Health Policy Report (2/13)

The Week in Review   The debate on whether or not to grant President Obama ‘fast-track’ authority in negotiating trade agreements finally reached its conclusion last week with the President and Congressional Republican leadership emerging victorious. After failing to pass the full trade package earlier this month, Republican leaders devised a plan to navigate around […]

The Week in Review   Trade was once again at the forefront of discussion in Congress, as President Obama and Republican lawmakers sought to navigate “fast-track authority” around Democratic opposition in the House and Senate. The trade package seemed to be stalled after Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) was recently voted down in the House, but […]

The Week in Review   In a week dominated by discussion of trade, debate raged in Congress over whether or not to grant President Obama “fast track” authority on trade negotiations through a specific pair of measures known as Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). The debate boiled down to a highly […]

Last week, the Senate returned a day early from their Memorial Day recess, and worked throughout the week to reform the National Security Agency’s (NSA’s) controversial surveillance powers – eventually passing House-passed legislation (H.R. 2048) two days after the legal authority for the programs expired. The 67-32 vote for the USA Freedom Act came more […]

The House and Senate were in recess last week for the Memorial Day holiday.   The Week Ahead   The Senate returned a day early from their Memorial Day recess for a rare Sunday session to continue working to resolve their differences over renewing phone data-gathering provisions of the Patriot Act.  Lawmakers remain divided over […]

Last week, the Senate voted to pass fast-track trade legislation by a vote of 62-37, handing President Obama a major policy victory.  Senate approval sets up a bruising fight next month in the House, where the fate of the President’s “trade promotion authority” is far from assured.  During debate in the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch […]

Last week, Congress opened debate on an Iran nuclear deal, created a unified budget blueprint, passed two appropriations bills and introduced legislation to repeal the ‘Cadillac Tax.’ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has brought to the Senate floor an Iran nuclear bill for amendment consideration. Separately, the House passed a Republican Party budget blueprint […]

Last week, Congress turned its attention to a series of lingering legislative issues. Republican Whip Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) reached a compromise regarding abortion language in a long-stalled human trafficking bill (S. 178), leading to its passage by a vote of 99-0. The legislation now moves to the House. The […]

After a two-week break, Congress returned to confront an expired deadline on Medicare payments to doctors and other unfinished business. On Wednesday, the Senate passed a bill (H.R. 2) to prevent a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments set to begin on April 1 and extended the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through 2017.  The […]

After seventeen years (eight months, 9 days…), over a dozen acts of Congress and enumerable reams of debate and conjecture about its fate, it’s time to say goodbye to the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. As a proper wake, let’s take a moment to reflect on this enigma of health care economic theory. And […]

After a two-week recess, Congress returns today to confront an expired deadline on Medicare payments to doctors and other unfinished business. The Senate is under pressure to act on a House-passed bill (H.R. 2) to stop a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments that kicked in April 1. Lawmakers have acted 17 times since 2003 […]

The House and Senate are in recess until April 13. When lawmakers return, the Senate is expected to vote on a Medicare deal (H.R.2) that passed the House on March 26. Additionally, both chambers are likely to begin the Fiscal 2016 annual appropriations process and try to beat a May 31 deadline to renew federal […]