Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The House greeted returning members with a jolt of drama on Monday as leaders pulled the health price transparency bill from the calendar, as we alerted yesterday.
- Let's dive into what happened and what's next.
Driving the news: There are two main dynamics complicating the bill's passage:
- House Republicans are in chaos over funding the government, which makes trying to line up votes on this additional health care legislation a distraction.
- And Democrats remain split on the bill, with Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone supporting it and Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal opposing it.
- A source familiar with the situation said GOP leadership wants all efforts focused on passing the CR at the moment.
What to watch: The bill is not dead forever, and could even come back up later this week or next week. It's certainly a fluid situation.
What they're saying: Energy and Commerce health subcommittee Chair Brett Guthrie told Axios that his understanding was that it was pulled due to the flow and schedule of the floor with the House trying to pass the CR.
- "But I don't know of any issues with it," said Guthrie.
- He added that another factor was that E&C Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers' flight was canceled on Monday and she's the first co-sponsor.
- Guthrie said he expected that the package will come up "hopefully soon, since we need to do this one and the SUPPORT Act."
- A spokesperson said Rodgers "remains committed" to passing the bill
- One other potential roadblock could be the House Freedom Caucus. Guthrie said he's heard they had an issue with the bill being brought up on the suspension calendar rather than under a rule. "I've heard that they were concerned about it," he said. "But nobody's ever shared that with me."
Between the lines: Neal had his own explanation when Axios caught up with him on Monday night: "Well, I don't think it can pass. That's generally good reasoning."
- The bill was being brought up under suspension of the rules, meaning it needed two-thirds of those present and voting to pass.
- Neal said every Democrat on Ways and Means was going to vote no.
- The bill includes some modest site-neutral measures opposed by hospitals. When a reporter noted that hospitals in Neal's district were opposed, he smiled and said, "You noticed that? Yeah ... you are smart reporters."
The big picture: In addition to the price transparency measures on hospitals and insurers, the bill also pays for items like extending community health center funding, which has a Sept. 30 deadline.
- The Senate is having its own drama on that front, with a plan from HELP Chairman Bernie Sanders and GOP Sen. Roger Marshall at odds with the committee's ranking member, Bill Cassidy, ahead of a markup on Thursday.
