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In a controversial political maneuver, Members of the House passed a bill on Friday that would keep federal agencies funded through December 15th, but withdraw spending for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The bill is now in the hands of the Senate, where leaders will likely attempt to strip it of the language that defunds the health care law. When asked how he plans to move forward with the House bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said: "Any bill that defunds Obamacare is dead. It's a waste of time." The bill has also received numerous veto threats from the White House..This new data strengthens the argument that focusing on negotiating prices for the relatively small number of drugs that make up a disproportionately large amount of Medicare spending could help reduce the costs of prescription drugs to Medicare and the patients who use them..Also, TSCL plans to be on the Hill next week visiting with the staffs of Republican Senators to find out where they are with regard to health care legislation, and in particular the Grassley-Wyden bill..The U.S. has given billions of dollars to drug companies to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus that has infected more than 5.1 million people across the country. It has even gambled on locking in a minimum of 800 million doses as soon as the immunizations are cleared later this year or early next year..Several provisions within the H-CARE act include; increasing payments to Rural Health Clinics, authorizing to million annually for grants to rural providers to help with the cost of implementing health information technology, requiring prompt payment to rural pharmacies by Medicare prescription drug plans and ensuring that rural Americans are appropriately represented on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission..Education and arts programs.To qualify, you must meet your state's income and asset guidelines. You may qualify if your income in 2012 was at or below the income and resource limits listed below..So even as this is being written there are reports coming that Congressional leaders are close to a deal on both the legislation to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year as well as a new coronavirus economic stimulus bill..Members of the House passed the .1 trillion government-wide spending bill last Thursday, and after much debate, lawmakers in the Senate adopted it late on Saturday evening. Those in the House left Washington shortly after they approved the "cromnibus," while those in the Senate stayed in town for a few days to consider dozens of executive nominations and to pass a package of tax extenders.