Compassionate Care Act
Sponsored By: Representative Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
Introduced
Summary
The Compassionate Care Act would create a federal framework to expand and standardize advance care planning. It would fund a national education campaign, boost provider training and curricula, expand telehealth for advance care planning and hospice recertification, and push interoperable, portable advance directives and quality measurement across Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, Indian Health Service, and other qualified providers.
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- Families and patients would get more outreach and tools. A national, multilingual public education campaign would run for at least five years and promote portable advance directives, hospice, palliative care, and conversations with family and providers.
- Clinicians, trainees, and chaplains would face new training and continuing education requirements. The bill would fund pilot curricula in medical and allied health programs and require continuing education design by January 1, 2027.
- Health systems and technology would get demonstrations and standards to improve electronic storage, sharing, signatures, witness authentication, and notarization of advance directives. The bill would also remove geographic limits on telehealth for advance care planning beginning January 1, 2027.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
National advance care planning campaign
If enacted, HHS (through CDC) would run a national public education campaign about planning medical care ahead of time. The campaign would start by January 1, 2027 and run continuously for at least five years. Materials would be culturally and linguistically appropriate and promote advance directives, hospice, and ways to share care wishes. The Secretary would report the campaign's effectiveness to Congress by July 1, 2029.
Electronic health record standards and reporting
If enacted, HHS and ONC would run demonstrations and set standards to make advance directives usable and portable in electronic health records. ONC and NIST demos would test electronic signatures, witness authentication, and electronic notarization for advance directives. AHRQ would develop patient-focused end-of-life quality measures, and providers would begin reporting those measures starting January 1, 2029 after a comment period beginning by January 1, 2027. These steps would improve sharing of care wishes but would add reporting duties for providers.
Telehealth for hospice and planning
If enacted, Medicare rules would let telehealth satisfy the face-to-face visit required for hospice recertification, including after emergency periods. The bill would also remove geographic limits for advance care planning telehealth services furnished on or after January 1, 2027. This would make it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to get advance care planning and hospice recertification by video or phone.
More training for palliative care providers
If enacted, HHS would fund grants to medical, nursing, social work, and related programs to add or expand palliative and end-of-life training. Grants would require rotations across settings like hospice and home health, performance measures, and faculty retraining within two years. HRSA would also develop or enhance continuing education on advance care planning by January 1, 2027. Grantees would report outcomes and HHS would compile a national report to Congress.
Repeal of 1990 Medicaid provision
If enacted, the bill would repeal Section 4751(d) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. The text does not explain how this repeal would change benefits or eligibility. Medicaid program stakeholders would be the main group affected by any downstream administrative or rule changes.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 8/3/2026
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 8/3/2026
Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
AZ • D
Sponsored 8/3/2026
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 8/3/2026
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 8/3/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 8/3/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov