In a 266 to 167 vote, House lawmakers in both parties joined forces Wednesday to pass a two-year budget deal that would raise spending $80 billion and cut spending on Medicare, according to The Hill.
The 144-page bill, which is now headed to the Senate, includes a provision that deals with off-campus hospital outpatient departments. Under the deal, off-campus outpatient facilities that are bought or set up by hospitals after the date of enactment of the bill will not be eligible for reimbursements under the outpatient prospective payment system.
The budget deal would also hold down premium increases for about 30 percent of the more than 50 million seniors in Medicare Part B and extends 2 percent sequester cuts to Medicare by an additional year, to 2025.
The legislation drew opposition from conservative Republicans, but it wasn't enough to prevent the House from approving the measure. Although Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who opposes the higher spending caps, has promised to delay the effort through filibuster, the legislation is expected to pass through the Senate with strong bipartisan support early next week, according to The Hill.
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