President Biden's bipartisan infrastructure spending bill has not reached final passage yet, but Senate Democrats have finally released some details of what will be included in the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill that will follow the bipartisan deal.
For some personal reasons, the outline of the plan released by Democratic leaders looks very promising as it will expand Medicare among other things.
From the Wall Street Journal:
The plan, which is set to offer universal prekindergarten, two free years of community college, and expanded Medicare to cover hearing, dental and vision care, is the second of two major packages encapsulating President Biden’s agenda that lawmakers are pushing through Congress this year. The first, the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure plan, is nearing final passage in the Senate.
Democrats are planning to raise taxes on corporations and high-income households to cover the cost of the $3.5 trillion plan, which also calls for a federal paid leave benefit, a series of energy tax incentives, and a program to push the U.S. to receive 80% of its electricity from clean sources by 2030. The plan outlined by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) on Monday also includes offering a pathway to lawful permanent status for certain migrants to the U.S. and lowering the price of prescription drugs.
It was literally just a few days ago when my father and I were discussing his lack of coverage for vision and dental care. I was unaware that Medicare and supplemental insurance does not cover either thing.
More broadly, the fact that health care generally doesn't include those things in this country is ridiculous and that's especially true for seniors whose only source of income may be Social Security. Even those of us who are younger probably don't see a dentist as often as we should because we can't afford to. I can't.
I'm skeptical that the immigration provisions included in outline of the spending bill will survive the Senate Parliamentarian, but I believe most of the proposal will make it through.