Congress punts surprise billing and drug prices into 2020

Congress won’t address surprise billing or drug prices in year-end government funding negotiations, pushing two top healthcare agenda items related to high medical costs into a major election year.

Instead, the spending deal coming together Monday contains extensions of several expiring healthcare programs that would instead run out on May 22, setting up a must-pass mechanism for Congress to revisit the issues of surprise billing and high drug prices in 2020, according to a senior House Democratic aide familiar with talks.