This bill changes part of the Social Security Act (Title XVIII) to add "penicillin allergy verification and evaluation" to the Medicare initial preventive physical examination and the annual wellness visit. The bill defines penicillin allergy verification and evaluation to include: (A) identifying people who report a penicillin allergy; (B) considering whether the reported reaction is consistent with an allergy or can be reevaluated; (C) giving information about the individual and public health impact of a penicillin allergy label; and (D) referring the person to an allergy or immunology specialist when appropriate. The bill also says these changes take effect for visits furnished on or after January 1, 2027, and notes that separate payment for structured penicillin allergy validation and evaluation services on the same day as these visits is not prohibited.
If you are a Medicare beneficiary, your initial preventive physical exam and your annual wellness visit could include steps to check whether a reported penicillin allergy should be reevaluated. A clinician may ask about your reaction, consider whether it indicates a true allergy, provide information about the effects of having an allergy label, and refer you to a specialist if needed. These services are added to the list of items covered in those Medicare visits starting January 1, 2027.
No publicly available information.
The bill's findings state that many people who report a penicillin allergy are not truly allergic and that verification testing often shows they can safely take penicillin. The findings cite medical literature that estimates penicillin allergy affects about 10 percent of the population, notes higher labeling among hospitalized patients, and links a penicillin allergy label to worse patient outcomes such as longer hospital stays and higher perioperative infection rates. The findings also state that penicillin allergy evaluation can be cost-saving, that delabeling supports antibiotic stewardship, and that professional organizations endorse evaluation. A referenced 2023 study of adults 65 and older reported a high rate of disproved penicillin allergy after verification testing.
No publicly available information.