Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act
Sponsored By: Senator Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced
Summary
Overhauls nurse aide training and competency oversight in Medicare and Medicaid nursing facilities and would expand who can query the National Practitioner Data Bank to strengthen background checks and program accountability.
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- Would let the Secretary disapprove a facility's nurse aide training or competency evaluation program for up to two years when the facility has been assessed a civil monetary penalty of not less than $10,697 for substandard quality of care and has not corrected the deficiencies.
- Disapproval can be rescinded if the facility demonstrates it fixed the underlying problems, has had no direct patient harm deficiencies in the prior two years, and the penalty did not involve immediate jeopardy. The Secretary may require additional oversight during the disapproval period, not to exceed that period.
- Would expand NPDB access to include "providers of services" and "suppliers" as defined in sections 1861(u) and 1861(d), and providers of items or services under a State plan or waiver, broadening background-check access for Medicare and Medicaid entities.
- Would remove certain prior delegation rules and require the Secretary to issue implementing regulations within 180 days after enactment; the changes would apply only to civil monetary penalty determinations made on or after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
More groups can check provider records
If enacted, more Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers would be allowed to query the National Practitioner Data Bank for background checks. The change would add providers of services and suppliers and providers under State plans or waivers to the list of authorized users, letting more hospitals, clinics, and suppliers check candidates' NPDB records for credentialing and hiring starting upon enactment. This could improve screening but also widen reporting and privacy impacts for practitioners.
Stricter rules for nursing home training
If enacted, the Secretary could stop a nursing home's nurse aide training program for up to 2 years when the home gets a civil monetary penalty of at least $10,697 for substandard care and has not fixed the problems. The Secretary must lift a disapproval when the home shows it fixed the deficiencies, had no direct-patient-harm deficiencies in the prior 2 years, and the penalty did not involve immediate jeopardy; extra oversight may be required for up to the disapproval period. The bill would apply only to penalty findings made on or after enactment and would allow some prior bans to be removed if the facility corrects the issues. The Department of Health and Human Services would have to write implementing rules within 180 days after enactment.
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
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov