As part of their American Rescue Plan package of legislation, congressional Democrats have included an array of health-related provisions. AAF’s Director of Health Care Policy Christopher Holt outlines and assesses these proposals. While some of the proposals do indeed apply to the pandemic, many are instead long-sought liberal policy priorities masquerading as pandemic response, he writes.

His central points:

• Many of the health provisions included in the American Rescue Plan are, at best, only indirectly related to combatting COVID-19 pandemic, even as that is the justification for the $1.9 trillion package;
• Using the reconciliation process makes it substantially easier for the majority party in Congress to achieve long-held health policy objectives, which is why so many ancillary provisions are being included; and
• Key health provisions involve significant changes to the Affordable Care Act, COBRA, Medicaid, and a variety of federal public health programs.

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