Second Thoughts
Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) -- chair of the conference committee charged with developing an extension of the payroll tax cut and delaying scheduled reimbursement cuts to Medicare physicians -- questioned whether using savings from ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq would be possible to fund the "doc fix." Camp said that because the idea is not included in the House or Senate bills, it could be "outside the scope" of the conference committee. However, many members of the conference committee still hope that the war savings can be used for a doc fix.
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The Committee Continues
The committee charged with developing an extension of the payroll tax cut and delaying scheduled reimbursement cuts to Medicare physicians met yesterday to discuss a yearlong extension of the initiatives. The lawmakers must find more than $150 billion to offset the extensions. Democrats continued to push for using savings from ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to pay for the "doc fix." The plan appears to have bipartisan support, gaining endorsements recently from Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Reps. Dan Benishek (R-Mich.) and Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.). Meanwhile, the conferees disagreed over Republican proposals to reform the federal unemployment insurance program, including a potential requirement that recipients undergo drug screening.
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The Fate of CLASS
The House today is expected to easily pass legislation that would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program created by the federal health reform law, but the bill likely will fail in the Senate. House Republicans hope a repeal vote will cast a negative light on Democrats for supporting an overhaul program that the Obama administration has said is unworkable. Democrats were cautious about defending the program, with many still hoping to develop a viable long-term care alternative.
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Hold the Cuts
U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder yesterday said she is temporarily blocking a 10% cut to physician reimbursements through Medi-Cal -- California's Medicaid program -- because she believes the reductions would cause "irreparable harm" to beneficiaries. Last year, California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed a measure to implement the payment cuts as part of the state's strategy to alleviate its budget constraints. Snyder said she recognized the state's budget problems but noted that the cuts are a short-term solution.
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A DOJ Reassurance
In a brief filed with the Supreme Court on Friday, the Obama administration said that if the court strikes down the federal health reform law's individual mandate, most of the law still could survive. Department of Justice lawyers noted that just two provisions would need to be eliminated if the court deems the mandate unconstitutional. DOJ lawyers said that plaintiffs in the case have not cited any examples of when the Supreme Court in recent years has struck down a comprehensive law based on finding that a single provision is unconstitutional.
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