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Skin Substitute Access and Payment Reform Act

USA119th CongressHR-5768| House 
| Updated: 10/17/2025
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Republican Representative

Georgia

Cosponsors (7)
Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Richard McCormick (Republican)Stephanie I. Bice (Republican)Eugene Simon Vindman (Democratic)W. Gregory Steube (Republican)Wesley Hunt (Republican)Juan Ciscomani (Republican)

Ways and Means Committee, Energy and Commerce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "Skin Substitute Access and Payment Reform Act" aims to significantly reform Medicare's payment and coverage policies for skin substitute products. This legislation explicitly adds these products to Medicare coverage and establishes a new, standardized payment methodology. Effective January 1, 2026, payment will be based on a volume-weighted average of Medicare payment allowance limits from October 2023, updated annually by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The bill defines a skin substitute product as a cellular, tissue, biological, or synthetic material applied to a wound, intended to remain, and marketed under specific FDA regulations, excluding temporary dressings, liquids, gels, or powders. To streamline billing, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is mandated to establish a consolidated billing and payment code for all skin substitute products by January 1, 2026. A key component of this reform is enhanced program integrity, targeting potential fraud, waste, and abuse. The Secretary will biennially identify the top 3% of providers, by total Medicare payment for skin substitute products, as outlier providers , publishing these lists and referring them to the Inspector General for investigation. Beginning in 2026, these outlier providers will face prepayment review of claims, and from 2027, they will be subject to prior authorization for skin substitute products. If an outlier provider's prior authorization denial rate exceeds 75% for six consecutive months starting January 1, 2028, it will be deemed an abuse of billing privileges, potentially leading to exclusion from Federal healthcare programs. The bill allocates $5 million annually from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund to CMS for fiscal years 2027 through 2030 to support these prior authorization measures.
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Timeline
Jul 31, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-2561
Introduced in Senate
Oct 17, 2025
Introduced in House
Oct 17, 2025
Referred to the Committee 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.
  • July 31, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-2561
    Introduced in Senate


  • October 17, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • October 17, 2025
    Referred to the Committee 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.

Health

Skin Substitute Access and Payment Reform Act

USA119th CongressHR-5768| House 
| Updated: 10/17/2025
The "Skin Substitute Access and Payment Reform Act" aims to significantly reform Medicare's payment and coverage policies for skin substitute products. This legislation explicitly adds these products to Medicare coverage and establishes a new, standardized payment methodology. Effective January 1, 2026, payment will be based on a volume-weighted average of Medicare payment allowance limits from October 2023, updated annually by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The bill defines a skin substitute product as a cellular, tissue, biological, or synthetic material applied to a wound, intended to remain, and marketed under specific FDA regulations, excluding temporary dressings, liquids, gels, or powders. To streamline billing, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is mandated to establish a consolidated billing and payment code for all skin substitute products by January 1, 2026. A key component of this reform is enhanced program integrity, targeting potential fraud, waste, and abuse. The Secretary will biennially identify the top 3% of providers, by total Medicare payment for skin substitute products, as outlier providers , publishing these lists and referring them to the Inspector General for investigation. Beginning in 2026, these outlier providers will face prepayment review of claims, and from 2027, they will be subject to prior authorization for skin substitute products. If an outlier provider's prior authorization denial rate exceeds 75% for six consecutive months starting January 1, 2028, it will be deemed an abuse of billing privileges, potentially leading to exclusion from Federal healthcare programs. The bill allocates $5 million annually from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund to CMS for fiscal years 2027 through 2030 to support these prior authorization measures.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jul 31, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-2561
Introduced in Senate
Oct 17, 2025
Introduced in House
Oct 17, 2025
Referred to the Committee 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.
  • July 31, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-2561
    Introduced in Senate


  • October 17, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • October 17, 2025
    Referred to the Committee 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.
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Republican Representative

Georgia

Cosponsors (7)
Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Richard McCormick (Republican)Stephanie I. Bice (Republican)Eugene Simon Vindman (Democratic)W. Gregory Steube (Republican)Wesley Hunt (Republican)Juan Ciscomani (Republican)

Ways and Means Committee, Energy and Commerce Committee

Health

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted