23 October 2019 House Ways and Means Committee advances the Lower Drug Costs Act Now (H.R. 3), bills to expand dental, vision and hearing benefits in Medicare On October 22, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced five health care bills on party lines, including the Lower Drug Costs Act Now (H.R. 3) Act, joining the House Energy and Commerce and House Education and Labor Committees, which advanced the bill last week. The bill would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate the price for prescription drugs in Medicare, cap Medicare beneficiaries' out-of-pocket drugs costs at $2,000, and enhance the low-income subsidy program, among other things. The committee also advanced legislation that would provide coverage for certain dental, vision and hearing items and services under Medicare Part B (H.R. 4650, 4665, and 4618), which the Energy and Commerce committee also advanced. The committee also advanced the Pathways to Health Careers Act (H.R. 3398), which would fund the final year of the Health Profession Opportunity Grant demonstration program, which trains low-income individuals for in-demand health jobs, then converting it to a country-wide grant program.
Document ID: 2019-1881 | |||||||
