In an unprecedented move, eight House Republicans voted with all present House Democrats on Oct. 3 to vacate the Speaker, forcing an end to a tumultuous run at Speaker for U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The vote came on the heels of an unexpected move by McCarthy to pass a clean continuing resolution to fund the government on Sept. 30, allowing Congress to narrowly avert a government shutdown by extending funding at current levels through Nov. 17.
WHA has been closely following these events given a number of health care legislative priorities that hang in the balance. The continuing resolution delayed cuts to the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital cap and extended funding for community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education through Nov. 17.
While Wisconsin is not expected to be impacted if Medicaid DSH cap cuts ultimately go through, House Republican Committee chairs have introduced a legislative package that would fund these priorities partly by securing cuts in Medicare reimbursements for drug administration services furnished in off-campus hospital outpatient departments. WHA has pushed back against these site-neutral payment cuts that are estimated to lower Medicare payments to Wisconsin hospitals by $114 million over 10 years.
U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy has said he does not intend to run for speaker again, and Republicans have said they will hold a forum on who will be the next speaker on Oct. 10 with an internal ballot expected to be held the following day. In the meantime, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry will serve as a sort of interim speaker under the official post of speaker pro tempore. Without an elected speaker, the U.S. House is effectively unable to move legislation to the floor for a vote. WHA will continue to closely follow these developments as they relate to legislation such as site-neutral payment cuts that impact Wisconsin health care priorities.