The House Energy and Commerce Committee completed a markup of the portions of the American Health Care Act within their jurisdiction that lasted 27 hours. The bill was passed out of committee on a party line vote.
During the markup a bipartisan discussion in support of rural health care and the need for action to improve access to care in rural America captured the committee’s attention and included many rural champions including Rep. David McKinley (R-WV1), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-1), Rep. Markwayne Mullins (R-OK-2), Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA-2), Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT-At large). Unfortunately, no amendment was offered to support rural access to care.
NRHA applauds these bipartisan rural champions, all of whom committed to working together to improve access to care for rural Americans.
The Senate is schedule to vote on the confirmation of Seema Verma for CMS Administrator at 5:30pm on Monday after clearing the procedural hurdle of cloture today.