COVID-19 Emergency Relief Package – Detailed Summary of New Agreement
Health Care Authorizations
Democrats secured a permanent end to surprise medical billing, finally providing patients with a critical new consumer protection. The bill also includes a 3 year extension of numerous public health programs, including funding for Community Health Centers, the Special Diabetes Program, a delay of the Medicaid DSH cuts, the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center program and more.
Additionally, the bill eliminates Medicare copays for colonoscopy treatment, provides Medicaid coverage to COFA migrants, provides the first expansion of the Medicare GME program in nearly 15 years, improves enrollment processes and offers new protections for Medicare beneficiaries, provides new mental health parity requirements, and expands access to rural health care and mental health telehealth treatment.