"What's inside: The emerging outline - which still could fall apart - includes multi-year renewals of expiring health care programs covering community health center funding and Medicare flexibilities to pay for telehealth. It is expected to include language aimed at lowering drug prices that would no longer base PBMs' compensation on the price of a drug in Medicare Part D, which critics have said discourages the use of cheaper treatments when available."
"The package does not include an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which Democrats want but has hit resistance from GOP leadership. A bipartisan group of senators still is proceeding on a separate track to find a compromise on the subsidies, which expired at the end of 2025, though it appears there isn't enough Republican support to pass."
The proposed package excludes an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies after they expired at the end of 2025, despite separate bipartisan efforts to find a compromise. The emerging outline would renew expiring health care programs for multiple years, including community health center funding and Medicare telehealth flexibilities. It would include provisions to lower drug prices by stopping PBMs' compensation from being based on Medicare Part D drug prices, and would require unique identifier numbers for hospital outpatient departments to help prevent overbilling. If talks hold, the deal would be paired with the next government spending package for a vote later this month.
Read at Axios
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