Rep. Tenney introduces bill in U.S. House to establish full risk accountable care organization program under Medicare

The new bill, authored by U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney in the U.S. House, aims to give providers more flexibility to manage Medicare patient care and improve health outcomes, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.8129 was introduced on March 26, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to establish a full risk accountable care organization (ACO) program under Medicare, allowing providers the flexibility to manage patient care while focusing on improving health outcomes and reducing costs. By June 30, 2026, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will implement this program, which will consist of standard and complex care track options for various provider groups. ACOs will be required to individually tailor care for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries and may receive payments based on capitated arrangements and risk-sharing incentives. Additionally, ACOs will need to meet specific enrollment thresholds, provide a range of services, and adhere to quality performance standards established by the Secretary. The bill allows for beneficiary opt-out options and mandates communication about care choices to beneficiaries.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Claudia Tenney (Republican-NY-24th District) and co-sponsored by Rep. Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat-NY-10th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Tenney has introduced another 59 bills.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Claudia Tenney is a Representative from New York. She graduated from New Hartford High School in 1979, earned a B.A. from Colgate University in 1983, and obtained a J.D. from Cincinnati University in 1987.

She served in the New York state assembly from 2011 to 2016 and was elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress from January 3, 2017, to January 3, 2019. Tenney was an unsuccessful candidate for the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress in 2018 and was later elected to the One Hundred Seventeenth and two succeeding Congresses, beginning January 3, 2021.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Congress. The source data can be found here.