Policies to reduce drug prices and limit out-of-pocket spending could increase access to needed prescription drugs for adults with Medicare and private coverage. And expanding coverage to the uninsured population could improve prescription drug affordability.
The prescription drug inflation rebates will lower the cost of health insurance premiums for employers and result in higher wages. We estimate these changes based on Congressional Budget Office projections of additional federal tax revenues.
Medicare enrollees spent about $8.4 billion on routine vision services and $5.7 billion on routine hearing services in 2020. If Medicare were expanded to cover these services, it would primarily benefit low-income enrollees who may have considerable unmet needs.
The increase in hospital spending stemming from new federal health subsidies for people in the Medicaid gap in nonexpansion states under two provisions of the Build Back Better Act would be $6.8 billion, far outweighing cuts in disproportionate share payments.
New analysis shows that people living near a new light rail had fewer missed health care appointments and more walk-in visits, highlighting how enhancements to public transit can improve health care access, especially for people with low incomes. More insights here.
