Tentative Agreement Reached by Payroll Tax Conference Committee
Various media outlets report that the Payroll Tax Conference Committee reached a tentative agreement to extend several expiring tax and Medicare provisions late Tuesday night. The agreement would avoid the expiration of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) or "Doc Fix", extend expiring tax provisions, and reform unemployment insurance. The Conference Committee was also tasked with considering a number of expiring rural Medicare "extenders". Failure to extend these vital provisions will harm rural providers and the patients they serve. These “extenders” are vital to ensuring that rural hospitals, doctors and other professionals can provide needed emergency, primary and mental health care. NRHA members and staff have maintained constant contact with members of the Conference Committee and Congress to ensure these provisions are included in the final provision produced by the Committee. While the specific details of this tentative agreement have not yet been released, NRHA will update this blog regularly throughout the day as such details become available. If you have any questions on these provisions, please contact NRHA Government Affairs Staff at (202) 639-0550.