Congress Appears Likely to Exclude PBMs, Other Health Priorities from Government Funding Package

Congress is unlikely to include many major health priorities in the next government funding package, according to multiple sources.

It is increasingly likely that only a handful of programs facing imminent deadlines could be included in legislation needed to fund the government by March 8, such as community health center funding, a reversal of Medicaid cuts to hospitals serving low-income and uninsured patients, and at least a partial rollback of Medicare physician payment cuts.

A reauthorization of a federal pandemic preparedness program and a sweeping bill to address opioid and substance use disorder are among the policies likely to be left on the cutting room floor, sources said. The authorizations for those bills expired at the end of September.

Read the source article at The Hill