Skilled nursing providers and inpatient rehab facilities offer clashing views on Medicare payments

An amendment added to the GOP’s healthcare bill has helped sway two lawmakers who had previously opposed the legislation, paving the way for a House vote to be held today.

Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Billy Long (R-MO) said they would support the bill after meeting with President Donald Trump. At stake was an amendment, written by Upton, that would add $8 billion in funding over five years to help people with pre-existing conditions.

“Today we’re here announcing that with this addition that we brought to the president, and sold him on in over an hour meeting in here with him, that we’re both yesses on the bill,” Long said during a press conference on Wednesday.

Upton said his and Long’s support means the bill — which was struggling to win over moderate representatives — “is likely now to pass in the House.” Today’s vote on the bill, announced late Wednesday by GOP leaders, comes just as House lawmakers are scheduled to recess until May 16.

The bill, which was pulled from the House in March after failing secure enough votes to pass, would still fall short of the votes required in the Senate should it pass the House hurdle, Bloomberg reported. Many lawmakers have previously expressed concern over parts of the bill, specifically cuts to Medicaid funding.