Senate Votes To Fund DHS But Not ICE After Killings Of Good, VA Nurse Pretti
The legislation would fund all of DHS except ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and parts of Customs and Border Protection, which Democrats have refused to vote for without significant reforms to enforcement practices, NBC News reported. The bill now moves to the House, which could vote on it Friday before leaving for a scheduled recess.
NBC News:
Senate Agrees To Fund DHS, Except ICE And Border Patrol, In Bid To End Weeks-Long Shutdown
The Senate voted unanimously early Friday to reopen the Department of Homeland Security after a 40-day shutdown, but without funding for immigration enforcement and deportation operations. ... Speaking after the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said: "In the wake of the murders of Renee Good and [VA nurse] Alex Pretti, Senate Democrats were clear. No blank check for a lawless ICE and Border Patrol." (Kapur, Hayes, Leach and Zola, 3/27)
On Medicaid funding and Alzheimer's —
Healthcare Dive:
House Democrats Accuse CMS Official Of Misleading Congress Under Oath
Two influential House Democrats are accusing a top CMS official of providing inaccurate testimony under oath about the government’s efforts to get in touch with Minnesota before cutting off Medicaid funding to the state. During a congressional subcommittee hearing on healthcare fraud last week, CMS Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Brandt testified that the CMS was unable to schedule a hearing with Minnesota due to ongoing litigation with the state. But two days after testifying, Brandt requested that the hearing be stayed herself, according to a letter sent to Brandt Tuesday by Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y. (Parduhn, 3/26)
The Hill:
Lawmakers Behind Bipartisan Push For Legislation Detecting And Preventing Alzheimer’s: ‘It’s Too Expensive Not To’
House Reps. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), co-sponsors of the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act, said Thursday that proactively addressing Alzheimer’s disease is “too expensive” of an issue for Congress to ignore. Appearing on Thursday at The Hill’s “Getting a Diagnosis ASAP: Progress in Early Alzheimer’s Detection” event, sponsored by the Alliance for Aging Research, the two congressmen discussed why their bill, the ASAP Act, is crucial. (Choi, 3/26)
On health care costs and coverage —
The Hill:
'Medicare By Choice' Proposal Aims To Unite Democrats On Health Care
A coalition of former congressional staffers and federal health leaders is putting forward a health care policy proposal around which it hopes Democrats will coalesce ahead of the 2028 campaign, a position it is calling “Medicare by Choice.” “Medicare for All,” the proposed single-payer national health care system that would replace private health insurance, proved to be a politically testy item during the 2024 election. Former Vice President Kamala Harris left it off her agenda when she became the Democratic nominee for president, despite having previously pushed for such a system. (Choi, 3/26)
The Hill:
Senate Democrats Condemn Trump Administration's Proposed ACA Rule
A trio of top Senate Democrats led their colleagues in condemning a proposed rule by the Trump administration that would lift restrictions on the number of nonstandardized plans that insurers in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace can offer and promote catastrophic health plans, which are high-deductible plans meant for worst-case scenarios. In February, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) submitted a proposed rule for the benefit and payment parameters for ACA plans in 2027. (Choi, 3/26)
KFF Health News:
Trump Team Claims Successes Against ACA Fraud While Pushing For More Controls
Complaints about enrollment fraud in Affordable Care Act health insurance coverage have bedeviled the federal marketplace for years. Now, the Trump administration is claiming wins in reducing the problem while simultaneously saying more controls are needed. It has proposed a sweeping set of ACA regulations for next year, including stepped-up requirements for some applicants to prove eligibility for subsidies or enrollment and new scrutiny of sales agents and marketing practices. (Appleby, 3/27)
Politico:
Dan Sullivan Knew Health Costs Were A Problem. Now He’s Running The Gauntlet
If Democrats retake the Senate in this year’s elections, Alaska’s high health care costs could be the reason. Democrats face a tough map as they look to win the four seats they need to claim the majority and will have to win some long-shot races to get there, like that of second-term GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan. But they have reason to believe, from Sullivan’s own testimony and voting record, that Alaskans might be receptive to a message blaming rising health insurance premiums and pending Medicaid work requirements on Sullivan and his party. (Levien, 3/26)
In related news —
CNBC:
Family Caregivers Now Provide $1 Trillion Worth Of Care Annually
About 59 million Americans provided care for an adult family member, neighbor or friend in 2024, according to a new report from the AARP Public Policy Institute. Their efforts added up to 49.5 billion hours of care, representing $1.01 trillion in total economic value annually, the report estimates. (Konish, 3/26)
