# 119-hr-7909: Medicare Expansion and Lowering Costs Now Act

119-hr-7909, Medicare Expansion and Lowering Costs Now Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7909
- As of: 2026-07-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7909
- Congress: 119
- Title: Medicare Expansion and Lowering Costs Now Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-03-12
- Sponsor: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-16

## Summary

**This bill would create a new Medicare Buy‑In so that people aged 50–64 can buy Medicare Parts A, B, and D.** It also would add a federal direct supplemental plan to cover cost‑sharing and give the Secretary limited authority to negotiate Part D drug prices. - Would let people aged 50–64 buy Medicare Parts A, B, and D with the same benefits and access to Medicare Advantage and Medigap. It would exclude Medicaid beneficiaries in that age group and set premiums using a national per‑capita formula that could be adjusted for age or geography. - Would require the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to revise Medigap rules to ensure Buy‑In enrollees can get supplemental coverage during the 30‑day post‑enrollment window and during transition periods. - Would establish a Direct Medicare Supplemental Insurance program to cover deductibles and copays with a $100 annual deductible. Initial enrollment would open late 2027 with benefits effective January 1, 2028. - Would let the Secretary negotiate prices and discounts for Part D drugs for plans, with negotiations first applying to plan years beginning January 1, 2029, and semiannual reports to Congress starting June 1, 2029. - Would fund outreach and enrollment grants of $500 million per year for each of 2026, 2027, and 2028 and create an Oversight Board to monitor implementation.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Medicare Buy-In for 50 to 64: benefit, high. If enacted, people aged 50 through 64 who are not already entitled to Medicare Part A could choose a voluntary Medicare Buy-In. Coverage would start on January 1 of the first year at least one year after enactment. The Secretary would set an annual premium each September; your monthly premium would…
- Expand premium tax credits nationwide: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would remove the 400% of poverty limit for premium tax credits and set a new sliding scale of required premium shares by income. The table sets 0% up to 150% FPL, 0–2% for 150–200%, 2–4% for 200–250%, 4–6% for 250–300%, 6–8.5% for 300–400%, and 8.5% for incomes above 400%. The…
- Medicare Part D Price Negotiations: benefit, high. If enacted, the Secretary could negotiate prices, discounts, and rebates with drug manufacturers for medicines covered under Medicare Part D. The change would apply to plan years that begin January 1, 2029. The Secretary could not force a specific drug list, and plans could still obtain discounts b…
- New Federal Medicare Supplemental Plan: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would create a voluntary federal supplemental plan that pays Medicare Part A and B cost‑sharing after a $100 annual deductible. Initial enrollment would occur in the last quarter of 2027 for coverage effective January 1, 2028. Premiums would be community‑rated and set each Sept…
- Undo recent health subtitle changes: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would repeal Subtitle B of title VII of Public Law 119‑21. Laws and rules that relied on that subtitle would be treated as if the subtitle had not passed. The final effects would depend on the rules that were changed by that subtitle.
- Stabilize individual market insurance costs: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would create a federal reinsurance program that pays 80% of high claims above an attachment point up to a cap. The attachment point is $50,000 for plan years 2026–2028 and $100,000 for other years. The cap is $450,000 for 2026–2028 and $400,000 for other years (indexed after 20…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-3077: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act
- 119-hr-562: BLUE Pacific Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-7909 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7909)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-3077: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3077)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971)
- [119-hr-562: BLUE Pacific Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-562)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7909 (as of 2026-07-16).