House Disarray Before Recess Ups Chances Of Disruptive Shutdown
The federal government will shut down if lawmakers do not reach a spending deal by Sept. 30 — an outcome that would have a big impact on health programs. Yet House members made little progress in the 3 days before their fall recess that were dominated by chaos surrounding leadership and the Biden impeachment inquiry.
The Washington Post:
After Chaotic Week, House Heads Home With Government Shutdown On Horizon
House lawmakers left town Thursday after a dramatic three-day workweek that saw them launch a divisive impeachment inquiry and calls for the removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position, as they made little movement toward averting a government shutdown. Republicans also weren’t able to move forward a traditionally noncontroversial defense spending bill, stymied by deep divisions in the party despite a shared goal of approving 12 individual appropriations bills. (Sotomayor, Caldwell, Wang and Alemany, 9/14)
Military.Com:
Odds Of Shutdown And Missed Paychecks For Troops Grow Amid Chaos In The House
The threat of a government shutdown -- and the missed paychecks it would mean for service members -- is growing after a chaotic week in the House that saw lawmakers unable to even take up a bill that would fund the Pentagon. The House had been scheduled to vote this week on the fiscal 2024 defense appropriations bill. But members of the far-right Freedom Caucus and other staunch conservatives threatened to oppose a procedural motion on the bill because of demands unrelated to its content, prompting House Republican leadership to scuttle the planned vote. (Kheel, 9/14)
KFF Health News and Cox Media Group:
Social Security Overpays Billions To People, Many On Disability. Then It Asks For The Money Back
Justina Worrell, 47, works part time as a kitchen helper in an Ohio nursing home. She has cerebral palsy, an intellectual disability, and a cardiac condition that required she get an artificial heart valve at age 20. A year ago, she was earning $862 a month and receiving about $1,065 in monthly Social Security disability benefits when a letter arrived from the federal government. The Social Security Administration had been overpaying her, the letter said, and wanted money back. Within 30 days, it said, she should mail the government a check or money order. For $60,175.90. (Hilzenrath and Fleischer, 9/15)
More updates from Capitol Hill —
Roll Call:
Sanders, Marshall Reach Deal On Health Programs, But Challenges Remain
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., announced Thursday that he has reached a deal with Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., to reauthorize and increase funding for several key health programs, but it’s unclear how much Republican support the agreement will have. (Hellmann and Clason, 9/14)
The Hill:
GOP Faces Pressure To Reauthorize Key HIV Initiative Held Up By Anti-Abortion Republican
Pressure is mounting on the GOP-majority House to pass a reauthorization of the U.S.’s long-term global HIV initiative, but the lawmaker holding up the legislation is showing no signs of moving. Former President George W. Bush, who launched the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, called on Congress to pass a five-year reauthorization in an op-ed published by The Washington Post this week, saying it would become a source of national shame if the program’s authorization was allowed to expire. (Choi, 9/14)
Axios:
Sanders' Primary Care Plan Draws Fire
A Bernie Sanders-led plan to fortify primary care and the health care workforce is drawing swift opposition from hospitals — and stirring dissent on the Senate HELP Committee he chairs. (Sullivan, 9/15)
On Medicare —
AP:
Americans Overwhelmingly Support Medicare Drug Negotiations, But Biden Sees Little Political Boost
President Joe Biden is trumpeting Medicare’s new powers to negotiate directly with drugmakers on the cost of prescription medications — but a new poll shows that any immediate political boost that Biden gets for enacting the overwhelmingly popular policy may be limited. Three-quarters of Americans, or 76%, favor allowing the federal health care program for the elderly to negotiate prices for certain prescription drugs. That includes strong majorities of Democrats (86%) and Republicans (66%), according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About one in five Americans are neutral on the issue, while 6% outright oppose it. (Kim and Sanders, 9/15)
Stat:
Medicare Demurs On Monitoring How Rebates Affect Part D Spending
The U.S. government should monitor the effect that rebates have on Medicare Part D plans and whether these discounts ultimately discourage some people from enrolling in the prescription drug program, according to a new report by a federal watchdog. (Silverman, 9/14)
