Should Congress Stay or Should They Go Now?

Congress has two more weeks to extend government funding past the September 30 deadline through a short-term continuing resolution (CR). So, the question isn’t really if they should stay, but if they will have to.

Based on committee action planned for next week, it seems clear that Congress is planning to stay in town and get some work done in the process. This Tuesday, a host of bills will be considered under suspension of the rules, including about a dozen health bills. Several bills target the Medicaid program. For example, H.R. 8111 would require regular verification of beneficiary address information, and H.R. 8112 would require states to conduct regular provider screenings to determine if the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or another state has terminated the provider’s Medicaid participation. H.R. 4758 would streamline Medicaid provider enrollment to allow out-of-state providers to more easily treat children who must cross state lines for care.

Outside of Medicaid, H.R. 3800 would allow people with chronic conditions in high-deductible health plans to have certain services and items covered as preventive services before hitting their deductible. Several bills relate to telehealth, such as H.R. 7858, which would establish a Medicare incident-to modifier for mental health services furnished through telehealth and other telehealth services, and H.R. 6033, which would require HHS to develop guidance on expanding telehealth services to those with limited English proficiency.

We’re also anticipating announcement of a House Energy and Commerce Committee markup that is expected to include health bills. And the House Ways and Means Committee is expected to markup health bills, but that may end up scheduled for next week.

Off the Hill, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) have started their 2024/2025 meeting cycles. In its September 5 meeting, MedPAC reviewed Medicare’s financial situation, cost sharing for outpatient services at critical access hospitals, and measuring rural provider quality. MACPAC meets this Thursday and Friday to discuss several topics, including authorities and eligibility for home- and community-based services, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model, and residential services for youth with behavioral health needs.

Today’s Podcast

In this week’s Healthcare Preview podcast, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join Julia Grabo to discuss the health-related activity in Congress this week, including markups, hearings, and bills on the House floor, and predict whether both chambers will return next week for the rest of their scheduled session.