The AAMC urged lawmakers to extend expiring health care provisions and finalize a fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations package in a March 7 letter to congressional leadership (PDF). In its letter, the association asked lawmakers to revisit the bipartisan health extenders package that addressed key expiring health care provisions. The package was included as part of the spending deal congressional leaders originally negotiated in December 2024, which would have temporarily extended funding for all twelve spending bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill. Congress failed to advance this comprehensive package and instead opted for a more limited continuing resolution, which did not include several important health care provisions, such as a partial mitigation of cuts to the Physician Fee Schedule or a policy that would allow hospitals additional flexibility when calculating their Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) cap [refer to Washington Highlights, Dec. 20, 2024, Jan. 10].
In its letter, the AAMC urged congressional leaders to address expiring health care provisions (including telehealth flexibilities, pending Medicaid DSH cuts, and reductions to physician reimbursement) while opposing the use of permanent Medicare reimbursement cuts to offset these policies. The association also called on lawmakers to finalize FY 2025 spending bills, outlining its appropriations priorities for key research and public health agencies.
On March 6, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the Bipartisan Health Care Act (S. 891), which includes the health care policies and extenders originally set for inclusion in a year-end funding bill in December 2024. Wyden is working with his colleague, Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), to pass the measure via unanimous consent, which would allow the measure to advance without the procedural hurdles associated with a roll call vote.
- Washington Highlights