America’s Essential Hospitals hosts its annual Federal Advocacy Assembly fly-in on Feb. 24 and 25, as Congress faces a critical week. The House of Representatives is set to vote on a multitrillion-dollar budget resolution the evening of Feb. 25, leaving House Republicans with just one in-session day to organize.
With an extremely narrow majority, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) can afford to lose only one vote if all members are present. However, several House Republicans already have expressed concerns over the proposed $880 billion in cuts to programs under the purview of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, which likely would affect Medicaid.
America’s Essential Hospitals and its advocates urge the Committee on Energy and Commerce to reject harmful budget reconciliation proposals that would create significant barriers to care for low-income and working-class families. Key concerns include efforts to:
- Repeal the Medicaid eligibility rule
- Implement Medicaid work requirements
- Adjust the federal medical assistance percentage rates for Medicaid
- Impose per capita caps on federal Medicaid funding
Meanwhile, the federal government’s funding will run out on March 14, and there is currently no bipartisan top line funding deal between leadership in the House and Senate.
Committee Activity This Week
The House and Senate are in session Monday through Thursday, with the latter also convening on Friday.
The House Committee on Rules met Feb. 24, at 4 pm ET, to prepare the budget resolution and several other items for consideration on the floor.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a Health Subcommittee hearing, “An Examination of How Reining in PBMs Will Drive Competition and Lower Costs for Patients,” on Feb. 26, at 10 am ET.
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