H.R. 8749 – SAFE through Medicare Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated June 2, 2026 at 5:53 AM UTC

The SAFE through Medicare Act would add a new category of Medicare coverage for "home resiliency services" for people who are medically vulnerable during climate‑related or man‑made disasters. It defines those services—such as heat pumps, solar battery backups, or temperature‑controlled storage for sensitive medical supplies—and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to identify individuals who are at risk based on location, disaster history, and medical needs. Eligible individuals would have the cost of these services paid by Medicare.

Key Provisions

Adds a new subparagraph (LL) to the list of Medicare‑covered services for individuals deemed medically at‑risk in a disaster, covering home resiliency services.
Defines "home resiliency services" as items like heat pumps, solar batteries, and cold‑storage that protect medically dependent equipment or supplies during extreme weather or power loss.
Mandates the Secretary, in consultation with NIH, CMS, and NOAA, to create a process for determining who is medically at‑risk, considering geographic climate risks, disaster history, medical equipment reliance, and chronic health conditions.
Specifies that Medicare will pay 100% of the lesser of the actual charge or a fee‑schedule amount for these home resiliency services.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

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.

Energy and Commerce Committee

May 12, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 12, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

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.

Energy and Commerce Committee

May 12, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued May 12, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8749

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 12, 2026

Mr. Frost introduced the following bill; which was 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

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage of medically necessary home resiliency services under Medicare.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Survival Aid For Emergencies through Medicare Act or the SAFE through Medicare Act.

2.

Medicare coverage of medically necessary home resiliency services

(a)

Coverage

Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (s)(2)—

(A)

in subparagraph (JJ), by striking and at the end;

(B)

in subparagraph (KK), by inserting and at the end; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(LL)

in the case of an individual who is medically at-risk in the event of a climate or manmade disaster (as determined by the Secretary in accordance with subsection (ooo)), home resiliency services (as defined in such subsection);

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(ooo)

Home resiliency services; determination of individuals medically at-Risk

(1)

Home resiliency services

The term home resiliency services means items and services—

(A)

furnished on or after January 1, 2027, to an individual described in subsection (s)(2)(LL); and

(B)

that the Secretary determines are medically necessary for such individual in the case of a climate or manmade disaster, such as a heat pump for an individual vulnerable to extreme temperatures, solar batteries for an individual reliant on electrical medical equipment (including home mechanical ventilators), and energy efficient cold-storage for heat-sensitive medical supplies.

(2)

Determination of individuals medically at-risk

For purposes of subsection (s)(2)(LL) and this subsection, the Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall establish a process to determine the conditions under which an individual would be determined to be medically at-risk in the event of a disaster or climate hazards, including extreme heat, extreme cold, flooding, and loss of power. Such a process shall consider—

(A)

geography-specific climate risks and regional preparedness for different climate risks;

(B)

the regional history of disaster or climate hazards and infrastructure failure in the preceding 20 years or the forward-looking predicted risk of disaster or climate hazards and infrastructure failure in the next 20 years;

(C)

medical reliance on equipment, pharmaceuticals, mobility aids, and other supplies that are sensitive to exposure to extreme temperatures, poor air quality, flooding and water damage, or dependent on electrical power; and

(D)

chronic medical conditions, disabilities, and comorbidities that increase patient vulnerability during disaster.

.

(b)

Payment

Section 1833(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)) is amended—

(1)

by striking and before (HH); and

(2)

by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: and (II) with respect to home resiliency services described in section 1861(s)(2)(LL), the amount paid shall be an amount equal to 100 percent of the lesser of the actual charge for the services or the amount determined under a fee schedule established by the Secretary.