Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
A new agreement reached by House Republicans to fund the government includes only "clean" extensions of expiring health programs.
Why it matters: Major items including PBM reforms are out.
- But the short-term extensions through March could provide another opportunity in the spring for the larger health package.
What's inside: The new 116-page bill would extend funding for community health centers, delay Medicaid DSH payment cuts to safety net hospitals and extend Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
- The Medicare hospital-at-home program is also covered.
- Provisions that were dropped include drug patent reform, temporarily averting the doctor pay cut, PAHPA and SUPPORT reauthorization, and a hospital billing measure.
- The new bill also drops a provision that would have allowed members of Congress to opt out of getting their health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Reality check: Even though President-elect Trump has endorsed the new bill, it's unclear if this deal can pass, because Democrats are not necessarily supportive.
This story has been updated with new details about provisions that were dropped from the original CR.
