Friday, March 12, 2021 McDermott+Consulting is pleased to provide the McDermottPlus Check-Up, your regular update on health care policy from Washington, DC. This Week’s Dose Congress Biden Signed American Rescue Plan The American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARP) largely follows President Biden’s initial $1.9 trillion proposal. The ARP extends unemployment insurance benefits and provides $1,400 stimulus payments to qualifying Americans. It also makes several important health policy changes, including providing funding for vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing, making policy adjustments to Medicaid, facilitating insurance coverage and providing another $8.5 billion through a Provider Relief Fund look-alike mechanism to specifically support rural providers. The final bill also makes two narrowly focused Medicare payment changes. The version that was signed into law ultimately did not include a federal minimum wage increase, or a number of other financial and regulatory support provisions sought by healthcare providers. A summary of the major health-related provisions of the law is available here.