Chairman Smith Opening Statement at Markup of Anti-Fraud, Health, and Social Security Legislation

Ways and Means Chairman Smith Moves Eight Bills Targeting Health Care Access and Program Fraud

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) opened a committee markup on May 21, 2026, outlining an eight-bill package designed to expand health care access for Medicare beneficiaries and crack down on fraud across federal benefit programs.

Expanding Health Care Access in Rural and Underserved Communities

Chairman Smith framed the legislative package around two central objectives: cutting bureaucratic barriers that limit health care options for seniors and recovering taxpayer dollars lost to fraudulent activity. Roughly 60 million Americans depend on Medicare, and Smith argued that outdated federal rules have made it unnecessarily difficult for those beneficiaries to receive quality care close to home.

Among the health care bills, one measure introduced by Representatives Adrian Smith and Brad Schneider would authorize Medicare reimbursement for pharmacists who provide testing and treatment for common respiratory illnesses such as strep throat and influenza. Chairman Smith noted that 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, and that in rural communities, a pharmacist often serves as a patient’s first point of contact for medical care. The bill would extend that existing reality into formal Medicare coverage.

A second measure, sponsored by Dr. Murphy and Representative Suozzi, would modernize the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Smith described the current reimbursement system as unpredictable and structurally flawed, pointing out that more than half of independent physicians have identified Medicare reimbursement cuts as a primary driver of their decisions to consolidate practices. The bill aims to stabilize payment rates and introduce greater accountability for the federal calculations that determine physician compensation.

A third health care bill, from Representative Carol Miller, focuses on kidney disease patients. The legislation would broaden access to home dialysis by covering staff-assisted home dialysis services and renal mental health support. Smith referenced testimony from patients who described home dialysis as transformative, citing fewer side effects and improved life expectancy compared to facility-based treatment. The bill addresses regulatory and logistical barriers that currently limit patients’ ability to start dialysis at home.

Anti-Fraud Measures Targeting Medicare, TANF, and Unemployment Insurance

The second half of the markup focused on fraud prevention across programs under the committee’s jurisdiction, including Medicare, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and unemployment insurance.

Smith described the financial scale of the problem in stark terms: Medicare loses approximately $60 billion annually to fraud — a figure that translates to nearly $1,000 per beneficiary per year. He emphasized that this estimate covers only Medicare, and that fraudulent activity extends across multiple other federal programs.

“Fraud steals benefits from the very Americans that programs like Medicare, TANF, and unemployment insurance were created to help,” Smith said during his opening remarks.

The chairman argued that unchecked fraud carries consequences beyond direct financial loss. It erodes public confidence in government programs and, by demonstrating that theft goes unpunished, encourages further criminal activity at taxpayers’ expense. Smith positioned the committee’s anti-fraud legislation as complementary to President Trump’s anti-fraud task force, saying the bills would help recover stolen funds and establish stronger safeguards to deter future abuse.

A Bipartisan Legislative Mix

The package reflects a mix of Republican and Democratic co-sponsors, with members including Representatives Suozzi and Schneider joining GOP colleagues on individual bills. The breadth of the markup — spanning pharmacy access, physician reimbursement, home dialysis, and multi-program fraud enforcement — illustrates the wide range of policy levers the Ways and Means Committee controls over federal health and welfare spending.

For conservative policy professionals and congressional staff tracking the committee’s activity, the markup signals a sustained focus on structural reforms to Medicare payment systems alongside the broader push in Washington to reduce improper payments across entitlement programs. With fraud losses running into the tens of billions annually, Smith’s framing connects the legislative agenda directly to the administration’s fiscal priorities and the ongoing effort to restore integrity to programs millions of Americans rely on.

Source: House Ways and Means Committee, Office of Chairman Jason Smith. Retrieved from waysandmeans.house.gov.