The Senate begins work on the House-passed "doc fix" bill Tuesday. That's the semi-permanent fix to the problem of Medicare physician reimbursement rates that Congress has been grappling with for a decade and a half. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, perhaps recognizing that he'll
have to have Democratic votes to pass this thing, has agreed with Minority Leader Harry Reid to
allow amendments, though with limits.
Senate leaders are expected to enforce limited debate on the amendments, creating the high bar of 60 votes for passage, according to a lobbyist familiar with the talks. […]
Reid did not specify what proposals the amendments would contain. But two people familiar with the talks, including a Senate Democratic aide, said Democrats want a four-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the removal of abortion-related language known as the Hyde Amendment and a repeal of the Medicare therapy cap.
The Medicare therapy cap vote might be enough for AARP to sign off. The group has been lobbying against higher premiums for wealthier seniors, which is one of the pay-fors in the bill, but this cap on outpatient coverage has been a longstanding issue for them as well. The additional two years of CHIP shouldn't be an issue for any senator, but enough Republicans will probably oppose it because they're already pissed that the bill isn't entirely paid for.
Because of that, there will be at least two Republican amendments. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) will have an amendment to say Congress will have to pay for the $141 billion under "Pay as You Go" budget rules. How? However. Lee isn't going to worry about those specifics. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), however, wants to pay for it by repealing the Obamacare mandate (what else) and will offer that up as an amendment. If the agreement is 60 votes for every amendment, this will fail.
Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has already announced that he'll oppose the bill. Because he's Ted Cruz and he wants to be president and he apparently thinks he can win without the senior vote.