Congress Reaches Deal To Buy More Time To Finalize Spending Agreement
Congressional leaders have reached agreement on a stopgap bill that will extend two-tier federal funding deadlines to March 8 and March 22, in an effort to secure enough time to finalize the spending deal that's been secured "in principle."
Modern Healthcare:
Short-Term Spending Deal To Fund Government Announced
Congressional leaders reached a "deal in principle" on government spending Wednesday that extends government funding deeper into March and likely includes key health programs. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the other senior lawmakers who announced the agreement did not provide details on its contents. (McAuliff, 2/28)
KFF Health News:
Readers Call On Congress To Bolster Medicare And Fix Loopholes In Health Policy
Occupational therapists are critical in helping patients adjust to new circumstances, empowering them with the tools they need to overcome barriers and regain control over their lives. Whether you’re transitioning from homelessness into a home (“In Los Angeles, Occupational Therapists Tapped to Help Homeless Stay Housed,” Jan. 24) or relearning how to do everyday tasks following a stroke, OTs are key to patients’ care plan. (2/29)
Roll Call:
Lawmakers Push Changes To CBO Scoring For Preventive Health
Almost every lawmaker remembers their first “bad” score from the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan entity that estimates the budgetary and economic impacts of legislation. For Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., it was when she tried to get a bill passed that would mandate Medicare and Medicaid coverage of tobacco cessation services, including counseling and drugs. At the time, the CBO told her that such a provision would raise the bill’s costs, despite her view that, as a preventive health measure, it would cost money upfront but save money in later years by reducing cancer and disease. (Hellmann, 2/29)
