New Medicare Bill Would Let Americans Keep Private Insurance
Summary
Representative Rosa DeLauro introduced the Medicare for America Act, which would make an expanded Medicare program available to all U.S. residents while letting people keep qualifying employer coverage. The proposal would change coverage and payment rules, but the article says it had no cosponsors and faced limited prospects in Congress.Key Facts
- The bill would automatically enroll people who lack insurance and let workers choose between the program and qualifying employer coverage.
- Employers would still contribute toward premiums when an employee chose Medicare for America, and employers could also use it to cover workers.
- The proposal would eliminate deductibles, cap premiums at 8 percent of household income, and limit annual out-of-pocket costs to $3,500 for an individual and $5,000 for a household.
- People earning below 200 percent of the federal poverty level would pay no premiums or out-of-pocket costs under the proposal.
- Coverage would include dental, vision, hearing, prescription drugs, maternity and reproductive care, mental health treatment, and some long-term services.
- The bill would require private employer plans that remain to include stronger benefits, including dental, vision, and hearing coverage.
- The proposal would set payment rates across different types of health plans and increase payments for primary care and mental health services by at least 30 percent.
- At introduction, the bill had no cosponsors and would need to advance through a Republican-controlled Congress.
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