Summary
Big Picture. Last week, the House Budget Committee advanced the budget resolution for a third reconciliation package. This features $73 billion for defense, $12 billion for agriculture, and $10 billion for a fund for voting restrictions, but notably excludes any health care instructions. Speaker Johnson is aiming for the House to advance the resolution this week, for the Senate to approve the measure before departing for August recess on August 7. House Appropriations Republicans also released a clean continuing resolution (CR) to fund through government through December 4th, past the midterm elections.
Health Policy to Watch
- Health Care Legislation Markups. This week, several health care-related bills will be marked up before the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. On Monday, the E&C Committee markup will focus on measures addressing hospital and insurer price transparency, prior authorization reform, Medicare Advantage oversight, community health centers, and accelerating biosimilar competition, while the HELP Committee will examine bills on hospital and insurer price transparency, insulin affordability, food safety, childhood diabetes prevention, biosimilar and generic drug competition, drug supply chain labeling, compounding pharmacy oversight, nursing workforce programs, rural obstetric care, and health information privacy.
- CMS Requests for Information on Original Medicare. Last week, the Center for Medicare released a blog outlining the agency’s vision for strengthening original Medicare, including aligning spending and value, empowering beneficiaries to make informed decisions, accelerating accountability. The blog also features the recent requests for information (RFIs) included in the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) proposed rules.
- Reconciliation 4.0. Following the advancement of the third budget resolution, reports indicate that House Republican budget hawks are considering a fourth reconciliation package that would include budget reduction measures, including addressing fraud, waste, and abuse. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) stated that “We’re right now looking at a reconciliation 4.0 to do the things that are left out of this one.” This could potentially feature limited health care provisions.
Regulatory Update
Completed OMB Review
- Final Rule: Rescinding Portions of Department of Health and Human Services Title VI Regulations to Conform More Closely with the Statutory Text and to Implement Executive Order 14281
- Final Rule: Rescinding Guidelines for Eliminating Discrimination and Denial of Services on the Basis of Race, Color, National Origin, Sex, and Handicap in Vocational Education Programs
Recently Arrived at OMB
- Proposed Rule: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; State Innovation Waivers and Health Care Choice Compacts