm or registrant: GALILEO CONSULTING GROUP, INC.
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 19, 2026 · issue area: Medicare/Medicaid
$20,000
Paid to lobbying firm
…reform of the MACRA law and Medicare Quality Payment Program. Discussions with House and Senate Offices on legislative language and committee action on HR 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act of 2026.
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 17, 2026 · issue area: Health Issues
$312,662
Spent on own lobbying
…Payment Reduction Policy) H.R. 6160 - Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act H.R. 8163/S. 5180 - Provider Reimbursement Stability Act H.R. 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 17, 2026 · issue area: Medicare/Medicaid
$312,662
Spent on own lobbying
…- One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 6160 Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act H.R. 8163/S. 5180 - Provider Reimbursement Stability Act H.R. 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 15, 2026 · issue area: Medicare/Medicaid
$40,000
Spent on own lobbying
…Surgery Act H.R. 7520 - Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act H.R. 5509/S. 2903 - Safe Step Act H.R. 8358/S. 4318 - Breast Cancer Stamp Reauthorization Act H.R. 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act of 2026 H.R. 4583/S. 1552 - Living Donor Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 8271 - ICU Bed Act of 2026 H.R. 5265 - SAFE Ride Act (E-bike Safety)…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 15, 2026 · issue area: Health Issues
$40,000
Spent on own lobbying
…Surgery Act H.R. 7520 - Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act H.R. 5509/S. 2903 - Safe Step Act H.R. 8358/S. 4318 - Breast Cancer Stamp Reauthorization Act H.R. 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act of 2026 H.R. 4583/S. 1552 - Living Donor Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 8271 - ICU Bed Act of 2026 H.R. 5265 - SAFE Ride Act (E-bike Safety)…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 15, 2026 · issue area: Medicare/Medicaid
$230,000
Spent on own lobbying
…Surgery Act H.R. 7520 - Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act H.R. 5509/S. 2903 - Safe Step Act H.R. 8358/S. 4318 - Breast Cancer Stamp Reauthorization Act H.R. 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act of 2026 H.R. 4583/S. 1552 - Living Donor Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 8271 - ICU Bed Act of 2026 H.R. 5265 - SAFE Ride Act (E-bike Safety)…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 15, 2026 · issue area: Health Issues
$230,000
Spent on own lobbying
…Surgery Act H.R. 7520 - Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act H.R. 5509/S. 2903 - Safe Step Act H.R. 8358/S. 4318 - Breast Cancer Stamp Reauthorization Act H.R. 9693/S. 5672 - Patients First Act of 2026 H.R. 4583/S. 1552 - Living Donor Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 8271 - ICU Bed Act of 2026 H.R. 5265 - SAFE Ride Act (E-bike Safety)…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing