Sponsors (5)
This bill aims to improve 1-800-MEDICARE service quality and HHS accountability by directing a GAO review and recommendations, trading off modest taxpayer costs and the use of federal oversight resources — with a risk that limited data could delay meaningful fixes.
Medicare beneficiaries could receive faster, more satisfactory customer service if GAO recommendations lead to reduced wait times and improved 1-800-MEDICARE operations.
HHS oversight of 1-800-MEDICARE could be strengthened, enabling identification of staffing or contractor deficiencies and prompting corrective actions that improve service reliability for providers and states.
Congress will receive evidence-based recommendations within about a year, giving lawmakers a clearer basis to legislate or fund fixes to 1-800-MEDICARE.
Taxpayers could face higher costs if Congress or HHS implement the GAO's recommended service improvements and allocate additional funding.
Medicare beneficiaries may see delays to effective fixes if available data are limited and the GAO report is inconclusive.
Federal oversight resources could be diverted: the GAO study imposes administrative burden and cost that may pull staff from other oversight work.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires a GAO study and a congressional report within one year on the performance of the 1-800-MEDICARE call service and recommendations to improve it.
Introduced April 9, 2026 by Monica De La Cruz · Last progress April 9, 2026
Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the federal 1-800-MEDICARE telephone service and deliver a report to Congress within one year. The report must analyze, to the extent reliable data exist, caller wait times and satisfaction, staffing levels and competency, contractor performance, past service-area changes and agency responses to earlier GAO recommendations, and offer recommendations to improve the service.