This bill, known as H.R. 3, focuses on several key areas aimed at reducing healthcare costs and improving access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. The main provisions include:
- Lower Medication Prices: Aims to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, making them more affordable for patients.
- Decreased Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs: Establishes a cap on the maximum out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare beneficiaries, helping to alleviate the financial burden on seniors.
- Drug Price Transparency: Requires greater transparency in drug pricing, allowing consumers and healthcare providers to make more informed decisions.
- Expanded Eligibility: Increases the eligibility for medications and coverage, ensuring more Medicare beneficiaries can access necessary treatments.
- Additional Coverage: Includes hearing, dental, and vision programs as part of Medicare coverage, broadening the scope of services available to beneficiaries.
- Multilingual Health Information: Mandates that health information be provided in multiple languages, ensuring that non-English speaking patients can fully understand their treatment options (H.R. 3, 2019).