Reid Upset After Republicans Block COBRA Benefits Extension Request
Roll Call: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized Republicans Wednesday after the GOP denied "a unanimous consent request to pass an extension of unemployment insurance and COBRA health care benefits, a move he warned would leave 'out-of-work Americans vulnerable to losing this valuable safety net'" (Brady, 2/24).CQ HealthBeat reports that Senate Democrats also don't yet have unanimous consent in the Senate for a measure that would delay Medicare rate cuts for a month. The cuts to doctors' pay are slated to begin March 1. A Reid spokeswoman said the effort to come to an agreement continues though Republicans are upset, saying Democrats are trying to exempt a big part of the fix from pay-as-you-go budgeting rules. The measure would also block a cap on Medicare payment for outpatient rehab services (Reichard, 2/24). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.