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HR 8138 116th Congress House Health Child health Food supply, safety, and labeling Health care costs and insurance Health care coverage and access Medicaid Medicare Military personnel and dependents Nutrition and diet

Patient Access to Medical Foods Act

Introduced: September 1, 2020 Introduced by: Biggs, Andy Republican · Arizona See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 1, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sep 1, 2020
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Patient Access to Medical Foods Act

This bill provides for coverage of medical foods under Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and TRICARE. The bill also requires private health insurance providers to cover medical foods.

Generally, a medical food is a food prescribed by a physician for the dietary management of a disease or condition. The bill expands this definition to include a food prescribed as a therapeutic option when a physician determines that traditional therapies are inappropriate for the patient. This definition shall apply to the insurance programs described above and to a federal grant program to encourage the development of drugs and medical foods for rare diseases.

What's happening now September 1, 2020

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 8138: Patient Access to Medical Foods Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8138/
MLA
"H.R. 8138: Patient Access to Medical Foods Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8138/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 8138, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8138/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 8138: Patient Access to Medical Foods Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8138/)
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