Healthcare is front of mind for lawmakers and government agencies on Capitol Hill as a new bill extending the moratorium on Medicare pay cuts makes its way through Congress and HHS aims to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Four updates:
1. Congress is working to once again delay the federally mandated Medicare pay cuts. The Senate passed a bill March 25 delaying the 2 percent pay cut originally created in 2011 by the Budget Control Act. The bill, which is expected to pass the House, would delay the cuts through the end of the year. Click here to read more.
2. President Joe Biden initially aimed to administer 100 million vaccine doses before April 30, his 100th day in office. But during a March 25 news conference, he upped the goal to 200 million doses. As of March 26, the CDC reported 133.3 million doses have been administered. Click here to read more.
3. HHS plans to spend $10 billion on expanding access to the COVID-19 vaccine in vulnerable communities, President Biden said March 25. Click here to read more.
4. President Biden extended the deadline for Americans to enroll in the ACA marketplace health plans to Aug. 15, according to a March 23 news release. He initially reopened the marketplace for a special enrollment period Feb. 15 to May 15 after taking office. The expansion could be a boon for ASCs if more Americans are covered for elective surgery, but not if deductibles are too high for patients to use their insurance. Click here to read more.