EASE Act of 2025

This bill tells the federal health innovation office to try a new way to get people specialty medical care, especially in small towns and underserved areas. The test would use telehealth and other remote tools, working with a patient’s regular doctor to connect them with specialists when needed.

The test would run through large, nonprofit provider networks. Each network must include at least 50 clinics or small hospitals, with at least half located in rural areas. These networks must already have a strong record serving rural and underserved communities and be able to safely share and study data to see what works. Any money used must follow existing rules for certain public health programs set in law.

• Who is affected: People on Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP who live in rural or underserved areas.
• What changes: A new test program to deliver specialty care through telehealth and other remote tools, coordinated with primary care doctors, using large nonprofit networks of rural-focused clinics and hospitals.
• When: The bill directs the test to happen; the text does not set a start date.