WASHINGTON, DC - The House Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled a full committee markup on Monday, March 14, 2016, at 5 p.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building to consider two bills, including H.R. 4725, the Common Sense Savings Act of 2016. Members will convene for opening statements only on Monday, and reconvene on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at 10 a.m.
H.R. 4725, introduced by Health Subcommittee Chairman Joseph Pitts (R-PA), includes several practical reforms to health entitlement programs that will help ensure the sustainability of important programs the most vulnerable rely on, while also addressing some of our fiscal challenges. The provisions included in the bill amount to $25 billion in savings over 10 years, and will:
* End Medicaid for lottery jackpot winners: Under current law, lottery winnings are counted as income only in the month they are received. Consequently, states are not allowed to remove multi-million dollar jackpot winners from Medicaid, forcing taxpayers to pay for health care benefits for individuals who no longer require assistance. This reform would alter how Medicaid eligibility is determined for persons who receive lottery winnings.
* Eliminate enhanced Medicaid payments for prisoners: The federal government through Medicaid currently pays a larger share of health care expenses for prisoner populations compared to many disabled children and pregnant moms. This provision levels the playing field and reduces Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to states for services for those who are incarcerated.
* Reform Medicaid provider tax: Under current law, states use a “provider tax" arrangement to increase the amount of federal Medicaid dollars flowing to their state. The policy would limit the ability of states to impose Medicaid “provider taxes" aimed solely at increasing Medicaid payments from the federal government.
* Eliminate Obamacare SCHIP enhanced match rate: Obamacare upset the federal-state balance of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by increasing the federal financial responsibility for the program. This reform would ensure SCHIP remains a true partnership between the federal government and states by returning matching rates to normal levels.
* End Obamacare’s Prevention Slush Fund: This would eliminate the health law’s Prevention and Public Health Fund that provides the HHS Secretary unaccountable access to billions of taxpayer dollars for pet projects. The slush fund has financed wasteful and questionable projects in the past, including programs that have funded pet neutering movements, park signs, and lobbying campaigns for higher taxes.
“Commonsense reforms like moving million dollar jackpot winners off the taxpayer’s dime will help strengthen Medicaid for our most vulnerable folks. We need to get our fiscal house in order, and this effort is a responsible step in the right direction," said Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI)."
The committee will also consider H.R. 2666, the No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act, authored by committee member Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). H.R. 2666 would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from regulating the rates charged for broadband internet.
An electronic copy of each of the bills to be considered can be found on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s website here. A background memo, amendments, and votes will be available at the same link as they are posted.
