I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8018 
To require the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
and the Commissioner of Social Security to review and simplify the 
processes, procedures, forms, and communications for family caregivers 
to assist individuals in establishing eligibility for, enrolling in, and main-
taining and utilizing coverage and benefits under the Medicare, Medicaid, 
CHIP, and Social Security programs respectively, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 16, 2024 
Mrs. CAMMACK (for herself, Mr. MAGAZINER, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, and Mr. PA-
NETTA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Ways and Means, 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 
A BILL 
To require the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare 
& Medicaid Services and the Commissioner of Social 
Security to review and simplify the processes, procedures, 
forms, and communications for family caregivers to assist 
individuals in establishing eligibility for, enrolling in, and 
maintaining and utilizing coverage and benefits under 
the Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Social Security pro-
grams respectively, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Alleviating Barriers 
for Caregivers Act’’ or the ‘‘ABC Act’’. 
SEC. 2. REVIEW OF MEDICARE, MEDICAID, CHIP, AND SO-
CIAL SECURITY TO SIMPLIFY PROCESSES. 
PROCEDURES, 
FORMS, 
AND 
COMMUNICA-
TIONS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services. 
(2) CHIP.—The term ‘‘CHIP’’ means the Chil-
dren’s Health Insurance Program established under 
title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1397aa et seq.). 
(3) 
COMMISSIONER.—The 
term 
‘‘Commis-
sioner’’ means the Commissioner of Social Security. 
(4) COVERED AGENCIES.—The term ‘‘covered 
agencies’’ means the Centers for Medicare & Med-
icaid Services and the Social Security Administra-
tion. 
(5) COVERED OFFICIALS.—The term ‘‘covered 
officials’’ means the Administrator and Commis-
sioner. 
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(6) COVERED PROGRAMS.—The term ‘‘covered 
programs’’ means Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and 
the Social Security programs. 
(7) DISABILITY.—The term ‘‘disability’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 3 of the Ameri-
cans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12102). 
(8) FAMILY
CAREGIVER.—The term ‘‘family 
caregiver’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
2 of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act (42 U.S.C. 
3030s note). 
(9) MEDICAID.—The term ‘‘Medicaid’’ means 
the Medicaid program established under title XIX of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.). 
(10) MEDICARE.—The term ‘‘Medicare’’ means 
the Medicare program established under title XVIII 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.). 
(11) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Com-
monwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(12) SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS.—The term 
‘‘Social Security programs’’ means each of the fol-
lowing: 
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(A) The programs for old-age and sur-
vivors insurance benefits and disability insur-
ance benefits established under title II of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.). 
(B) The program for supplemental security 
income benefits established under title XVI of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.). 
(b) REVIEW OF PROGRAMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator and the 
Commissioner shall jointly conduct a review of the 
eligibility determination and application processes, 
procedures, forms, and communications of Medicare, 
Medicaid, CHIP, and the Social Security programs, 
respectively. 
(2) GOALS OF THE REVIEW.—In conducting the 
reviews under paragraph (1), the covered officials 
shall seek ways to— 
(A) simplify and streamline policies and 
procedures for determining eligibility for, enroll-
ing in, maintaining coverage in, and utilizing 
the full benefits available under the covered 
programs; 
(B) reduce the frequency of family care-
givers having to— 
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(i) provide the same information to 
covered agencies more than once; 
(ii) complete— 
(I) multiple documents for each 
covered agency; or 
(II) documents requesting the 
same or similar information for mul-
tiple covered agencies; or 
(iii) provide information to the cov-
ered agencies that— 
(I) the covered agencies already 
have; or 
(II) the covered agencies can eas-
ily receive from other Federal agen-
cies; and 
(C) make it easier for family caregivers to 
work with the covered agencies and the State 
agencies responsible for administering State 
Medicaid and CHIP plans by— 
(i) providing information on eligibility 
for, enrollment in, maintaining coverage in, 
and utilizing the full benefits available 
under the covered programs to family care-
givers; 
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(ii) improving communications be-
tween family caregivers and employees of 
covered agencies by— 
(I) decreasing call wait times; 
(II) ensuring that employees of 
