Mike Johnson. Photo: Craig Hudson for the Washington Post via Getty Images
Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday floated passing a short-term CR into early next year. It's potentially a bad sign for a major health package.
Why it matters: Health provisions like PBM reforms or site-neutral changes generally have a better chance when attached to a fleshed-out, long-term package.
What they're saying: "We're running out of clock," Johnson said on "Fox News Sunday." "We're still hopeful that we might be able to get that done, but if not we'll have a temporary measure, I think, that would go into the first part of next year and allow us the necessary time to get this done."
Between the lines: A short-term CR is still not a sure thing because the Senate could still push for a longer-term, full-year bill.
- But assuming Congress will resort to a CR is usually not a bad bet.
- That wouldn't necessarily spell doom for a major health package, but it would diminish the chances.
- Congress would still have to do at least short-term extensions or renew expiring items like community health center funding and pandemic-era Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
If big spending decisions get punted to March, there theoretically would be another chance for big health care items to catch a ride on a must-pass package.
