Reviving Prospects for Health Reform Legislation, Congressional Leaders Eye Reconciliation - March 2, 2010

After attending a bipartisan health reform summit at the White House last week, Democratic leaders in Congress are strongly considering passing comprehensive health reform legislation with only Democratic votes. Specifically, House and Senate Democrats are considering whether to finalize health reform legislation using the budget reconciliation process, which would allow the Senate to make changes to the bill it passed in December with a simple majority. If they pursue this course, the House would pass the Senate-passed reform bill without changes. Then, both chambers would pass a budget reconciliation bill—which cannot be filibustered in the Senate—that amends the original health reform bill in key areas to make it palatable to House Democrats. Hoping to act quickly, Congressional leaders have said they would like to pass the reconciliation bill before an upcoming recess scheduled to begin March 27.

Key questions about this strategy remain: What changes will be necessary to garner majority support in both chambers? Equally importantly, will those changes be allowed to be included in the reconciliation bill, which, by rule, must only deal with issues that directly affect federal spending? The final decision on whether a provision is allowed to be included is made by the unelected Senate Parliamentarian. NAPH is urging Congress to include lowered Medicaid and Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital payment cuts in the reconciliation bill. Please contact your representative in the House to urge them to pass comprehensive health reform, but to include lower levels of DSH cuts than are in the Senate bill.