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Health Policy Digest - December 2024

Rehab Nursing Specialty

We are pleased to present the December issue of the ARN Health Policy Digest. This member benefit provides updates on health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses.

Congress Reaches a Deal on Continuing Resolution

Congressional lawmakers have been working to negotiate a deal on a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government after the current CR expires on December 20. At press time, lawmakers are nearing an agreement on a three-month stopgap spending bill that would fund the government through March 14.

There is expected to be several other spending provisions tacked onto the package. This includes, but is not limited to, over $100 billion in disaster relief funding, $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers, and $25 billion in health care policy to extend expiring health programs, such as telehealth extenders, community health centers, pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, and pandemic preparedness measures.

We expect Congress to pass this package in time to prevent a government shutdown. We will continue to keep ARN members updated as we enter the new year.

Committee Leadership for the 119th Congress

As the start of the 119th Congress approaches, Congressional leaders in the House have announced leadership for key health committees.

Ways and Means (W&M) Committee:

  • Chairman: Representative Jason Smith (R-MO)
  • Ranking Member: Representative Richard Neal (D-MA)


Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee:

  • Chairman: Representative Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
  • Ranking Member: Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ)


Appropriations Committee:

  • Chairman: (Presumed) Representative Tom Cole (R-OK)
  • Ranking Member: Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)


Rep. Jason Smith will continue his tenure as the Chairman of the W&M Committee. Reflecting his commitment to making healthcare more accessible to people in rural areas, Rep. Smith has supported the continuation of telehealth flexibilities through his introduction of the Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act (H.R. 3447). Rep. Smith has also supported increasing transparency and streamlining prior authorization requirement – a topic that ARN has been a long-time advocate for!

As a member of the Congressional Nursing Caucus and the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, Rep. Richard Neal has shown his commitment to improving healthcare and focus on priorities that are important to ARN. Rep. Neal has championed the Elder Justice Reauthorization and Modernization Act of 2023 (H.R. 2718) which, among other things, provides grant funding to Nursing Home Worker Trainings.

Rep. Brett Guthrie was selected to chair the E&C Committee in the 119th Congress, succeeding Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) who chose not to seek reelection. Rep. Guthrie, who currently leads the E&C Health Subcommittee, has supported expanding telehealth, addressing nursing home shortages, and increasing access to care in rural communities. In the next Congress Rep. Guthrie has taken an interest in potentially addressing AI in healthcare.

Rep. Frank Pallone is also a member of the Congressional Nursing Caucus and Congressional Brian Injury Task Force. Serving and on the E&C Health Subcommittee, Rep. Pallone has been a long-time supporter of affordable health care and increasing internet access, which is necessary for equitable access to telehealth.

Rep. Tom Cole is slated to continue in his role as Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Cole, like many of his Republican colleagues, is a supporter of research at the National Institutes of Health, telehealth, and expanding access to care in rural settings. Rep. Cole is also part of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro will maintain her position as the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. She is also a member of the Congressional Nursing Caucus. As a major champion for healthcare, Rep. DeLauro has shown a special interest in protecting the Affordable Care Act, increasing biomedical research, and improving women's health.

Since many of these leaders are maintaining their positions, ARN looks forward to continuing to work together to further our priorities. We will continue to update members as we learn more, including once Senate committee leadership is announced and any opportunities for advocacy. 

MedPAC holds its December 2024 Meeting

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) held its December 2024 public meeting focused on assessing payment adequacy and updating Medicare payment in different settings. Two presentations that may be interesting to ARN members focused on Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Services and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Services. These presentations evaluated beneficiaries' access to care, quality of SNF and IRF care, and facilities' costs and access to capital. The SNF presentation can be found here, and presentation for IRF can be found here.

Legislation and Appropriations Tracker

As we near the end of the 118th Congress, we encourage members to review ARN's Legislative Tracking Chart to stay informed on the bills and policies we've been monitoring and advocating for. Additionally, you should review the funding levels for the federal health programs we support through the annual appropriations process. This is particularly important as we prepare for the incoming Congress, where new priorities and shifts in leadership may influence the direction of healthcare policy.

Notice of Funding Opportunities 

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