Sponsors (2)
The bill offers fully covered resiliency equipment and stronger protections for medically vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries to reduce health risks and out-of-pocket costs, but it raises federal spending and creates potential eligibility, reimbursement, and implementation challenges.
Medicare beneficiaries identified as medically at-risk will receive fully covered home resiliency services (e.g., heat pumps, solar batteries) beginning Jan 1, 2027, improving protection from heat, cold, and power-loss during disasters.
People who rely on temperature- or power-sensitive medical equipment (for example, home ventilator users) gain direct protection from power outages through coverage of batteries or backup systems, reducing acute health risks during emergencies.
Low- and middle-income Medicare beneficiaries are likely to face lower out-of-pocket costs and reduced financial strain because resiliency equipment and services will be paid at 100%, removing a barrier to obtaining life‑protecting devices.
Expanding Medicare to cover resiliency services at 100% will increase federal spending and could put upward pressure on Medicare program costs or premiums over time, affecting taxpayers and beneficiaries.
Using regional 20-year risk models to define who is "medically at-risk" may exclude individuals facing acute local hazards or future risks not captured by the model, leaving some vulnerable people without coverage.
Setting payment at the lesser of provider charge or a Secretary-determined fee schedule could create provider or contractor disputes, discourage vendor participation, or limit available installation/maintenance options if reimbursements are viewed as too low.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds Medicare coverage and full payment for home resiliency services for beneficiaries deemed medically at‑risk from climate or manmade disasters, effective Jan 1, 2027.
Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage of medically necessary home resiliency services under Medicare.
Introduced May 12, 2026 by Maxwell Frost · Last progress May 12, 2026
Adds a new Medicare benefit that covers and pays for "home resiliency services" for people the Secretary designates as medically at-risk from climate or manmade disasters. Covered items (examples) include heat pumps, solar batteries, and energy-efficient cold storage, with services furnished on or after January 1, 2027. Requires the Secretary (after consulting NIH, CMS, and NOAA) to create a process to determine who is medically at-risk based on location-specific climate risks, a 20-year historical or forward-looking risk window, reliance on temperature- or power-dependent medical devices/supplies, and chronic conditions or disabilities; payments are set at 100% of the lesser of the actual charge or a Secretary-established fee schedule.