Major health bills fail to make cut amid competing priorities

Hill March 22, 2024
Nathaniel Weixel

Major bipartisan health bills, including changes to the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry and hospital payment reforms, were excluded from the $1.2 trillion government funding bill after members failed to come to a last-minute agreement.

Lawmakers and aides said they were close to a bipartisan, bicameral agreement, but ultimately there were too many people involved with too many competing priorities to get the package over the finish line.

Lawmakers in both chambers said they are not giving up, but the next and potentially last opportunity to pass the reform package in this Congress likely won’t be until after the November election.

Sources said a last-ditch attempt came together after an earlier package of appropriations bills also failed to include the...

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