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HR 8624 116th Congress House Health Cardiovascular and respiratory health Emergency medical services and trauma care Health technology, devices, supplies Home and outpatient care Hospital care Infectious and parasitic diseases Medicare Prescription drugs

Protecting Access to Innovation During COVID–19 Act

Introduced: October 16, 2020 See on congress.gov
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
Oct 16, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
Oct 16, 2020
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Protecting Access to Innovation During COVID-19 Act

This bill allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend the duration of pass-through status (i.e., additional payment) for certain drugs and devices under the Medicare prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services.

Specifically, the CMS may extend the pass-through status of drugs and devices that received such status during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) if their cost cannot be accurately calculated due to the effects of COVID-19. The bill's provisions apply to drugs and devices that had pass-through status during any portion of the public health emergency period, including those for which such status has already expired.

What's happening now October 16, 2020

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 8624: Protecting Access to Innovation During COVID–19 Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8624/
MLA
"H.R. 8624: Protecting Access to Innovation During COVID–19 Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8624/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 8624, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8624/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 8624: Protecting Access to Innovation During COVID–19 Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8624/)
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