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A House vote expected this week will be the first test of whether leaders of the two parties can win support for small structural changes in how the costs of Medicare are covered—a significant political shift for Congress, which has for years been at an impasse over entitlement programs. (Hughes, 3/22)

Lobbyists will descend on Congress this week as lawmakers near a bipartisan agreement to finance health care for the oldest and youngest Americans, by revamping the payment of doctors under Medicare and by extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The agreement, negotiated by Speaker John A. Boehner and the House Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, would repeal a Medicare formula that threatens to cut doctors’ fees each year. In its place, Congress would establish an “incentive payment system” to reward doctors who receive high performance scores from the government. Scores would be based on factors like the ability to keep patients healthy while controlling costs. (Pear, 3/22)

It’s make-or-break time for a Medicare 'doc fix' replacement. The House is likely to vote this week on a proposal to scrap Medicare’s troubled physician payment formula, just days before a March 31 deadline when doctors who treat Medicare patients will see a 21 percent payment cut. Senate action could come this week as well, but probably not until the chamber completes a lengthy series of votes on the GOP’s fiscal 2016 budget package. (Carey, 3/23)

A budding bipartisan deal to shelter physicians from Medicare cuts, championed by the House's two top leaders, is drawing powerful allies including the American Medical Association and a rainbow of conservative and liberal groups. ... The proposal is also attracting powerful foes and its fate is not guaranteed. ... On Saturday, all 12 Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee released a letter suggesting they might oppose the plan unless House leaders change it. They said a package extending the children's health program "would go a long way to achieving bipartisan support," and listed other concerns like its increased costs for some beneficiaries. (Fram, 3/21)

Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee on Saturday issued a joint statement saying the emerging deal in the House to avert cuts to doctors under Medicare currently does not pass their "test." “Though we have not been part of negotiations in the House on the total package, we want to be clear that any legislation of this magnitude sent to the Senate must be balanced," the senators said. "Unfortunately, our current understanding of what the House is negotiating does not sufficiently pass that test." (Schroeder, 3/21)

Congress is closer than ever to finally repealing and replacing the Medicare physician-payment system. But with the March 31 deadline to act on the sustainable growth-rate formula a week away, there are at least six potential landmines that could derail the surprise $200 billion-plus deal negotiated by House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. (Demko, 3/21)