Digital Debut

Incoming Congress and ASC Priorities

Implications for surgery center bills moving into the new legislative session

BY DAVID OPONG-WADEE | DECEMBER 6, 2024

While healthcare was not a major focus of President-Elect Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, the incoming administration will have to address significant decisions in that area in 2025.

Republicans will control both houses of Congress in the upcoming session. ASCAPAC supported 17 lawmakers in the current 118th Congress. Moreover, 12 candidates ran for reelection this year, and all won their races. Additionally, supporters of ASCA’s federal legislation in the House, the Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act of 2023 (H.R. 972), have all won reelection. One of the Senate bill’s (S. 312) supporters, Senator John Barrasso, MD (R-WY), just won a close election to become Senate majority whip, the number two leader in the Republican conference for six years. The original bill cosponsor, Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), will now chair the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). Senator Cassidy was a gastroenterologist before entering the political arena and will be the first medical doctor to serve as HELP chair since 1933 when the committee was named Education and Labor. Additionally, Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), a former cosponsor of ASCA’s legislation, will chair the Senate Finance Committee.

Given the shifting makeup of Congress heading into 2025, the current Congress will likely not pursue significant legislation in the lame-duck session between now and the inauguration. Instead, unresolved issues will be sent to the incoming 119th Congress, such as reforms to pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) and the 340B drug pricing program. However, the current Congress will need to address the government funding stopgap measure, which expires on December 20, by agreeing on 12 proposed appropriations bills. Federal legislators will either pass an omnibus spending bill or push the negotiations to the next Congress and administration with another continuing resolution, the latter being the most likely outcome.

The federal debt ceiling is set to expire on January 1, 2025, when the Department of the Treasury would need to begin taking significant measures to extend the limit later into 2025. Congress will need to raise the debt limit, most likely in the new Congress. This could present an opportunity for congressional Republicans to push for deficit reduction measures to be included in any resulting deal. If a larger omnibus package comes together around healthcare bills, ASCA staff is working to introduce a copay cap amendment and against the passage of price transparency legislation. If there is no chance for legislation to progress by the end of the current session, ASCA intends to introduce two bills for the next Congress: one that establishes a standalone cap on copays and another that includes the remaining provisions of the Outpatient Surgery Quality and Access Act.

ASCA will continue to connect with new lawmakers with healthcare backgrounds and members in key committees of jurisdiction. Members of Congress will be sworn into the 119th Congress on January 3, 2025.

Write David Opong-Wadee at dopongwadee@ascassociation.org with any questions.