Doc Pay Fix, Health Centers Fail To Make Spending Deal Cut In Talks
Stat reports that, for the moment, efforts have stalled to add health policy measures—including the Medicare doctor pay rates and more funding for community health centers—to the federal spending measures under negotiation.
Stat:
Congress’ Negotiations Over Doc Pay, Health Centers Fell Apart Ahead Of Spending Extension
Negotiations to add extra health care policies to Congress’ stopgap funding bill fell apart late last week, five sources told STAT. The provisions at issue included a bump to physicians’ Medicare pay rates and efforts to increase funding for community health centers and enact some behavioral health policies. (Cohrs, 1/17)
Reuters:
US Congress Scrambles To Pass Stopgap Bill To Avert Government Shutdown
The U.S. Senate on Thursday will aim to approve a stopgap measure keeping the federal government funded through early March, averting a partial shutdown that would begin in less than two days if Congress fails to act. "I think we're on a good path to getting it done," Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock told Reuters, referring to the prospects of passing the temporary spending bill on Thursday or Friday. ... Senator Susan Collins, the senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee, said on Wednesday she was optimistic a government shutdown will be skirted. "This has been dragging on for a long time and I really don't know why," she said. (Cowan, 1/18)
Also —
KSL.Com:
Rep. Blake Moore Proposes Bipartisan Bill To Revamp Congressional Budgeting System
ep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, introduced a bipartisan bill Thursday alongside Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., that would reform the federal budgeting process, and give Congress the room to address the U.S. debt crisis. "We must break the habit of appropriating with rushed deadlines," Moore said. The current budgeting system's main focus is on discretionary spending, which is the money needed for federal agencies — and their hundreds of programs — to continue functioning. But according to the Brookings Institute, this is only about 45% of government spending. Entitlement programs — like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security — account for another two-thirds of federal spending. They don't go through an approval process each year and are on autopilot. (Poonia, 1/15)
