Essential Caregivers Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Tenney
Introduced
Summary
Guarantee essential caregivers' uninterrupted access to Medicare and Medicaid nursing facilities, including during emergency visitation restrictions. This bill would let residents name a trusted caregiver, limit when facilities can block visits, and set a fast appeals and penalty process.
Show full summary
- Residents and families: Residents could designate or change an essential caregiver at any time, and a representative can designate one if the resident lacks capacity. At least one designated essential caregiver must be allowed daily during emergency restrictions; initial denials are capped at 7 days with a possible state-approved extension to 14 days.
- Caregivers: Designated caregivers must sign and follow written facility safety protocols that cannot be stricter than rules for staff. Facilities must rely on those written protocols when claiming a caregiver violated terms, and the facility bears the burden if it argues a violation during an appeal.
- Facilities and state oversight: State survey agencies must accept appeals quickly, start investigations within 2 business days, and decide within 48 hours of starting the probe. Agencies can order immediate access, require a corrective action plan within 7 days, and impose civil money penalties up to $5,000 if facilities fail to comply.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Caregiver Access During Emergencies
If enacted, the bill would require facilities to allow ongoing access for at least one essential caregiver even when visitation is officially restricted. A facility could not deny access for more than 7 days without State approval, and only one extra 7‑day extension is allowed (14 days total with State approval). Facilities would still be able to limit access in narrow situations like end‑of‑life or severe decline. These rules would begin two years after enactment.
Caregiver Rights for Rehab and Disability Care
If enacted, the bill would extend the same essential‑caregiver designation and access rules to certain inpatient rehabilitation facilities on the same campus as a nursing home and to intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual disabilities. Those facilities would have to follow the same rules two years after enactment.
Right to Name Essential Caregiver
If enacted, residents in Medicare or Medicaid nursing facilities would be able to designate at least one "essential caregiver." Facilities would have to publish written safety and entry protocols for those caregivers. Those caregiver protocols could not be more restrictive than the rules that apply to facility staff. Residents could change their designated caregiver anytime, and a legal representative could designate a caregiver for residents who lack capacity. These changes would take effect two years after enactment.
Fast Appeals and Penalties for Denials
If enacted, the Secretary would issue a final appeals rule within two years. In the meantime, State survey agencies must start investigating appeals within 2 business days and decide within 48 hours of starting. Facilities must give a written warning before denying access and send a written denial explanation within 24 hours. If an agency finds a violation, it must order immediate access and require a corrective plan within 7 days. If a facility fails to implement that plan, the State may fine the facility up to $5,000. When a facility defends a denial by saying a caregiver broke the agreement, the facility must prove it.
No New Visitation Authority
If enacted, the bill would clarify that it does not create new authority for States, local officials, or facilities to impose broader visitation limits. This clause is a clarification and would take effect two years after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Tenney
NY • R
Cosponsors
Larson (CT)
CT • D
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Mann
KS • R
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Ciscomani
AZ • R
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Mills
FL • R
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Lee (NV)
NV • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Malliotakis
NY • R
Sponsored 12/23/2025
Salazar
FL • R
Sponsored 12/23/2025
Tiffany
WI • R
Sponsored 12/23/2025
Bean (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 12/23/2025
Frost
FL • D
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Kim
CA • R
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Neguse
CO • D
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Yakym
IN • R
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Costa
CA • D
Sponsored 1/8/2026
DeLauro
CT • D
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Tlaib
MI • D
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Langworthy
NY • R
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Rutherford
FL • R
Sponsored 1/13/2026
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 1/13/2026
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Himes
CT • D
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Courtney
CT • D
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Hayes
CT • D
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 1/16/2026
Fine
FL • R
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Davids (KS)
KS • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Rogers (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Meng
NY • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Luna
FL • R
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Ross
NC • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Bacon
NE • R
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Perez
WA • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Smucker
PA • R
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Meuser
PA • R
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Miller (WV)
WV • R
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Scholten
MI • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Vasquez
NM • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Smith (NE)
NE • R
Sponsored 2/5/2026
Figures
AL • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Garbarino
NY • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Pappas
NH • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Owens
UT • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
LaLota
NY • R
Sponsored 2/10/2026
Gomez
CA • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 2/20/2026
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Amo
RI • D
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Pettersen
CO • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Kelly (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Hill (AR)
AR • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Steube
FL • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Deluzio
PA • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Stefanik
NY • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Hinson
IA • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
James
MI • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Wilson (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 3/3/2026
Kelly (PA)
PA • R
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Thompson (PA)
PA • R
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Feenstra
IA • R
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Rogers (KY)
KY • R
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Valadao
CA • R
Sponsored 3/12/2026
Golden (ME)
ME • D
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Van Orden
WI • R
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in