Bill > HR6147

This bill creates a Medicare buy-in option specifically for first responders between 50 and 64 years old who have been separated from service due to retirement or disability. The bill allows eligible first responders, which includes law enforcement officers, certain government employees, and federal firefighters, to purchase Medicare Part A, B, and D coverage before reaching the standard Medicare eligibility age of 65. Participants would pay a monthly premium calculated based on the average annual per capita cost of Medicare benefits, and their coverage would begin no earlier than January 1st of the first year at least one year after the bill's enactment. The legislation ensures that this coverage counts as minimum essential health coverage for tax purposes and allows individuals to potentially receive premium assistance and cost-sharing subsidies. The bill also establishes a Medicare Buy-In Oversight Board to monitor the program's implementation and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide outreach and enrollment grants to help eligible first responders understand and access this new healthcare option. Importantly, the bill stipulates that this new program will not negatively impact existing Medicare trust funds or benefits for other Medicare recipients.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6147/all-info