July 21, 2026
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To amend the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act to allow the Secretary of Labor to suspend payments to medical providers who have been convicted of fraud.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Putting Patients First by Strengthening Provider Accountability in FECA Act
.
Sec. 2. Fraud convictions
(a) In general
Section 8103 of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by striking These expenses
and inserting Subject to subsection (c), these expenses
;
(2)
in subsection (b), by striking The Secretary, under
and inserting Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary, under
; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(c)
(1)
The Secretary of Labor may suspend payments to a provider of services, appliances, or supplies furnished pursuant to subsection (a), or vouchers or certifications described in subsection (b) for the expenses incurred by the employing agency with respect to such a provider, if the provider has been convicted of fraud with respect to—
(A)
this subchapter;
(B)
any Federal health care benefit program (as defined in section 24 of title 18, United States Code); or
(C)
any State program for which payments are made to providers for services, appliances, or supplies similar to such services, appliances, or supplies provided pursuant to this subchapter.
(2)
The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out this subsection.
(b) Effective date
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to payments made to a provider of services, appliances, or supplies on or after the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.