The record-breaking government shutdown ended last week with the passage of a continuing resolution to fund the government through January 30, 2026. This week, both chambers are back for one of the few remaining in-session weeks of 2025. Committees are making up for lost time with many health hearings this week. Of those, the one likely to get the most attention is the Senate Finance Committee hearing focused on the rising cost of healthcare. While the hearing is not explicitly focused on the looming expiration of the enhanced advanced premium tax credits (APTCs), they will likely be a main topic of conversation.
As part of the deal to reopen the government, Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) promised a floor vote on the enhanced APTCs’ extension by the second week of December. However, there is no clear sign that negotiations are proving fruitful. During the Finance Committee hearing, Democrats will likely be aligned and continue to push for an extension of the enhanced APTCs to prevent premium spikes in the new year that will cause millions to lose coverage. Meanwhile, Republicans continue to internally debate their own ideas for potential reforms to the health system that may veer away from extending the enhanced APTCs at all. There are two Republican witnesses for the hearing, who will likely caution against any extension of the enhanced APTCs, and two Democratic witnesses, including a constituent of Ranking Member Wyden (D-OR) who will share how essential an extension is for him.
Prior to that hearing, the Senate Committee will vote on the nomination of Thomas Bell to serve as inspector general of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will then hear testimony from Bell and vote on his nomination.
We also could begin to see more movement this week to pass the Senate version of the Labor-HHS fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill, as January 30, 2026, is only a few in-session weeks away. The Labor-HHS bill may be packaged in a “minibus” with the Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development bills, and a procedural vote on the potential package could occur as early as this week. Whether there is enough consensus for this process to move forward remains to be seen.
On the regulatory front, we are on the lookout for guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services about Medicare telehealth claims processing, given that the deal to end the shutdown retroactively restored the Medicare telehealth flexibilities. We also still await release of the remaining calendar year 2026 Medicare payment regulations for outpatient, home health, and end-stage renal disease services.
In this week’s Healthcare Preview podcast, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join Julia Grabo to discuss why we are watching this week closely for signs of a reopening government.
