[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2437 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2437

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require hospitals to 
     provide information on available hospice programs to certain 
         individuals upon discharge under the Medicare program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 27, 2025

 Mrs. Houchin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require hospitals to 
     provide information on available hospice programs to certain 
         individuals upon discharge under the Medicare program.

    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 ``End-of-life Access to Supportive and 
Essential care Act of 2025'' or the ``EASE Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON AVAILABLE HOSPICE 
              PROGRAMS TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS UPON DISCHARGE UNDER THE 
              MEDICARE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(ee)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395x(ee)(2)(D)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``, home health services,'' after 
        ``including hospice care'';
            (2) by striking ``including the availability of home health 
        services through individuals and entities'' and inserting the 
        following: ``including--
                    ``(i) in the case of individuals who are likely to 
                need home health services, the availability of such 
                services through home health agencies'';
            (3) by striking ``listed by the hospital as available and, 
        in the case of individuals who are likely to need post-hospital 
        extended care services,'' and inserting the following: ``listed 
        by the hospital as available;
                    ``(ii) in the case of individuals who are likely to 
                need post-hospital extended care services,'';
            (4) by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                    ``(iii) in the case of individuals who are likely 
                eligible for hospice care, the availability of such 
                care through hospice programs that participate in the 
                program under this title and that serve the area in 
                which the patient resides.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall 
apply with respect to discharges occurring on or after January 1, 2026.
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