Republicans to Release Spending Bill Ahead of Deadline to Avoid Government Shutdown
Republicans are expected to release the text of a spending bill as soon as this weekend, ahead of a March 14 deadline, according to Politico. The stopgap measure is aimed at avoiding a government shutdown.
Spending Cuts and Medicaid
A budget blueprint calls for $880 billion in spending cuts from the Energy and Commerce Committee. While the blueprint does not specifically mention Medicaid, cuts to the program are expected. Tom Leary, senior vice president and head of Government Relations for HIMSS, stated at HIMSS25 that he does not expect the cuts to be as drastic as the full $880 billion mentioned.
Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring
The bill’s text has yet to be revealed, leaving uncertainty about whether it will include an extension of telehealth and remote patient monitoring flexibilities, which are set to expire on March 31. HIMSS has long supported a permanent extension for telehealth and remote patient monitoring. Remote patient monitoring allows for patient care to be conducted in the home. Leary expressed confidence that telehealth will be extended, with support from both sides of the aisle.
Key Focus Areas for HIMSS
Leary highlighted key focus areas for HIMSS in the coming year, including a global perspective on AI, responsible use of AI, cybersecurity, digital health transformation, and workforce. He emphasized the importance of understanding the global landscape and its impact on the United States, pointing to the European Union’s recent passage of an AI framework and cybersecurity legislation. Global corporations prefer uniform frameworks across countries, rather than building different ones for each nation.
For more information, contact the writer at SMorse@himss.org
