Update on the Continuing Resolution

On Sunday, President Trump signed a seven-month continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown that passed the House and Senate last week. The CR will fund government operations through the remainder of the fiscal year (September 30). It will slash non-defense spending by roughly $13 billion and increase defense spending by about $6 billion over current budgets. The CR will also extend telehealth rules in Medicare that were eased during the pandemic through September 30, though it stops short of permanent or longer-term extension. It does not include the provider fix that many were expecting it to contain, however.

The doctor’s caucus in the House of Representatives has been given assurances that the provider fix will be in the reconciliation bill that the Republicans hope to pass before Memorial Day. Both the House and the Senate have a district work period this week with no votes scheduled in either chamber.