Earned Benefits Equality and Family Reunification Act

The Earned Benefits Equality and Family Reunification Act establishes a 10-year demonstration program allowing Medicare beneficiaries to voluntarily use their benefits for health care services in selected foreign countries. This initiative targets individuals who are relocating abroad or living overseas to help them reunify with family while ensuring that the quality and cost of care in these nations meet specific American standards. The program covers premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs for services in at least 11 initial countries, including Canada, Germany, India, and Israel, with payments capped at the equivalent cost of similar services in the United States. To manage the program, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will consult with various stakeholders, require participating physicians to undergo fraud training, and conduct annual evaluations to assess improvements in care quality and cost savings before considering any expansion.