Both chambers will be in session this week, although congressional attention will likely be focused on activity related to funding the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With no clear resolution in sight, Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) has warned that the planned two-week April recess could be canceled if an agreement is not reached. The Senate is also expected to confirm Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as DHS secretary potentially as early as this afternoon, following weekend floor activity.
On the healthcare front, attention has shifted away from last week’s healthcare hearings, including the conclusion of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee’s third affordability hearing focused on healthcare providers. We continue to look for further direction from the House Ways and Means Committee regarding its healthcare affordability series. This week, the Senate Aging Committee will hold a hearing to examine workforce participation among older Americans. In the House, the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will convene a hearing on combatting illicit drugs, including consideration of a broad slate of bipartisan bills aimed at addressing emerging drug threats.
Looking ahead, we await the final Medicare Advantage (MA) technical rule and final rate notice on MA payments for 2027. We are also getting into the regular cycle for annual Medicare rules, and we are on the lookout for the release of the president’s budget. We will continue to monitor updates from the House Ways and Means Committee on its potential participation in healthcare affordability hearings, as well as any changes to the recess schedule.
In this week’s Healthcare Preview, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join Erin Fuller to discuss key takeaways from the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee’s latest affordability hearing, and what CMS’s approval of Minnesota’s Medicaid fraud corrective action plan signals about the future of federal healthcare fraud oversight.
