Congress

GOP, Dems Continue Debate Over Funding: Medicaid, Medicare Get New Look
   Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee now say they will hold a hearing soon on the president's entitlement reforms, which most experts agree must be part of any comprehensive agreement
posted 5/24/13 3:53 PM  read complete story

VA Bill Includes Healthcare Opportunities
   The House Appropriations Committee includes a variety of health programs as part of the FY 2014 Veterans Affairs funding bill.
posted 5/23/13 1:15 PM  read complete story

The Week on the Hill: May 13
   The Week on the Hill: May 13
posted 5/17/13 12:33 PM  read complete story

House, Senate Farm Bills Include Rural Health Support, Nutrition Funding
   The House and Senate Appropriations Committees approve legislation reauthorizing billions of dollars worth of conservation, agriculture, rural development and nutrition programs, including support for several rural health initiatives.
posted 5/17/13 12:09 PM  read complete story

Dueling Health Reform Memos
   Democratic staffers on the House Commerce Committee issue a report slamming a recent GOP staff study on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the individual insurance market.
posted 5/15/13 07:35 AM  read complete story

CHC funding and Congress: Good news, bad news
   More than half of the Senate has signed a letter supporting FY 2014 funding for community health centers
posted 5/2/13 12:32 PM  read complete story

House OKs Bill Attacking Prevention, Public Health Fund
   The House approves HR 1549, which would transfer FY 2013-16 funds from the Prevention and Public Health Fund to support grants used to help pay for states' temporary high risk health insurance pool programs for individuals with preexisting conditions.
posted 4/22/13 3:03 PM  read complete story

Helping High Risk Individuals Get Coverage Gets Boost In Congress
   A group of Republicans and Democrats has introduced competing bills designed to help provide insurance for persons with preexisting conditions who cannot otherwise obtain coverage.
posted 4/17/13 11:07 PM  read complete story

Mental Health Bill Moving Through Congress; Chances of Passage are Good
   That's why it's noteworthy that a bipartisan bill, S 689, designed to improve federal mental health grant programs and services, was easily approved
posted 4/12/13 11:45 AM  read complete story

Senate Joins House in Approving Budget Plan: Battle Lines are Drawn
   As predicted, the House (though narrowly) approved a FY 2014 budget resolution that calls for massive cuts in discretionary spending, block granting Medicaid, phasing in fundamental changes in Medicare
posted 3/25/13 4:16 PM  read complete story