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The Inflation Reduction Act includes several landmark health care provisions that would lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare, reduce Medicare drug spending and extend enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage.  On Thursday, August 11, a panel of KFF experts held a web briefing to explain these provisions and how they would affect people and federal health spending, followed by a Question and Answer session.  The legislation for the first time would require the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate directly with drug manufacturers over the price of some high-cost drugs in the Medicare program. 

Following years of bipartisan outcry over surprise medical bills, a new federal law that took effect Jan. 1 shields patients from receiving potentially large bills when they unexpectedly receive care out of network. In this new video, KFF Senior Fellow Karen Pollitz explains why surprise bills have been such a major problem for patients, how the new law works, potential gaps in the protections, and what patients can do if they believe they have received a surprise bill.