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H.R.4579 / 115th Congress

Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Dec 6, 2017

Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017

This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to:

extend the Independence at Home demonstration program;

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modify provisions regarding access to home dialysis therapy under Medicare and special needs plans under Medicare Advantage (MA);

expand testing of the MA Value-Based Insurance Design test model;

allow an MA plan to provide additional telehealth benefits to enrollees and, to chronically ill enrollees, certain supplemental health care benefits;

modify other provisions regarding the use of telehealth services;

allow prospective, voluntary assignment of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries to accountable care organizations (ACOs);

allow ACOs to operate beneficiary incentive programs;

require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish a process for Medicare prescription-drug plan sponsors to request certain claims data from the CMS;

require the CMS to study and report to Congress on long-term risk factors for chronic conditions among Medicare beneficiaries; and

eliminate annual funding available to the Medicare Improvement Fund and the Medicaid Improvement Fund beginning in FY2021.

The Government Accountability Office shall conduct studies on:

the establishment of a payment code for a visit for longitudinal comprehensive care planning services,

the extent to which Medicare prescription drug plans and private payors use programs that synchronize pharmacy dispensing to facilitate comprehensive counseling and promote medication adherence, and

the use of prescription drugs to manage the weight of obese patients and the impact of such drug coverage on patient health and health care spending.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] · D–VT

Committees

  • Energy and Commerce Committee
  • Ways and Means Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

  2. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  3. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  4. Introduced in House

  5. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Jan 21, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.R.4579 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

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Liberty lens

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