A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by limiting the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work in certain providers of services to which payments are made under the Medicare Program.

S. 5319 would amend Medicare law (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) to limit the number of mandatory overtime hours that nurses can be required to work at health care facilities that receive Medicare payments. As of introduction, the bill's full text has not yet been published, so the specific hour limits, enforcement mechanisms, and other operational details are not yet known.

Based on the title, the bill would primarily affect nurses working at Medicare-participating providers, protecting them from being required to work beyond a set number of overtime hours. It would also affect the hospitals, nursing facilities, and other providers subject to Medicare payment rules, who would need to comply with whatever overtime restrictions the final text establishes.

The bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate on August 6, 2026, by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Its only recorded action so far is introduction. From here, it would typically be referred to a Senate committee (such as Finance) for review; it would need to pass committee, then the full Senate, then the House, and be signed by the President to become law. No further action has occurred yet, and there is no timeline for when the full text or next steps will be available.

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