Major health care items were left out of Biden’s American Families Plan, but look for a mention

President Biden’s American Families Plan unveiled Wednesday leaves out two major health priorities pushed by congressional Democrats: reducing the cost of prescription drugs and lowering the eligibility age for Medicare.

The major legislative package, which Biden will discuss in an address to Congress on Wednesday night, includes measures in areas like child care and paid leave, but largely steers clear of health care.

What it does include: A measure to make permanent the increased subsidies under the Affordable Care Act to help people afford their premiums after the American Rescue Plan earlier this year had increased those subsidies for two years.

Discussion in the speech: Asked why the plan does not include these health care measures, a senior administration official did not directly answer during a call with reporters. But the official said Biden remains committed to lowering drug prices and indicated he will discuss the idea in his speech.

“The president has been very, very clear that he remains fully committed to negotiations to reduce prescription drug prices, that you will hear him reiterate as a very top priority and something he deems urgent,” the official said.

A question: How forceful will Biden be? And will he say whether he wants health care to be a separate bill?