Health reform provisions in the Biden COVID response bill James C. Capretta | Feb 16, 2021
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President Biden’s top priorities are containing the COVID-19 pandemic and jump-starting the American economy, which is why his focus is on moving a fifth major response bill through Congress, this one with a price tag of $1.9 trillion. Because this legislation is near certain to become law, it has become a magnet for all manner of priorities, including those of a health-reform variety (which, their proponents will argue, are related to economic recovery). Democrats in Congress see this first bill of the Biden era as their best (and perhaps only) opportunity to implement portions of their agenda without the need to compromise with the GOP. The probable enactment through this process of consequential health reform-like measures (listed below based on the committees advancing them) will be significant for policy debates in the years ahead.