The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Potential Impact on Healthcare Policy and Spending
- Restarting Medicare Payment Cuts. The Infrastructure Bill restores a two percent cut to all Medicare payments to providers to help fund infrastructure spending.
- Delaying Part D Rebate. The Infrastructure Bill also delays a controversial Medicare Part D rebate rule (the “ Part D Rebate Rule ”) until 2026.
- Regulating PPE Purchases. ...
- FOOTNOTES. ...
How will the infrastructure bill be paid for?
Nov 16, 2021 · Nov. 16 2021, Published 12:41 p.m. ET. Recently, President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that received bipartisan support in Congress. However, there's still the second portion ...
Will the infrastructure bill affect Medicare?
Aug 05, 2021 · What does the infrastructure bill have to do with Medicare drug rebates? The massive spending bill is likely to at least delay the so-called Medicare rebate rule released at the end of the Trump ...
What does the infrastructure bill mean for drug manufacturers?
Infrastructure Bill Could Affect Medicare. August 2, 2021. The infrastructure bill being worked on in the Senate this week, one of only issues facing Congress where there is general agreement by both political parties, could affect Medicare in a positive way. According to Bloomberg News, “To offset some of the cost, the lawmakers are considering proposals to raise money from drug …
What's in the $6 trillion infrastructure plan?
Sep 16, 2021 · Money for the infrastructure bill is coming at the expense of Medicare Part D. House Democrats recently voted to advance the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that passed the Senate last month ...
What is in the infrastructure bill for healthcare?
The Build Back Better spending bill includes $165 billion to reduce healthcare premiums for people covered through the Affordable Care Act. The bill would also provide insurance for an additional four million people through Medicaid and establish a health insurance affordability fund.Nov 6, 2021
What is in the new infrastructure bill for Medicare?
The latest version of a massive $1.75 trillion infrastructure and social spending package aims to include a record 4,000 additional Medicare-supported graduate medical education (GME) slots in a bid to head off a looming physician shortage.
Does the infrastructure bill cover Medicare?
“Build Back Better” Infrastructure Bill Includes Medicare Hearing Care Coverage.
Does the infrastructure bill include healthcare?
Notably, the Infrastructure Bill is paid for in part through changes to several healthcare policies, including delaying a Medicare Part D rebate rule for an additional three years and reducing Medicare payment amounts to providers.Aug 24, 2021
Does the infrastructure bill include Medicaid expansion?
Biden infrastructure package includes $400B to expand Medicaid home services. President Joe Biden is expected to include $400 billion for expanding Medicaid beneficiaries' access to home- and community-based care for seniors and the disabled as part of a larger infrastructure package.
Will Medicare age be lowered?
Regardless of the outcome, the eligibility age for Medicare won't change overnight. Lowering the eligibility age is no longer part of the U.S. Government's budget for Fiscal Year 2022. So, the Medicare eligibility age will not see a reduction anytime in the next year.Dec 7, 2021
Does Build Back Better include dental bill?
Medicare dental benefit not included in House of Representatives-passed legislation. Washington — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better legislative package Nov. 19 without an expansion of dental benefits within the Medicare program. The legislation now moves to the Senate.Nov 19, 2021
Does Medicare count as insurance?
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for: People who are 65 or older.
What Medicare changes are in build back better?
The Build Back Better plan looks to add hearing coverage to Medicare starting in 2023. New coverage under the plan would include hearing aids for enrollees with moderately severe to profound hearing loss, hearing treatment, and rehabilitation by qualified audiologists.Feb 10, 2022
What is in build back better bill for seniors?
Paid family leave If passed, the bill would allow family caregivers four weeks of paid leave, benefiting Americans with children as well as older relatives. “The need for more long-term care is important in an aging society, and also the ability to sustain a stable workforce,” Fiesta said.Nov 27, 2021
What is funding the build back better act?
This bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment. (The bill is commonly referred to as the Build Back Better Act.)
Infrastructure Bill Could Affect Medicare
The infrastructure bill being worked on in the Senate this week, one of only issues facing Congress where there is general agreement by both political parties, could affect Medicare in a positive way.
Emergency Senior Stimulus
The Senior Citizens League will collect both online and print petitions and bring a collective voice to members of Congress urging them to issue a $1,400.00 stimulus check to Social Security recipients. Sign the Emergency Senior Stimulus Petition today!
Restarting Medicare Payment Cuts
The Infrastructure Bill restores a two percent cut to all Medicare payments to providers to help fund infrastructure spending. This cut was originally installed in 2013 under sequestration, but Congress paused it at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 to assist financially distressed providers. Congress then extended the moratorium through 2021.
Delaying Part D Rebate
The Infrastructure Bill also delays a controversial Medicare Part D rebate rule (the “ Part D Rebate Rule ”) until 2026.
Regulating PPE Purchases
In addition, the Infrastructure Bill requires the federal government to purchase personal protective equipment (“ PPE ”) exclusively from domestic manufacturers, with contracts that run for at least two years.
Requiring Drug Manufacturers to Refund Medicare for Discarded Drugs
Finally, the Infrastructure Bill requires drug manufacturers to refund Medicare for any single-dose or single-use package drugs dispensed under Medicare Part B (which reimburses for physician services including physician-administered drugs). Beginning in 2023, these refunds must be made each quarter.
The Rest of the Story: the Infrastructure Bill in the House of Representatives
Although the Infrastructure Bill passed by the Senate has broad bipartisan support, politics in the House of Representatives have somewhat stalled its final passage.
How much did the Senate agree to pay for the infrastructure deal?
A bipartisan group of senators is closing in on a $579 billion infrastructure deal after agreeing to pay for it in part by delaying a Trump-era Medicare regulation, a key Democratic senator said July 22.
What is the Medicare rule?
The Medicare rule, promulgated by President Donald Trump, eliminates rebates that drug companies give benefit managers in Medicare Part D and was aimed at reducing out-of-pocket costs.
When is Schumer's recess?
Schumer indicated on the Senate floor July 22 he is prepared to keep the Senate in session past its Aug. 9 recess date to finish work on the infrastructure bill and a multitrillion-dollar budget bill carrying much of President Joe Biden’s economic agenda.
What is the $6 trillion infrastructure plan?
The $6 trillion infrastructure plan being written by Senate and House Democrats goes beyond roads and bridges to include things like lowering the Medicare age to 60 and adding dental, vision and hearing benefits. Via AP:
What does Biden want?
Biden wants some kind of bipartisan deal, but that is most likely to mean separate legislation that will include only the items Republicans support, and a massive reconciliation bill that will include the rest. This is what leadership looks like.
How many senators did Biden have?
Back from his overseas trip, Biden is reengaging with Congress as the administration and its allies on Capitol Hill embark on a two-pronged strategy: reviewing a nearly $1 trillion plan from a group of 21 senators, including 11 Republicans, while pursuing their own priorities in a more substantial package.
Is the Senate preparing a budget document?
The Senate is preparing a draft budget document, alongside one in the House, that puts a new focus on President Joe Biden’s big legislative proposal and shows the scope of what Democrats would hope to accomplish with a go-it-alone approach, separate from any possible bipartisan deal.
