House panel approves bills to limit health law funding

Meanwhile, the Senate plans to vote next week on a repeal of the health law's 1099 tax reporting provision.

Modern Healthcare: House Panel OKs Bills Targeting Reform Funding
The House Energy and Commerce's Health Subcommittee has approved five bills that aim to limit the HHS secretary's spending authority under the health reform law and also subject some of the statute's mandatory spending to the annual appropriations process. On Thursday, the subcommittee voted 14-11 to approve legislation that would change a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that gives the HHS secretary an unlimited amount of funds for state-based exchange grants. This bill would cancel unlimited direct appropriation and also rescind any unobligated funds. In another 14-11 vote, the subcommittee approved a bill from Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) to repeal the section of the Affordable Care Act that creates a prevention and public health fund and gives the secretary full authority to administer that funding, which totals $17.75 billion from fiscal year 2012 to 2021 (Zigmond, 3/31).

The Hill: Senate Lines Up 1099 Repeal Bill For Tuesday
If the House-passed measure gains approval without being amended the bill goes to President Obama for his signature. There is one amendment to the bill being offered by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) that would require further study of the effects of the offset proposed by Republicans. Clearance of the bill would end a yearlong debate about repealing the 1099 provision in the health care law that would require businesses to file the forms with every business with which they buy at least $600 in goods and services (Needham, 3/31).

Roll Call: Senate To Vote On Repealing Portion Of Health Care Law
The Senate set up a vote for Tuesday on a bill that would make the first significant change to President Barack Obama's signature health care overhaul law. Under an agreement reached Thursday, the Senate will vote on a House-passed bill that would repeal a tax-reporting requirement included in the health care law (Hunter, 3/31).