After Kicking Health Issues Down The Road, Congress Faces Day Of Reckoning
Among the issues Congress has on its docket in the last few legislative days of the year: an individual mandate repeal, CHIP funding and allocating money to fight the opioid epidemic.
The Hill:
Five Health-Care Fights Facing Congress In December
Health-care issues are at the top of Congress’s hefty December to-do list. Republicans spent much of the year on a failed bid to repeal and replace ObamaCare. That’s left several programs and taxes hanging in the balance as the year draws to a close, in addition to the latest health-care drama thrust into the GOP tax-reform debate. Here are five of the biggest health-care issues Congress will face next month. (Roubein, 11/26)
Politico Pro:
Congress Faces Year-End Crunch On Health Care
Lawmakers returning to Washington are confronting a full slate of health care issues that threaten to complicate a year-end sprint already fraught with debates over a major tax overhaul and immigration. The pileup is in part a consequence of Republicans’ single-minded push to repeal and replace Obamacare, which dominated health care debates for months and repeatedly collapsed in failure. (Cancryn and Pradhan, 11/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Senators Seek Changes To Tax Bill As Busy Week Kicks Off
Senate Republicans began a frenzied week of negotiations to pass a landmark tax overhaul, grappling with several blocs of wavering GOP senators and trying to cobble together enough votes. ... A third group, including Susan Collins (R., Maine) and John McCain (R., Ariz.), helped kill the Republican health-care bill earlier this year and could pose resistance over a variety of provisions, including plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s health-insurance mandate as part of the tax bill. Mr. McCain said Monday that he is still undecided and had “a lot of things” he is concerned about. (Rubin and Hughes, 11/27)
The Hill:
Lawmakers Making Progress In Talks On Children's Health Care
Congressional negotiators are making progress towards a bipartisan deal to reauthorize children’s health insurance and several other important health-care programs, sources say. Staff from the relevant committees in both parties and chambers met over the Thanksgiving break and are getting closer to an agreement, according to lobbyists and aides. (Sullivan and Roubein, 11/27)
Denver Post:
Congress Has Two Months To Act Or 75,000 Kids And Pregnant Women In Colorado Will Lose Health Insurance
Colorado’s version of the program is called the Child Health Plan Plus, or CHP+. The state spends about $185 million per year on CHP+, according to a report by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and nearly 90 percent of that money comes from federal funds given to the state. The program also charges some enrollment fees and copays. Without renewal from Congress, Colorado has enough money to run CHP+ until the end of January, said Marc Williams, a spokesman for Health Care Policy and Financing. (Ingold, 11/27)
