(By Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Karyn Schwartz, and Tricia Neuman for Kaiser Family Foundation published May 17, 2021)<\/p>\n
High and rapidly growing health care spending in the U.S. is a concern for consumers, employers, tax payers and policy makers. The relatively high prices paid by private insurers is one of the key factors fueling this trend, leading some policy makers to consider whether Medicare rates, or a multiple of Medicare rates, should be used to help control costs and address affordability concerns for people with private insurance. President Biden, for example, proposed during the campaign to establish a \u201cpublic option\u201d and reduce the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 60 to broaden coverage and lower costs. Democratic lawmakers in Congress have proposed similar legislation to provide more affordable health coverage by leveraging Medicare\u2019s lower provider payment rates. However, some question whether a shift toward Medicare provider payment rates might adversely affect access to care and affordability for people who gain or change coverage under these options.\u00a0 Continue reading the brief here…<\/a><\/p>\n
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