A diverse group of 18 health care stakeholders including beneficiary advocates, insurers and businesses are pushing a legislative agenda that includes expanding and strengthening coverage in Medicaid/CHIP and the exchanges. Many of the policies they support are expected to be in the budget reconciliation package being put together by the Democrats, but others could be […]

The Biden administration is looking at the idea of expanding Medicare’s definition of medically-necessary dental coverage, according to a senator’s office, and such a move potentially could bring down the cost of congressional Democrats’ plan to add a new dental benefit to Medicare as part of a broad budget reconciliation package later this year. However, […]

President Joe Biden’s sweeping executive order to boost competition in health care and other markets directs HHS to create a standardized plan option that would be sold in the federal exchange and help people to more easily compare plans. “Consolidation in the health insurance industry has meant that many consumers have little choice when it […]

Democratic leaders are moving ahead with plans to expand the two massive U.S. public health insurance programs even as their rank and file have yet to unite over how to do so. House Budget Committee Chair John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) told reporters he isn’t sure there’s widespread support in his own party for lowering the age to qualify […]

Businesses are worried that public option health plans taking shape in some states may end up costing them more than the high premiums they already pay. Employers increasingly have been open to government involvement in the health-care system out of frustration for high costs that they have been largely unable to rein in. But they fear plans […]