On October 17, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy & Commerce Committee passed an updated version of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s drug pricing legislation (H.R. 3). According to Politico, “The committee also approved on voice votes bills that would direct expected savings from the government drug price negotiations required by the legislation to new dental, vision and hearing benefits for seniors in Medicare as well as new financial support for low-income Medicare beneficiaries.” It is not likely this legislation will pass the Senate, but our team believes that these voice votes demonstrate that there is traction behind addressing the lack of oral health coverage in the Medicare program. The House Ways & Means Committee is set to mark up this package next week, so stay tuned
