Health Policy Report (2/13)

Following one of the most productive weeks of the 114th Congress, lawmakers made their way home last Friday to begin a two-week recess. Before adjourning, House and Senate Republicans passed their preferred budget resolutions and the House voted overwhelming to permanently repeal Medicare’s flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. Early last Friday morning, the Senate […]

A partisan dispute over abortion language included in a human trafficking bill (S. 178) brought the Senate to a halt again last week, with Democrats using procedural votes to block the legislation from moving forward. In response, GOP leaders indefinitely delayed a vote on Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch. Democrats, however, are threatening to continue […]

With just five legislative days scheduled before the March 31 expiration of the current patch to the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), we thought it would be helpful to provide a brief overview of the current state-of-play with respect to the negotiations to permanently replace Medicare’s flawed physician payment formula.  As we have previously reported, several […]

Last week saw the Senate debate anti-human trafficking legislation (S. 178), but the chamber failed to advance the measure after a partisan dispute arose over an anti-abortion provision. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) filed cloture on the measure Thursday, as lawmakers try to find a way forward on the Justice for Victims of Trafficking […]

Last Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the King v. Burwell case, which challenges the legality of tax subsidies in the 37 states that have opted to use the federal government’s marketplace instead of creating their own. A divide among the justices was clear, with the liberal wing largely backing the Obama […]

Congress narrowly avoided a partial shutdown of the Homeland Security Department last Friday night after the Senate approved a one-week extension (H.R. 240) of the agency’s funding and the House followed suit just hours before a midnight deadline. The House vote was 357-60, sending the bill to President Obama for his expected signature. Support for […]

The House and Senate were out last week for the Presidents Day recess. In Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation news, the Obama Administration moved up next year’s healthcare enrollment period by three weeks, designating Jan. 31 as the last day to sign up. HHS officials said 2016 enrollment would begin Nov. 1, instead of Nov. […]

Last week saw more political jockeying over a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill (H.R. 240), but little progress in advancing the measure. Republicans had hoped to use the bill to reverse President Obama’s immigration policies, but their effort has been blocked by Senate Democrats. The impasse could jeopardize funding for the DHS, which […]

Last Monday, President Obama sent his fiscal 2016 budget request to Congress, and Cabinet officials spent the week explaining the details to House and Senate committees. HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell appeared before the Senate Finance Committee last Wednesday to take questions about the Administration’s funding proposal and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act […]

Last Thursday, the Senate voted 62-36 to build the Keystone XL pipeline, delivering Republicans the first legislative victory of their new majority. Nine Democrats joined with Republicans in voting to approve the $8 billion project, five votes short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a promised veto from President Obama. The […]

Last week, attention in Washington centered on President Obama’s State of the Union address. The President made economic growth a central theme of his remarks to Congress, highlighting proposals to make community colleges tuition-free, increase the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave. The President also proposed new tax breaks aimed at working families, which […]

The House adjourned last Wednesday for the annual Republican retreat. Before departing, lawmakers passed legislation to nullify President Obama’s recent immigration order, tying the contentious issue to a bill (H.R. 240) funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The vote was 235-191 for the appropriations bill after the House easily approved amendments to unravel the President’s […]