New Congress Faces Old Medicare Pay Issues
Meanwhile, the new GOP Senate Budget Committee chairman said he wants to balance the budget within 10 years, and Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin calls for hearings on improper opioid prescribing at a VA medical center.
Politico Pro:
Another Hearing, Same Issues On Paying For SGR Repeal
Congress is just two months away from yet another “doc fix” patch expiring, and the fast-approaching date is prompting a new round of conversations on permanently replacing the Medicare payment formula. (Haberkorn, 1/22)
The Associated Press:
Budget Chairman Promises GOP Plan To Balance In Decade
The new Republican chairman of the Senate Budget Committee said Thursday that he'll try to pass a fiscal blueprint this spring that will promise a balanced budget by the end of 10 years. "We'll try and balance the budget in a 10-year period," Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said on a conference call with reporters. "And we hope to do it without gimmicks and bad accounting." But Enzi wouldn't say what he hopes to do with special budget legislation that can overcome a Democratic filibuster in the Senate. Many conservatives hope to use unique filibuster-proof legislation permitted under the budget process to repeal the new health care law. (1/22)
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
Baldwin Calls For Senate Hearing On VA Opioid Prescribing Practices
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has called for a Senate hearing to address the failure of the Department of Veterans Affairs to stop improper prescribing practices at the Tomah VA Medical Center. (Fauber, 1/22)