Pasco Reporter

The House Energy & Commerce Committee has advanced a reconciliation bill designed to curb wasteful spending, support innovation in American commerce, and protect Medicaid. One significant inclusion is the LIVE Beneficiaries Act, authored by Representative Gus Bilirakis. This provision mandates that states must quarterly certify the living status of Medicaid enrollees. The bill responds to an audit revealing $249 million paid on behalf of deceased individuals across 14 states in one year.

Bilirakis expressed pride in the approach taken to achieve savings while maintaining benefits for vulnerable groups. He stated, "We have a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely," emphasizing that critical populations will not see changes under this bill.

In addition to Medicaid reforms, Bilirakis led a measure imposing a 10-year moratorium on state and local regulation of AI models. He noted, "Harnessing the potential of AI is not just an opportunity for the United States, it's an absolute necessity."

As Co-Chair of the Rare Disease Caucus, Bilirakis included two measures supporting rare disease patients in the package. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act aims to streamline out-of-state pediatric care enrollment processes for children with complex medical needs. Meanwhile, the Orphan CURES Act seeks to restore incentives for developing treatments for multiple rare diseases.

"Including these two critical provisions in the reconciliation package is a huge win for the rare disease community," said Bilirakis.