House Republicans released a 99-page continuing resolution (CR) on March 8, just days before government funding is set to expire on March 14. This legislation would fund the government through Sept. 30, with spending set at current levels and without codifying recent cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). President Donald Trump has vocally backed this proposal.
There is a planned floor vote Tuesday, and, given the narrow margins, House Republicans will need to organize quickly to pass the legislation relying on Republican votes only. Once the proposal arrives in the Senate, it will need 60 votes to pass.
Importantly to association members, the CR includes a delay of the pending $8 billion cut to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) funding and extends Medicare telehealth and hospital-at-home programs through Sept. 30. A more complete list of items of note contained in the current CR includes:
TITLE I—PUBLIC HEALTH EXTENDERS
- Sec. 2101. Extension for community health centers, National Health Service Corps, and teaching health centers that operate graduate medical education programs
- Sec. 2102. Extension of special diabetes programs
- Sec. 2103. National health security extensions
TITLE II—MEDICARE
- Sec. 2201. Extension of increased inpatient hospital payment adjustment for certain low-volume hospitals
- Sec. 2202. Extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital program
- Sec. 2203. Extension of add-on payments for ambulance services
- Sec. 2204. Extension of funding for quality measure endorsement, input, and selection
- Sec. 2205. Extension of funding outreach and assistance for low-income programs
- Sec. 2206. Extension of the work geographic index floor
- Sec. 2207. Extension of certain telehealth flexibilities
- Sec. 2208. Extending acute hospital care at home waiver authorities
- Sec. 2209. Extension of temporary inclusion of authorized oral antiviral drugs as covered part D drugs
- Sec. 2210. Medicare improvement fund
- Sec. 2211. Medicare sequestration
TITLE III—HUMAN SERVICEs
- Sec. 2301. Sexual risk avoidance education extension
- Sec. 2302. Personal responsibility education extension
- Sec. 2303. Extension of funding for family-to-family health information centers
TITLE IV—MEDICAID
- Sec. 2401. Delaying Medicaid DSH reductions
Cabinet Nominations
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on Jayanta Bhattacharya’s nomination to serve as director of the National Institutes of Health on March 5, and a hearing on Martin Makary’s nomination to serve as Commissioner of Food and Drugs on March 6. An executive session to review these nominations is scheduled for March 13, at 9:30 am ET.
Committee Activity This Week
Both the House and Senate are in session Monday through Wednesday, with the Senate also convening on Thursday and Friday.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations will hold a hearing, titled, “Shifting Gears: Moving from Recovery to Prevention of Improper Payments and Fraud,” on March 11, at 10 am ET.
The House Committee on Ways and Means will hold a Health Subcommittee hearing, titled, “After the Hospital: Ensuring Access to Quality Post-Acute Care,” on March 11, at 2 pm ET.
The Senate continues to hold key nomination hearings. The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will consider David Weldon, a former Republican member of the House of Representatives, as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on March 13, at 10 am ET. The Committee on Finance will hold a hearing to consider Mehmet Oz to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on March 14, at 10 am ET.
Join the Federal Action Network Today!
Stay connected to the latest from Washington. Join our Federal Action Network (FAN) — free for members — and gain exclusive access to advocacy expertise and updates.
Author