HHS
HHS published a notice that would reduce public input on certain federal rules. Starting in 1971 HHS has generally required an open comment period on regulations and other policy changes. With RFK’s change to this policy, stakeholders may get less warning on potential changes and have fewer opportunities to comment on policy changes. This reduction in seeking public comments is less likely to affect Medicare and more likely to affect Medicaid/ACA rules.
On the Hill
Doc Fix
Most of the activity this week on the Hill focused on a budget resolution to maintain funding for the government. The deadline for a funding agreement is March 14th. One of the open questions is if a doctor payment adjustment to reverse Medicare payment cuts will be included in the funding bill. Politico reported that including language to prevent cuts in Medicare pay for providers was currently under active discussion.
Work Requirements
Politico also reported that mandatory work requirements were under consideration for inclusion in a House reconciliation bill. Previously CBO has estimated mandatory work requirements would save about $100 billion dollars over ten years and reduce enrollment by 1.5 million people, on average, annually.
Economy Watch
US employers announced 170,000 layoffs for February. This is the highest number of layoffs since July of 2020 during the uncertainty of the Covid pandemic. While the single largest contributor to the layoff was the Federal government firings, the private sector also experienced reductions. The large increase is signaling larger concerns about a general economic slowdown.
