Blog

• Key Senator Still Pushing for Legislation to Lower Drug Prices

  January 28, 2022: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (OR) told Bloomberg News this week that a new version of the Build Back Better Act could be reintroduced with a focus on lowering prescription drug costs, expanding access to health care and increasing clea...Read more >

• Alliance Takes More Action to Protect Voting Rights

  January 28, 2022: The Alliance called on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on Thursday to stop permitting state elections offices to require that people provide their full Social Security numbers when submitting a voter registration form, explaining in a p...Read more >

• KHN: Why Medicare Doesn’t Pay for Rapid At-Home Covid Tests

  January 25, 2022: What group is especially vulnerable to the ravages of covid-19 even if fully vaccinated and boosted? Seniors. And who will have an especially tough time getting free at-home covid tests under the Biden administration’s plan? Yes, seniors. ...Read more >

• Free COVID-19 Test Kits are Now Available from the U.S. Postal Service

  January 25, 2022: Covidtests.gov, a new website from the federal government, launched on Wednesday to provide free COVID-19 test kits to every American household. Each household is eligible to order up to four tests, completely free of charge, at https://special.us...Read more >

• Supreme Court Decision Upholds Vaccine Rule for Most Nursing Home, Health Care Workers

  January 24, 2022: In a 6-3 decision last week, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a U.S. Department of Labor emergency rule that would have required all businesses with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or be tested weekly. At the same time, in a 5-4 ...Read more >

• Democrats Urge Scaled-Back Build Back Better Act

  January 21, 2022: Democrats in the House of Representatives continue to explore every possible avenue to pass a version of President Biden’s Build Back Better Act this year. After the $2.2 trillion Build Back Better Act passed the House back with multiple provisi...Read more >

• Historic Voting Rights Legislation, Filibuster Reform Fail to Pass in the U.S. Senate

  January 21, 2022: The U.S. Senate had the power on Wednesday to protect the right to vote by passing the “Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.” However, the historic measure failed on a 50-50 Senate vote, since 60 votes were needed for it to pass. No Republicans vo...Read more >

• Pension Plans Offer Substantial Cost Advantages Over 401(k) Retirement Accounts

  January 14, 2022: A new research report from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) has uncovered a surprising difference between defined-benefit pension plans and 401(k) style defined-contribution pension plans. The report found that pension plans provi...Read more >

• Voting Rights Push Hits a Major Hurdle following Speech by Sen. Sinema

  January 14, 2022: President Biden spoke in Atlanta Tuesday, painting a dire picture for the nation's future elections during a major speech on voting rights while expressing his frustration at Republicans who are blocking voting rights legislation. He called on the Se...Read more >

• “No Surprises Act” Law is Now in Effect to Dispute Unexpected Medical Bills

  January 11, 2022: Thanks to the No Surprises Act, Americans are now protected from surprise medical billing. Since January 1, 2022, this new law has begun to protect both the insured and uninsured from surprise medical bills. Consumers have new rights and easy options...Read more >