David Lee

Various media outlets report that the Payroll Tax Conference Committee reached a tentative agreement to extend several expiring tax and Medicare provisions late Tuesday night.  The agreement would avoid the expiration of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) or “Doc Fix”, extend expiring tax provisions, and reform unemployment insurance. The Conference Committee was also tasked with [...]

Leadership aides inside the House of Representatives have told media outlets that the chamber will take up, and presumably pass, a version of the Senate payroll tax-Medicare extender legislation.  The measure, almost identical to a Senate passed resolution, will extend vital rural provisions for two months while congressional leaders work out a compromise for a [...]

House Republican leadership held a press conference on Monday night announcing their plans to hold various votes on Senate legislation that would extend certain tax and Medicare provisions for two months.  Leadership expressed firm opposition to the legislation and predicted that the House would defeat the measure. House Speaker John Boehner has repeatedly advocated for [...]

The Senate passed a modified Medicare extender bill early Saturday morning that includes a number of expiring rural health provisions.  The legislation extends, for a two-month period, the outpatient hold harmless extension, Medicare Section 508 reclassification, reimbursement increases for ambulance services, rural mental health add-ons, extension of therapy cap exemptions and an update for the [...]