S. 4641: Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2026
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2026-05-21 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] |
| Policy area | Health |
| Cosponsors | 6 |
| Latest action | 2026-05-21 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. |
| Last updated | 2026-07-29 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2026-05-21):
Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2026
This bill deems an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital as an inpatient for purposes of satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital-stay requirement with respect to Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. (Generally, individuals must have been an inpatient at a hospital for at least three days in order to qualify for SNF services. An individual's time spent under observation at a hospital for purposes of determining whether the individual should be admitted does not count towards this requirement.)
Cosponsors (6)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Peter Welch | D VT (original cosponsor) 2026-05-21 |
| Shelley Moore Capito | R WV (original cosponsor) 2026-05-21 |
| Katie Boyd Britt | R AL 2026-06-15 |
| Sheldon Whitehouse | D RI 2026-06-23 |
| Adam B. Schiff | D CA 2026-06-23 |
| Christopher A. Coons | D DE 2026-07-28 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 4641 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
View S. 4641 on congress.gov →
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 4641?
S. 4641 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2026.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 4641 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).