Critics blast House for nixing doc-fix: Patient advocates immediately started blasting Congress on Tuesday after House Republicans nixed a temporary fix to Medicare payments to physicians. The House voted 229-193 to reject the Senate’s two-month “doc fix” and instead call for a conference meeting with the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) says the Senate is done for the year. [Julian Pecquet]
Lawmakers could come back Jan. 3: “Future congressional action on a Medicare physician payment fix and other extenders is in flux following the House’s 229-193 rejection Tuesday (Dec. 20) of the Senate’s two-year payment patch, but sources suggest the House may come back Jan. 3, rather than Jan. 17, and some say its possible that backroom negotiations could lead to an acceptable compromise before the impact of Congress’ failure to act are felt even as the parties continue to lob insults.” [Inside Health Policy]
A piecemeal approach to the health law: “The Obama administration’s surprise announcement Friday that it planned to give states broad leeway to pick the benefits offered under the federal health care law offers yet another example of a gradualist approach to carrying out its signal domestic policy achievement.” [NYT]
Florida legislator to introduce 20-week abortion ban: “The bill includes an exception if the pregnancy endangers a woman’s life or could cause her “substantial and irreversible physical impairment.” It does not include exemptions for pregnancies that are the result of rape or incest.” [Florida Times Union]
Health insurance rebates OK’d: “Michigan consumers who buy individual health insurance could receive up to $89 million in rebates during the next three years as part of a federal health reform requirement. Earlier this week, the U.S. government said it denied Michigan Insurance Commissioner R. Kevin Clinton’s request to temporarily exempt insurers in Michigan from the requirement that insurers spend 80 percent of consumers’ premium dollars on health care and no more than 20 percent on administrative costs.” [The Detroit News]
Massachusetts receives Medicaid waiver: “Massachusetts has struck a multi-billion dollar deal with the federal government that Gov. Deval Patrick says will help the state move ahead with plans to overhaul the way it pays for health care coverage. Patrick praised the three-year, $26.7 billion Medicaid waiver — a $5.7 billion increase over the previous waiver.” [Boston Globe]
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