A new association tracker lists grants and demonstration projects available under H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, that will be available to essential hospitals.

The legislation, containing more than 50 bills to combat the opioid crisis, now heads to the Senate; it is unclear whether senators will pass the package or consider their own legislation.

The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act, which includes $385 million annually for the Hospital Preparedness Program, has been cleared for consideration on the Senate floor; Congress aims to vote on opioid package before the July Fourth recess.

Senate Democrats sharply questioned the repeated delays of a final rule on drug ceiling prices and manufacturer civil monetary penalties; The House continues to focus on passing an opioid package.

Substantial cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments are set to begin on Oct. 1; strong and immediate input from essential hospitals is vital to successfully secure another delay.

The committee’s intentions remain unclear; we recommend essential hospitals prepare to publicly describe what auditors found and corrective actions taken.

When lawmakers return, they could attempt to make additional changes to pass the American Health Care Act, legislation to repeal and replace the ACA.

Talks of a deal to resurrect the American Health Care Act — legislation to repeal and replace the ACA that was pulled in March — are underway.

House GOP leadership pulled the bill due to inadequate support; the association now resumes its focus on other hospital-related issues, including DSH cuts.

Samuel Ross, CEO of Bon Secours Baltimore Health System, testified at an event held by House Democrats on the Republican-proposed bill to repeal the ACA.

The replacement plan would make steep cuts to Medicaid and leave an estimated 24 million more people uninsured, compared with current law under the ACA.

The American Health Care Act moves next to the House Committee on the Budget, which is scheduled to mark up the legislation on Thursday.

The House committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means this week released their long-awaited legislation to repeal and replace the ACA.

Draft GOP text for legislation to repeal and replace the ACA leaks; a Senate committee is poised to vote on the administration's CMS administrator nominee.

A leaked House GOP plan to repeal & replace the ACA raises concerns for essential hospitals. A Senate committee considered nominee Seema Verma to lead CMS.

Former Rep. Tom Price was confirmed as secretary of HHS; the Senate Committee on Finance will consider the nomination of Seema Verma as CMS administrator.

A House subcommittee marked up two bills focused on income eligibility for Medicaid. The association weighed in on a hearing about the individual mandate.

No agreements have been reached about a repeal/replacement plan for the ACA and it appears Republicans in both chambers are far from making final decisions.

The second confirmation hearing was held for Rep. Price as HHS secretary and a House subcommittee held a hearing on the individual mandate's effectiveness.

With House and Senate passage of budget resolutions, efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act now move to committees and toward a Jan. 27 deadline for repeal legislation.

Debate and amendment votes in the Senate are expected though the weekend. The Senate measure then will go to the House for consideration.

Essential hospitals can expect the new Congress' Republican leaders to follow through quickly with their pledge to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Lawmakers approve funding for the federal government through April 28, 2017, and pass legislation that includes two key advocacy wins for essential hospitals: socioeconomic risk adjustment and partial relief from outpatient department payment cuts.

Congress plans to vote on a continuing resolution to keep the government running past Dec. 9. The Senate is expected to pass 21st Century Cures legislation.

Congress is poised to pass legislation that would include socioeconomic risk adjustment for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and some relief from payment cuts for new hospital outpatient departments.

Lawmakers are closing in on negotiations for 21st Century Cures legislation and also working to complete a short-term continuing resolution to fund the federal government through March 2017.

The impending full control of government by Republicans is expected to kick start discussions about repealing the Affordable Care Act and passing entitlement reform.

On Sept. 27, the Senate failed to invoke cloture, which would have allowed it to move to final passage of the continuing resolution.

At stake is funding to combat the Zika virus, among several other policy issues that have kept the measure from moving forward.

Congress seems likely to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government beyond Sept. 30. Lawmakers also are expected to approve funding to combat Zika.

When Congress resumes, it will race to pass legislation to keep the government running beyond Sept. 30.