Threat To Medicare Funding In GOP Tax Plan Roils Capitol Hill

The tax bill, a priority for the Republican majority in Congress, would likely raise the deficit and that would set off an automatic cuts in spending that would affect Medicare. In other news, a key legislative committee agrees on funding for several Medicare related services and a new study finds that Medicare coverage lags what other countries do for seniors.

Bloomberg: GOP Tax Plan Puts Lawmakers In Bind Over Medicare Spending Cuts

While some conservative Republicans would welcome the cuts, moderates in the party are likely to balk -- and President Donald Trump has promised repeatedly not to cut Medicare. Waiving the automatic cuts could take 60 votes in the Senate, requiring support from at least eight Democrats in a chamber Republicans control 52-48. (Wasson, 11/15)

Roll Call: Van Hollen Urges Freedom Caucus To Protect Medicare

The House Freedom Caucus should raise the issue of automatic spending cuts that would occur to the Medicare program should Congress pass a sweeping tax overhaul, Sen. Chris Van Hollen wrote in a Wednesday letter to the group. ... At issue is the so-called pay-as-you-go law, or Pay-Go, which requires cuts to mandatory spending programs if actions during a congressional session raise the deficit over a five- or ten-year window. (Williams, 11/15)

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Medicare And Other Spending Cuts Could Be Triggered By The Congressional Tax Package

If a tax cut raises the deficit, spending on government programs must be cut. That's a rule Congress has for keeping spending and revenue in check. But that could mean cutting billions of dollars from Medicare and a host of other programs such as immigration enforcement soon after Congress votes this year to cut taxes for most individuals and corporations. (Koff, 11/16)

Politico Pro: Bipartisan Deal Reached On 'Medicare Extenders' Package

The House Ways and Means Committee has struck a bipartisan deal to renew a series of Medicare programs that expired or are due to sunset, an agreement likely to be included in a more sweeping end-of-year bill. A one-page summary of the deal obtained by POLITICO also offers a number of financial offsets for the so-called Medicare extenders package, including extending a CMS policy to redistribute misvalued billing codes. (Pittman, 11/15)

NBC News: Medicare’s Great By U.S. Standards. Compared To Others, Not So Much

Medicare, the crown jewel of the U.S. healthcare system, looks pretty tarnished when compared to what other countries offer seniors, according to a new report released Wednesday. Researchers at the Commonwealth Fund interviewed nearly 23,000 people 65 and older in 11 countries to see what kind of medical care they get. “Overall, U.S. seniors are worse off than their counterparts in the other 10 nations,” said Robin Osborn, vice president of the Commonwealth Fund. (Fox, 11/16)

CNBC: Older Americans Are Sicker, More Cash-Strapped For Health Than Elderly In Other Countries Despite Medicare

Older Americans are also markedly more likely to have financial barriers to health care than the elderly in the other countries, according to the analysis published Wednesday in the journal Health Affairs. The findings suggest that proposals to create a universal health coverage system in the United States by making a "Medicare-for-all" system would not necessarily lead to Americans of all ages achieving parity with their international counterparts in health outcomes and costs. (Mangan, 11/15)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

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