The House and Senate are expected to vote today on bills that would reduce the severity of the administration’s Medicaid reimbursement cuts. They also would also extend funding relief related to Medicare therapy caps.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA), Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and Speaker of the House Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) helped craft H.R. 6408.

The legislation sets a maximum allowable provider tax rate at 5.5% through 2011. The administration is scheduled to cut provider taxes to 3% from the current rate of 6%. Also under the bills, the expiring Medicare therapy caps exceptions process would extend through 2007. Providers have been aggressively lobbying Congress for both actions.