• The Senate voted 51-49 early last Saturday to advance their tax reform plan. It is now being conferenced between House and Senate members, with the goal of passing a final version in the next two weeks.

• Representatives Billy Long (R-MO) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) introduced H.R. 4575, a bill to exclude broker commissions from the medical loss ratio. A Senate companion is forthcoming.

• HHS Secretary Nominee Alex Azar is expected to face a confirmation hearing in the Senate Finance Committee the week of December 18. If advanced, he will need at least 50 votes to be confirmed by the full Senate.

• The House voted 235-193 and the Senate voted 81-14 to approve a two-week continuing resolution through December 22 that also included a limited short-term patch for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

• Negotiations are continuing over a longer-term funding bill that may include market stability measures, including temporary funding of the ACA’s Cost-sharing reduction program.