# 119-hr-608: COVER Now Act

119-hr-608, COVER Now Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37] (D-TX); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-608
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-608
- Congress: 119
- Title: COVER Now Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Sponsor: Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37] (D-TX)
- Cosponsors: 35
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Authorizes local governments to run Medicaid expansion demonstrations** so counties, cities, and other political subdivisions in states that have not expanded Medicaid can provide coverage to the expansion population under a time‑limited, federally funded program. The law sets who can apply, how long demonstrations run, minimum coverage standards, funding rules, and limits on state interference. - Residents eligible for the Medicaid expansion can get coverage through a participating political subdivision. Demonstrations last 7 years with up to a 5‑year extension, and enrollees automatically move to the State plan if the state later expands. - Local governments may apply alone or in partnerships, must hold public notice and comment, and must provide benefits comparable to essential health benefits. Federal funding uses a special matching schedule that includes 100% federal matching for administrative costs in the first 3 years and a phase down with a 90% match in year 8 and beyond. - States face penalties if they block or punish subdivisions, including up to 25% withholding of certain administrative payments. The Secretary may approve up to 100 demonstrations and may not require budget neutrality.

## Cosponsors (35)

- Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2] (D-GA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] (D-FL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (D-TN), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6] (D-SC), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2] (D-AL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22] (D-FL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6] (D-GA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13] (D-GA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] (D-AL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] (D-FL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] (D-MS), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sylvester Turner (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] (D-TX), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (D-MO), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8] (D-MD), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] (D-TX), 2025-01-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10] (D-FL), 2025-02-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10] (D-CA), 2025-02-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-34] (D-TX), 2025-07-21T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- High federal funding for local Medicaid coverage: benefit, high. If enacted, the federal government would pay 100% of medical costs for the first three years. In year four it would pay 100% if a rural area is included, otherwise 95%. Year five: 95% if rural, otherwise 94%; year six: 94% if rural, otherwise 93%; year seven: 93% if rural, otherwise 90%; year eight…
- Local Medicaid expansion by cities and counties: benefit, high. This bill would let cities or counties in non‑expansion States run their own Medicaid expansion. Eligible low‑income adults could get coverage similar to essential health benefits. Local governments would apply and hold public hearings, and they could partner with nearby areas. Demos could run up t…
- Penalties for states that block local coverage: benefit, medium. If a State punishes a local area for running a demo, HHS would withhold 25% of the State’s Medicaid admin payments for that time. Banned actions include shifting people off the State plan to the local demo, cutting local funding, raising local taxes because of the demo, blocking participation, or d…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-2763: American Family Act
- 119-hr-17: Paycheck Fairness Act
- 119-hr-14: John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2550: Protect America's Workforce Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-608 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/608)

## Related
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-2763: American Family Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2763)
- [119-hr-17: Paycheck Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-17)
- [119-hr-14: John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-14)
- [119-hr-2550: Protect America's Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2550)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-608 (as of 2026-04-21).