With Congress on Recess, Hill Leaders Eye Agenda - April 7, 2010

After enactment of comprehensive health reform legislation, Congress left for a previously scheduled two week recess which ends on April 12. With their top legislative priority enacted, congressional Democrats are now eyeing the rest of their agenda for 2010, leading up into potentially pivotal mid-term elections in November. On the top of the list are finance system reforms and energy/climate legislation. Both are on the priority list for President Obama and both have been pushed back by the long delay in passing health care reform. The list of health care related issues is relatively slim. In the near term, Congress is struggling to finalize “jobs bill” legislation which includes a 6-month extension in enhanced Medicaid payments to states, an extension of the “Doc Fix” and an extension in COBRA coverage. The budget and appropriations process has likewise been delayed by the focus on health care reform, but is expected to pick up steam in the next few weeks. It is not yet clear how Appropriations Committees will deal with the slew of unfunded health care programs authorized by the health care reform law. NAPH is actively seeking a $120 million appropriation for the Community-Based Collaborative Care Networks program authorized by reform, but is cognizant of the difficulty in achieving an appropriation this year due to the late passage of the bill, and the lack of funding in the president’s budget for newly authorized programs.