House Democrats issued a request for information May 26 to create a public option for health insurance coverage, a policy President Joe Biden has expressed support for but hasn't taken steps toward implementing.
Four things to know:
1. Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., issued the request for information as House lawmakers plan to begin working on public option legislation.
2. As part of his healthcare platform, President Biden has proposed a public option health plan that would be premium-free for Americans who would be eligible for Medicaid if their state had expanded the program under the ACA. It also would allow states that already have expanded Medicaid under the ACA to move newly eligible enrollees onto the public option.
3. The American Hospital Association said while it wants to achieve universal health coverage for all Americans, it opposes the lawmaker's public option approach.
"We do not support the introduction of a public option plan that could increase the strain COVID-19 has placed on our health care system," AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in a May 26 statement. "This type of proposal would strip significant resources from providers by relying on inadequate reimbursement rates, increasing the risk of hospital closures and threatening access to care for patients and communities."
4. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is accepting proposals through July 31.