FACT CHECK: Did The Biden Administration Approve A New Healthcare Card?
An image shared on Facebook claims President Joe Biden approved a healthcare card that would give “$0 health, vision & dental benefits to those 25 and older.”
Verdict: False
The photo is digitally altered. There is no evidence the Biden administration approved such a plan.
Fact Check:
The Facebook post shows what appears to be a screen grab of a news broadcast that shows Biden at a podium with a news chyron below him reading, “Biden Approves $0 Health Card.” Additional text in the chyron claims the “new card gives free health insurance to Americans 25+.”
There is no evidence that the Biden administration announced such a measure. No such announcement could be found on the White House website nor does the Center for Medicaid Services website list any information about a sweeping medical benefits card being provided to all Americans over 25. There are likewise no credible news reports suggesting Biden has signed a bill into law that provides free health insurance to Americans.
A reverse image search reveals the image of Biden used in the post was taken in February 2021. The image, credited to Evan Vucci of The Associated Press, shows Biden giving a speech about foreign policy, specifically a military coup in Burma that occurred earlier that month. Nowhere in Biden’s February 2021 speech does he mention expanding healthcare coverage. (RELATED: Do Members Of Congress Receive Full-Pay Retirement Benefits After Serving Just One Term?)
A Center for Medicaid Services spokesperson told Check Your Fact in an email that the Facebook post’s claim was false.
This is not to say Biden has not acted to increase healthcare coverage across the U.S. In April, he announced his administration would be adjusting a federal regulation to allow over a million Americans to purchase cheaper health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act, according to Business Insider.