OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Spending bill won't defund Obama health law

By Elise Viebeck - 03/04/13 07:45 PM ET

A bill to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year would not defund President Obama's healthcare law, to the chagrin of some conservatives. The House Appropriations Committee unveiled legislation Monday that assumes sequestration will take effect. The bill aims to protect the Pentagon and some other agencies from cuts, but does not include controversial riders that have hampered bipartisan consensus in the past, including provisions to block implementation of the Affordable Care Act. A temporary spending bill runs out after March 27, meaning the clock is ticking for lawmakers that want to avoid a government shutdown.

The conservative Club for Growth is pushing lawmakers to oppose the bill, given that it would not defund the healthcare law. The group has threatened to score against this week's vote, and circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter from Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) and Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) on Friday urging members to remember their opposition to the law.

"Please commit to not bring to the House floor any legislation that provides or allows funds to implement ObamaCare through the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of the Treasury, or any other federal entity," the lawmakers wrote.

Per reports, Huelskamp is still pushing to amend the bill in way that would damage the law's implementation. GOP leaders are unlikely to bite, and other conservative members have indicated that blocking the Affordable Care Act is not a priority in this fight. Read more about that, the continuing resolution and the "Dear Colleague" letter here, here and here.

Vetoed: Arkansas's Democratic governor vetoed legislation Monday banning most abortions in the state after 12 weeks, about the time a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Mike Beebe said the bill is "blatantly" unconstitutional and questioned the wisdom of enacting a statute that would be costly to defend in court. Arkansas already bans most abortions after 20 weeks, and supporters of the stricter bill say they will seek a vote Tuesday to override the veto. Read more at Reuters.

Overstated? The Urban Institute is out with a new report challenging views that the healthcare law's age-rating provision will raise premiums on young adults. The effects of the 3:1 premium ratio — limiting seniors' premium costs to three times the cost for young adults' — are "overstated," said the study's lead author, Linda Blumberg. The report concluded that the alternative 5:1 ratio would undercharge young people, many of whom will be eligible for Medicaid or tax subsidies to buy insurance anyway. Read from the report here.

Overpaid: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said Monday that the Medicare agency overpaid private Medicate plans by $3.2 billion to $5.1 billion between 2010 and 2012 — a finding that comes as insurers object to newly proposed reductions in Medicare Advantage. In a new report, the GAO said that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) needs to improve its way of adjusting payment formulas for Medicare Advantage to make the payments more accurate. Read more about the report at Healthwatch.

Taxable? House Republicans are concerned that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could move to regulate medical apps, as well as the phones and tablets that operate them, as medical devices. A group of six lawmakers, including House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), worried Friday in a letter to the FDA that the technologies could ultimately be taxed under the Affordable Care Act.

"Has the FDA discussed, prepared, or analyzed the effect of the medical device tax on smartphones (as well as tablets or similar devices) or the creators or distributors of applications for those products?" the lawmakers asked. Read more from the letter at Healthwatch.

Tuesday's agenda

The Federation of American Hospitals will hold its public policy conference at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.

The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight will hold a forum on mental health issues in light of the Newtown, Conn., shooting.

The House Ways and Means subcommittee on Oversight will hold a hearing on the healthcare law's tax provisions.

Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) and John Fleming (R-La.) will unveil legislation to exempt individuals and groups from the health law's birth-control mandate.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will deliver remarks at the National Congress of American Indians Tribal Nations Legislative Summit. In the evening, she will give a speech at the 2013 American Association of People with Disabilities Awards Gala.

State by state

Christie touts Medicaid expansion at Jersey City healthcare center

Fla. House panel kills Medicaid expansion on session eve

Branstad unveils alternative to Medicaid expansion

Lobbying registrations

Winning Strategies Washington / New Roads

Greenberg Traurig / Serco

Reading list

Sequester expected to sock health centers [free reg. req'd]

Health law implementation largely untouched by automatic spending cuts

Study shows declining life span for some US women

What you might have missed on Healthwatch

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Panel recommends overhauling US doc payments

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