Democrats are on the cusp of making the most significant changes to Medicare in more than a decade, which could bring lower drug prices and out-of-pocket costs for some of the program’s 64 million enrollees. After months of negotiation, Senate Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. If the Senate-passed bill clears the House—as it is expected to do—beginning this fall, drug companies that raise prices higher than inflation will be penalized. See a summary of other provisions of the Act of interest to Community Health Centers and the table below courtesy of KFF for more information on provisions of the legislation. Of note, Democrats tried to attach an amendment establishing a $35 insulin cap to the bill, but Republicans voted it down, eliminating it from the package. The package now moves to the House, where members will vote as early as Friday on advancing the bill to President Biden’s desk.
