Health Care Policy Compromise Elusive As Congressional Deadline Looms
Both sides will continue negotiating after Democrats spurned Republicans' proposal to repeal the Biden administration鈥檚 nursing home staffing rule. Meanwhile, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, who will have the narrowest House majority in history, would like to cut spending for PBS and Planned Parenthood.
Negotiations over a large health care policy package are heating up this week as Congress hurtles toward a government funding deadline at the end of the month. Congressional Republicans on Tuesday made an offer to Democrats that included a three-year extension of pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities in Medicare, some reforms in how pharmacy middlemen operate, a Medicare pay bump for doctors, funding for community health centers, and extensions of public health programs in Medicare and Medicaid, according to a copy obtained by STAT.聽(Zhang, 12/4)
Republicans will be down to a 217-215 majority, on par with the narrowest controlling margin in House history. If all Democrats are present and united in opposition to a measure, Mr. Johnson won鈥檛 be able to afford a single defection on the House floor until those vacancies are filled later this spring. Even then, no more than three Republicans can break ranks without dooming a bill鈥檚 passage. (Edmondson, 12/4)
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on Wednesday he鈥檇 like to cut government spending for PBS and for Planned Parenthood, but he noted he might face some push back from Congress first. 鈥淚 would like to. That鈥檚 for sure,鈥 Johnson said in an interview on Fox News鈥檚 鈥淭he Story with Martha MacCallum,鈥 when asked whether he plans to axe the two organizations. (Fortinsky, 12/4)
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held its final meeting on Wednesday and while Republicans signaled a feeling of accomplishment, Democrats maintained their belief that not enough was done in the subcommittee鈥檚 two years. Leading up to the markup hearing on Wednesday, both Republicans and Democrats on the subcommittee released their final reports. (Choi, 12/4)
Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx joined lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday to push for more funding for the National Institute of Health鈥檚 (NIH) research program on Down syndrome. 聽The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act, named after Foxx鈥檚 late sister who had Down syndrome, has already passed the House and been introduced to the Senate. (Haner, 12/4)
