EASE Act of 2025
Key claim: The EASE Act of 2025 would require CMMI to test a nonprofit provider-network model that uses telehealth to deliver specialty care to rural Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries through FQHCs, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals.
Abstract
(HR2533 · 119th Congress) Ensuring Access to Specialty care Everywhere Act of 2025 or the EASE Act of 2025 This bill requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to test a model that uses a network of providers to remotely furnish specialty health care to Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries in rural areas. To conduct the model, the CMMI must select at least one provider network that is a nonprofit entity and that consists of at least 50 federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, or rural emergency hospitals. At least half of the providers in the network must be located in rural areas. Providers must use digital methods (e.g., telehealth technology) to provide specialty care and must coordinate with beneficiaries’ primary care providers. Latest action (2025-04-01): 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.
Why this matters
For rural patients on Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP, the bill would test a new pathway to reach specialists without traveling long distances by routing care through familiar safety-net sites (FQHCs, RHCs, CAHs, REHs). For providers and payers, a CMMI demonstration is a mechanism to evaluate payment and network design for cross-program telehealth specialty care before any broader coverage change.