# H.R. 8823 (119th): Putting Patients First by Strengthening Provider Accountability in FECA Act

Putting Patients First by Strengthening Provider Accountability in FECA Act This bill explicitly authorizes the Department of Labor to suspend payments under the federal workers’ compensation program to certain providers convicted of fraud. (Current regulations establish various grounds for excluding a provider from payment under the program, including a conviction for fraudulent activity in connection with a federal or state medical benefit program.) Under the bill, Labor may suspend payments to a provider convicted of fraud related to the federal workers’ compensation program, a similar state program, or a federal health care benefit program (e.g., Medicare). Specifically, Labor may suspend (1) payments to such a provider for services, appliances, or supplies covered under the program; or (2) payments for certain initial expenses incurred by an employing agency with respect to such a provider. Labor must issue regulations to carry out these provisions.

## How this bill is scored

Tier: no Tier 1 record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Lane: abuse_accountability. Category: justice_truth. Lane tag: general equity.
Lane: fraud_prevention. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: health_program_fraud. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: program_integrity. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: workers_compensation. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Tier 1 sign-off: no record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Stored polarity: good. A yea supports the bill. A nay is the penalized direction when the tag is scored as a protection. A yea on a credit tag is a credit.
Roll 251: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended. Vote type: final_passage.
Polarity rationale: Reviewed enrichment (llm_import) polarity: The bill directly restrains a named wrong, fraud by convicted providers against federal and related health and workers' compensation programs, and it strengthens accountability for taxpayer funds. Its operative effect is narrow and administrative, so it is not a broad prudential dispute, but the moral direction is toward restraining fraud rather than advancing harm.
Theological note: The measure relates to stewardship and justice in the use of public funds. Scripture condemns fraud and deceit in commerce and calls for honest weights and measures, so restraining provider fraud against a federal program bears on general equity and protection of the common good. Its relevance is to program integrity and accountability for misused funds, not to the sexual or familial questions that the existing abuse_accountability tag would suggest.

## Recorded votes

Roll 251: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended. Yea 396 · Nay 0 · Other 35.

HTML: https://justmeasure.org/bill/hr-8823-119/