Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is aiming to mark up its piece of the reconciliation package May 7, a GOP committee spokesperson confirmed to Axios.
Why it matters: The target date moves the key health panel closer to making hard choices about what Medicaid policies and program cuts could help fund an extension of tax cuts.
State of play: Lobbyists said Medicaid discussions haven't reached the final decision stage, and major changes to the safety net program are still in play.
- Those include Medicaid work requirements, enabling states to recheck program rolls to verify eligibility, and potential reductions to the federal share of costs, or FMAP, for the expansion population.
- Limiting state provider taxes that help finance the nonfederal share of program spending is also on the table.
Beyond Medicaid, lawmakers are still considering including a Medicare physician payment fix in the package.
- Lobbyists also said the final number for Medicaid offsets will likely be lower than the $880 billion target the House budget resolution set for Energy and Commerce, but that nothing had been finalized.
- The committee spokesperson said the panel is still drafting its section of the bill and going through options.
Yes, but: Twelve swing-district GOP members wrote E&C Chair Brett Guthrie and House leadership this week saying they wouldn't support any reduction in Medicaid coverage to vulnerable populations.
What we're watching: It's certainly possible that the markup date could slip, as leadership tends to concerns from moderates and hard-liners about spending cuts.
- Still, lobbyists told Axios on Thursday that E&C was further along than other committees in its preparations.
