Congress reaches major health policy deal on Medicare, Medicaid, and pandemic preparedness

STAT December 19, 2022
Rachel Cohrs and Sarah Owermohle

WASHINGTON — Leaders in Congress have reached a sweeping deal to ease Medicare pay cuts to doctors, make major changes to post-pandemic Medicaid policy, and to help prepare for future pandemics.

Lawmakers are aiming to pass a health care policy package along with legislation to fund the federal government by Friday. The details of the omnibus spending package were confirmed by two lobbyists and two congressional aides.

The bill’s text is not yet finalized, and the deal is still subject to changes.

Medicare policy

Doctors were facing down 4.5% Medicare pay cuts at the end of the year, and had pleaded with Congress to cancel the cuts altogether. Lawmakers met them halfway: In 2023, physicians will face a 2% cut,...

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