Medicare Doc Fix, PBM Measures to Ride on Spending Deal (1)

Lawmakers included a package of health provisions that would rein in pharmacy benefit managers, boost Medicare doctor payments, and extend telehealth services in a stopgap funding measure, according to bill text obtained by Bloomberg Government.

The health package is a larger-than-expected proposal after House leadership Dec. 12 signaled leaning towards a narrower set of provisions. However, lawmakers soon revived negotiations that bled into the weekend – closing out a deal that has a topline of more than $20 billion, according to Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.). The PBM measures, along with other offsets, are intended to pay for the package.

“We ...