PRIA Logo™
S4467119th CongressWALLET

Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act

Sponsored By: Senator Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

Introduced

Summary

Secretary authority to disapprove nurse aide training programs at troubled nursing facilities. This bill would give the Health and Human Services Secretary, after consulting states, power to disapprove a nurse aide training or competency evaluation program at a skilled nursing facility for up to two years if the facility was assessed a civil monetary penalty of at least $10,697 for substandard quality of care and failed to correct the deficiencies. It would also expand access to the National Practitioner Data Bank so more Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers can run employee background checks.

Show full summary
  • Residents and families would get a new federal tool aimed at keeping facilities with serious care problems from training new nurse aides near residents.
  • Skilled nursing facilities that receive a civil monetary penalty of $10,697 or more and do not fix care deficiencies could lose approval for their nurse aide training programs for up to two years.
  • Nurse aides and trainees could see local training slots paused or limited while a facility’s program is disapproved, which could tighten hiring pipelines.
  • Hospitals, providers, suppliers, and entities participating in State Medicaid plans would gain broader access to the National Practitioner Data Bank for background checks, widening employment screening across the care supply chain.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

New rules for nursing home training

If enacted, the bill would give HHS new authority to disapprove a skilled nursing or nursing facility's nurse aide training or competency program for up to 2 years when the facility was fined at least $10,697 for substandard care and has not fixed the problems. HHS would have to lift a disapproval once the facility shows it fixed the cited deficiencies, has had no harm-related deficiencies in the prior 2 years, and HHS certifies the fine did not cause immediate jeopardy from abuse, neglect, or direct harm. For rescission, HHS could require extra oversight for up to the same period. The bill would also let some prior waiver-based bans end on or after enactment, and would let survey- or penalty-based bans end once HHS finds the problem was corrected. HHS would have to write implementing rules within 180 days of enactment. These changes would apply only when the finding of substandard care happened on or after the date of enactment.

Wider background checks for providers

If enacted, the bill would let more types of Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers query the National Practitioner Data Bank for hiring and credentialing. The change would add providers of services, suppliers, and providers who give items or services under a State plan (or a waiver) to the list of entities that can run checks. Employers would find it easier to screen and credential staff, while clinicians and provider organizations could face broader reporting and privacy consequences.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

VA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 4/30/2026

  • Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 4/30/2026

  • Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 4/30/2026

  • Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]

    ME • I

    Sponsored 6/9/2026

  • Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 6/10/2026

  • Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 7/16/2026

  • Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 8/4/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation