Even at a time when passing major health care legislation in the near future becomes increasingly unlikely, the hospital community continues to face serious challenges from both the administration and Congress.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed making more Medicare outpatient payments on a site-neutral basis and reducing Medicare payments to hospitals for prescription drugs covered by the 340B drug pricing program.

It also threatens other changes in the 340B program that hospitals believe will make it more difficult – and costly – to participate in.

Meanwhile, Congress is considering increasing federal oversight of the finances of non-profit hospitals, a move designed to ensure that such providers continue to merit their tax-exempt status.

And as part of a continued focus on affordability in health care, both the administration and Congress continue to explore ways to ensure that hospital prices are more transparent than they are today.

Learn more about some of the short-term policy challenges hospitals face from this Washington Post Health Brief.