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HR 56 117th 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: January 4, 2021 Introduced by: Biggs, Andy Republican · Arizona See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 2, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jan 4, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jan 4, 2021
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.
Jan 4, 2021
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 February 2, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 56: Patient Access to Medical Foods Act. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-56/
MLA
"H.R. 56: Patient Access to Medical Foods Act." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-56/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 56, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-56/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 56: Patient Access to Medical Foods Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-56/)
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