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The COVID relief package under consideration in the House tonight is the biggest health care vehicle we've seen since...the Affordable Care Act? I'm floored by what is about to be accomplished here. https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/chairman-neal-statement-new-covid-19-relief-and-omnibus-agreement
Section by section detail on the Medicare provisions here. In addition to all of the COVID relief, sorely needed public health appropriations for testing/vaccines/etc, there is a huge backlog of other health polices that have been homeless during a paralyzed Congress
It will take a while to sort through all of them. Many of them had been broadcast/announced in advance, like the solution to surprise billing. Many of them are relatively small. On first scan, there's a lot to like
No-brainer but long-sought coverage for immunosupressive drugs for patients no longer eligible for Medicare by virtue of a Medicare-funded transplant (yes this really happens); expansion of rights/scope for a variety of non-MD health care professionals
Telehealth expansions for mental health and a new class of rural emergency hospitals; enrollment simplification and beneficiary-friendly transparency programs (eg Part D plans will have to provide visibility into deductible/cost-sharing for prescriber at point of care)
expansions of medical education for the first time in a long time, including provisions for training in rural and community settings; a one-time, one-year increase in payments for physicians in Medicare across the board.
Lame duck sessions can often be productive but this is above and beyond. I'll be curious if any surprises pop up that cause problems.
