Expanding Health Care Options for First Responders Act

Key Points

• Creates a new option for certain first responders ages 50–64 who retired or left work due to disability to buy Medicare coverage.
• If eligible, you’d get Medicare hospital coverage, doctor visits, and drug coverage, and you could choose a private Medicare plan that includes prescriptions.
• You would pay a monthly premium set to cover the average cost of the benefits; if you pick a pricier private Medicare plan, you pay extra.
• People using this buy-in would not be able to get Medicaid help paying Medicare deductibles and copays through this program.
• The bill also sets up outreach grants (starting in 2027) to help people learn about and sign up, and it says the program should not reduce current Medicare benefits or harm Medicare trust funds.