| House Committees Begin Mark-up Process for Democrats’ Reconciliation Package |
| One of the main provisions that could be included in this package is an expansion of Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing, as well as lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 60. According to current Ways and Means language, Medicare vision and hearing benefits would go into effect in… Read More |
| President Biden Signs Executive Order Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Millions of Americans |
| As with almost all executive orders, Biden’s directive will need further action by federal agencies, in this case the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, in order to fulfill the order. Further guidance from the task force on the implementation of this order is expected… Read More |
| HHS Releases Plan to Lower Prescription Drug Costs |
| One way the plan urges Congress to implement these principles is by asking the legislative body to allow the secretary of HHS to negotiate drug prices provided by Medicare Part B and Part D and make those prices available to both commercial plans and employers… Read More |
| ACA Affordability Percentage Decreased for 2022 |
| Affordability depends on a certain percentage of the employee’s household income for the tax year, which is typically adjusted annually for inflation. Recent guidance from the IRS decreases the affordability percentage from 9.83 percent in 2021 to… Read More |
| States Begin Rolling Back Pandemic Telehealth Flexibilities |
| Providers have long been divided on whether to support changing interstate licensing rules. Different state requirements can make it burdensome and expensive for doctors, nurses and other clinicians to get licenses in multiple states, leading some to call for more flexibility. However… Read More |
by Jim Beatrice on