The stop-gap spending bill passed by the Senate on Monday funded the Children's Health Insurance Program for six years, which is a win for states, hospitals and families dependent on CHIP, which covers about 9 million children.
The continuing resolution delayed for two years both the medical-device tax and the Cadillac tax on employer-sponsored benefits that exceeded certain thresholds. It also delayed the health insurance tax for one year. Insurers said the tax added about 3 percent to the price of premiums.
[Also: Senate votes to reopen government, averts major setback to health agencies]
But other healthcare measures were left hanging in the passage of the CR that keeps the government running through Feb. 8.
Safety net hospitals in particular are watching to see whether lawmakers will again act to delay cuts to disproportionate share hospital payments.
America's Essential Hospitals, which has been outspoken on the need for continued DSH funding, said Tuesday it would continue to lobby aggressively for lawmakers to delay a cut through further spending measures being considered by the Feb. 8 deadline.
Federal law requires states to make the DSH payments to qualifying hospitals that serve a large number of Medicaid and uninsured individuals.
The cuts were put in place by the Affordable Care Act when it was thought that Medicaid expansion would reduce the need for DSH funds.
But after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled states could opt out of Medicaid expansion 19 did, leaving hospitals that serve a large number of uninsured patients to absorb the cost of uncompensated care.
The Medicaid DSH cuts remain part of the ACA, though Congress has voted three times to delay a reduction.
The cuts scheduled for this year total $2 billion and steadily grow to $43 billion through 2025, according to Bruce Siegel, MD, CEO and president of America's Essential Hospitals.
Strong bipartisan support already exists for a two-year delay as DSH cuts threaten hospitals and care, Siegel said.
The temporary spending resolution also did not include money for federal community health centers, whose funding expired on October 1, and for other Medicare extenders that expired when CHIP did in October.
Also in limbo is a commitment made by Senate Majority Leader McConnell to Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine in December, over reinstating cost sharing reduction payments and reinsurance funds to insurers.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com