Doc Pay Patch Could Emerge In Scaled-Back Health Package; Budget Talks Continue

As the stalemate over spending bills continues with the clock ticking to a partial government shutdown Friday (March 1), the prospects for substantial health reforms to advance before election season kicks into high gear have dimmed significantly, and stakeholders now expect lawmakers to craft a narrow health package that funds expiring programs and patches the Jan. 1 Medicare pay cut to doctors, but sets aside reforms to site-neutral pay, pharmacy benefit manager business practices and other, more controversial, policies to...