{"id":1645,"date":"2025-04-21T13:09:43","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T13:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/?p=1645"},"modified":"2025-04-21T13:12:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T13:12:33","slug":"gop-sets-ambitious-timeline-for-reconciliation-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/21\/gop-sets-ambitious-timeline-for-reconciliation-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP Sets Ambitious Timeline for Reconciliation Bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

GOP Sets Ambitious Timeline for Reconciliation Bill \u2013<\/strong> Republican leadership of the House of Representatives is aiming for all committees to hold markups of their respective components of the forthcoming reconciliation package within the first two weeks after the chamber returns from recess on April 28. The joint budget resolution adopted by Congress earlier this month sets a nonbinding deadline of May 9 for committees to deliver their respective sections of the bill. Senate and House Budget Committee leadership are targeting Memorial Day for sending the bill to President Donald Trump for his signature. House leadership encouraged committees to work over the recess in order to meet this ambitious timeline. The GOP aims to use the reconciliation package to advance the President\u2019s domestic policy agenda, including tax cuts, energy policy, and border security, while trimming the budget deficit by at least $1.5 trillion. This includes $880 billion in savings over the next decade from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is expected to necessitate cuts to the Medicaid program.<\/p>\n

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Twelve House Republicans signed on to a letter<\/a> to GOP leadership stating that they will not support any final bill that includes cuts to Medicaid enrollees\u2019 benefits. \u201cWe must reform Medicaid so that it is a strong and long-lasting program for years to come,\u201d the lawmakers wrote in the letter, \u201cHowever, we cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.\u201d The letter, which was signed by Reps. David Valadao (Calif.), Don Bacon (Neb.), Jeff Van Drew (N.J.), Rob Bresnahan (Pa.), Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.), Jen Kiggans (Va.), Young Kim (Calif.), Rob Wittman (Va.), Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.), Nick LaLota (N.Y.), Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.), and Jeff Hurd (Colo.), expresses openness to targeted reforms that \u201cimprove program integrity, reduce improper payments, and modernize delivery systems to fix flaws in the program that divert resources away from children, seniors, individuals with disabilities and pregnant women \u2014 those who the program was intended to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Internal Document Shows Deep Budget Cuts for HHS<\/strong> \u2013 The Trump administration is considering deep cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) according to an internal budget proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The \u2018pre-decisional\u2019 proposal would cut one-third of the department\u2019s budget, reducing discretionary funding from $116.8 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2025 to approximately $80.4 billion. The document proposes to cut funding for both the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by more than 40%. Funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Administration for Community Living would be eliminated. The new Administration for a Healthy America, under which many of the eliminated programs would be consolidated, would receive roughly $14 billion in budget authority. The proposal is still subject to change, given that the White House has not yet sent its formal FY 2026 budget proposal to Congress. Spokespeople for OMB have also confirmed that no final funding decisions have been made.<\/p>\n

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Bipartisan Probe MA Compliance with MLR Requirements \u2013 <\/strong>Reps. Greg Murphy, MD (R-N.C.) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) have sent a letter<\/a> to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting that the agency investigate the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) insurers, and specifically whether the insurers meet the federal requirement to spend at least 85% of their revenue on beneficiary health care. The letter suggests that insurer acquisition of related businesses like health care providers could undermine the effectiveness of medical loss ratio (MLR) requirements, noting that payments to a related business are considered medical expenses for purposes of calculating the MLR, even though a portion of these payments may ultimately be profits for the insurer. The lawmakers request that GAO examine the ownership structures of MA insurers, trends in spending on medical services and supplemental benefits, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services\u2019 (CMS) oversight of MA reporting requirements.<\/p>\n

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Ways and Means RFI on OPOs \u2013 <\/strong>The House Ways and Means Committee issued a request for information<\/a> (RFI) on the nation\u2019s 55 organ procurement organizations (OPOs) on Wednesday. The panel seeks information from the public about whether the groups, which qualify as tax-exempt organizations, are abiding by federal laws and regulations. The RFI provides background on the laws and regulations governing OPOs as 501(c)(3) entities, and also details recent reports suggesting that certain OPOs have billed Medicare for costs that may not be appropriate or allowable under law. Responses should be submitted to waysandmeansRFI@mail.house.gov by May 16, 2025.<\/p>\n

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E&C Republicans Investigate 23andMe Bankruptcy<\/strong> \u2013 Republican leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have launched an investigation<\/a> into 23andMe and its handling of Americans’ sensitive data following the company’s decision to file for bankruptcy. 23andMe filed for bankruptcy last month, and announced that it intends to sell all of its assets to pay off debts. The company\u2019s most valuable asset is considered to be its genetic database of over 15 million customers. \u201cWith the lack of a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law, we write to express our great concern about the safety of Americans\u2019 most sensitive personal information,\u201d the letter states. The lawmakers specifically express concerns about reports of customers experiencing issues accessing and deleting their data from their 23andMe accounts. The lawmakers request a response to questions related to the practices 23andMe will implement with regard to customers\u2019 sensitive information by May 1.<\/p>\n

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Democrats Urge Part D Coverage of GLP-1\u2019s \u2013 <\/strong>A group of five Democratic senators have sent a letter<\/a> to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding access to GLP-1\u2019s in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The letter, signed by Sens. Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Cory Booker (N.J.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (N.M.), and Gary Peters (Mich.), calls on the administration to reissue a Biden-administration proposed rule that would have allowed Medicare Part D to cover the anti-obesity drugs. The Trump administration recently decided not to finalize the proposal, with CMS providing no reason for the decision. The lawmakers argue that allowing Medicare and Medicaid to cover drugs used to treat obesity \u201cwill not only benefit the health of Americans, but is also a critical long-term investment to improve the costly treatment of health complications associated with obesity.\u201d<\/p>\n

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NJ Congressman in Intensive Care \u2013 <\/strong>Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), 66, was admitted to an intensive care unit on Tuesday and faces an extended recovery that could require physical rehabilitation, according to a press release from his office. Norcross was diagnosed with a gallbladder infection that had progressed to sepsis. Norcross has served in Congress since 2014 and currently serves on the Armed Services and Education and the Workforce committees.<\/p>\n

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President Signs Drug Price Executive Order \u2013 <\/strong>President Donald Trump signed an executive order (E.O.) on Tuesday aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. The E.O. touches upon several key policy issues, including: 340B, the Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s \u201cpill penalty,\u201d and pharmacy benefit managers.\u00a0 Hart Health Strategies Inc. has prepared an analysis of the E.O. below, and an official fact sheet can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) <\/strong><\/p>\n