covered agencies and the State agen-
cies 
responsible 
for 
administering 
State Medicaid and CHIP plans pro-
vide timely answers to the questions 
of family caregivers; 
(III) improving the websites of 
the covered programs— 
(aa) by making it easier for 
family caregivers to find informa-
tion 
regarding 
benefit 
avail-
ability, eligibility, and how to 
maintain coverage; and 
(bb) 
by 
designing 
such 
websites to align with the re-
quirements of the Americans 
with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 
12101 et seq.) regarding web de-
sign; 
(IV) improving the timely access 
to in-person appointments or meetings 
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between employees of covered agencies 
and family caregivers; 
(V) providing translation or in-
terpretation services for family care-
givers for whom English is not their 
primary language; and 
(VI) providing information to 
family caregivers in accessible for-
mats, including formats compatible 
with American Sign Language and 
multiple languages; 
(iii) ensuring that employees of cov-
ered agencies and the State agencies re-
sponsible for administering State Medicaid 
and CHIP plans understand how the cov-
ered programs can help family caregivers; 
(iv) improving the relationship be-
tween family caregivers and the covered 
agencies and the State agencies responsible 
for administering State Medicaid and 
CHIP plans, which may include regularly 
meeting with family caregivers, individuals 
entitled to, receiving services from, or fil-
ing for, 1 or more of the covered programs, 
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and other stakeholders of the covered pro-
grams; 
(v) ensuring that employees of covered 
agencies and the State agencies responsible 
for administering State Medicaid and 
CHIP plans who are responsible for resolv-
ing disputes, appeals, and grievances with-
in the covered programs receive education, 
training, and guidance on specific issues 
faced by family caregivers who participate 
in the covered programs; and 
(vi) taking other actions the covered 
officials may identify. 
(3) INPUT FROM FAMILY CAREGIVERS, ORGANI-
ZATIONS, AND STATE ENTITIES.—In conducting the 
reviews under paragraph (1), the covered officials 
shall seek input from— 
(A) family caregivers, including family 
caregivers with a disability, that have interacted 
with the covered programs; 
(B) State, regional, national, and Tribal 
organizations representing or working with fam-
ily caregivers or individuals receiving care from 
family caregivers; and 
(C) State Medicaid and CHIP programs. 
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(c) ACTION.—After the reviews under subsection (b) 
have been completed, the covered officials shall take ac-
tions that will simplify and streamline policies and proce-
dures that improve customer service for individuals enti-
tled to, receiving services from, or filing for, any of the 
covered programs, and family caregivers. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—No later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the covered offi-
cials shall each submit a report to the Committee on 
Finance of the Senate, the Committee on Ways and 
Means of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives that details the results of the re-
spective reviews each covered official conducted 
under subsection (b). 
(2) CONTENTS OF THE REPORT.—The reports 
required under paragraph (1) shall contain— 
(A) issues that the covered officials identi-
fied in the reviews and their findings; 
(B) the actions that the covered officials 
are taking to address the issues in subpara-
graph (A); 
(C) an estimate on when the actions in 
subparagraph (B) will be completed; 
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(D) projected annual costs to implement 
the actions identified in subparagraph (B); and 
(E) any recommended change in Federal 
law to address any issue identified in subpara-
graph (A). 
(3) UPDATED REPORTS.—The covered officials 
shall each submit a report 1 year after submitting 
the report required under paragraph (1) providing 
an update to the contents identified in paragraph 
(2). 
(4) PUBLICATION OF THE REPORTS.—The cov-
ered officials shall make the reports required under 
paragraphs (1) and (3) publicly accessible on the 
websites of covered agencies. 
(e) REDUCING RED TAPE FOR STATE MEDICAID AND 
CHIP PROGRAMS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue a 
letter to each State Medicaid and CHIP Director to— 
(1) encourage State Medicaid agencies to con-
duct reviews of State Medicaid programs and State 
CHIP programs similar to the reviews conducted at 
the Federal level under subsection (b); 
(2) provide suggestions, informed by the results 
of such Federal reviews, for promising practices that 
States could take to reduce administrative burdens 
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on family caregivers in supporting individuals enti-
tled to, receiving service from, or filing for, 1 or 
more of the covered programs in applying for and 
receiving assistance under State Medicaid programs 
and State CHIP programs; and 
(3) identify best practices to support family 
caregivers. 
Æ 
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