Lawmakers on Sunday touted a bipartisan deal on protecting patients from surprise medical bills, but the effort still faces some tough questions before it can reach President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden says voters should choose who nominates Supreme Court justice Trump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Pelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act MORE's desk.

While the announced deal was a boost to efforts to address the complicated issue, supporters still face opposition from powerful industry groups and need to secure the backing of congressional leaders, who have yet to sign on.

And the clock is ticking. Backers of the deal between House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. Frank Joseph PallonePharma execs say FDA will not lower standards for coronavirus vaccine Dem chairmen urge CMS to prevent nursing homes from seizing stimulus payments Federal watchdog finds cybersecurity vulnerabilities in FCC systems MORE (D-N.J.), Energy and Commerce ranking member Greg Walden Gregory (Greg) Paul WaldenOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House passes sweeping clean energy bill | Pebble Mine CEO resigns over secretly recorded comments about government officials | Corporations roll out climate goals amid growing pressure to deliver House passes sweeping clean energy bill Hillicon Valley: DOJ proposes tech liability shield reform to Congress | Treasury sanctions individuals, groups tied to Russian malign influence activities | House Republican introduces bill to set standards for self-driving cars MORE (R-Ore.) and Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander Andrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderPelosi urges early voting to counter GOP's high court gambit: 'There has to be a price to pay' Graham: GOP has votes to confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE (R-Tenn.) are trying to include the measure in a year-end government funding package, which must pass before a Dec. 20 deadline.

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Key committee leaders are signing on, but the top Democratic and Republican leaders in each chamber have not endorsed the deal. And the American Hospital Association, an influential group in Washington, is also opposed, worried the measure would result in damaging cuts to payments to hospitals. Doctors and hospitals have been lobbying hard on the measure, and that work is likely to ramp up as the year draws to a close.

Protecting patients from getting massive bills when they go to the emergency room and one of their doctors happens to be outside their insurance network is a rare area of potential bipartisan action this year. Lawmakers from both parties have been negotiating for months, and President Trump has also encouraged those efforts. The White House on Monday praised the deal.

But whether the deal can actually become law this year could depend on the broader negotiations on government funding and health care measures like lowering drug prices and delaying taxes in ObamaCare, as well as on whether lawmakers can overcome staunch industry opposition.

Sen. Patty Murray Patricia (Patty) Lynn MurraySenate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Trump health officials grilled over reports of politics in COVID-19 response CDC director pushes back on Caputo claim of 'resistance unit' at agency MORE (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Health Committee, has notably not signed on to the deal.

“Senator Murray is working through members’ concerns and is very hopeful a final agreement can be reached that’s consistent with the goal she’s had throughout this process: ending surprise billing in a way that doesn’t shift costs back onto patients in other ways,” said Helen Hare, a Murray spokeswoman.

Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act Will Democrats attempt to pack the Supreme Court again? Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' MORE (N.Y.) is also a major question mark. He has been sympathetic to objections raised by hospitals to the measure.

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His spokesman reiterated that Schumer wants a solution to the problem of surprise billing in general but did not weigh in on the latest specific proposal.

“Senator Schumer absolutely believes patients should be protected from surprise medical billing,” a Schumer spokesman said.

“This is one piece of many health care related proposals that are being considered by various committees in both chambers of Congress," the spokesman added. "Senator Schumer believes you’ve got to look at all of them together as a whole to get the best deal for working Americans."

One influential group in Schumer's home state, the Greater New York Hospital Association, blasted the deal on Monday.

“This rush to get surprise billing language into an end-of-year funding bill, without regard to real-world consequences to health care providers, is dangerous and unnecessary,” the group said. “We encourage Congress to slow down and ensure that this important policy is done thoughtfully and correctly.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers prepare for SCOTUS confirmation hearings before election Will Democrats attempt to pack the Supreme Court again? MORE (D-Calif.) has also not commented on the deal, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHawley warns Schumer to steer clear of Catholic-based criticisms of Barrett Senate GOP set to vote on Trump's Supreme Court pick before election Harris slams Trump's Supreme Court pick as an attempt to 'destroy the Affordable Care Act' MORE (R-Ky.) said only that he is “reviewing” it.

The deal though includes a significant sweetener to try to win McConnell's support, a provision to raise the legal age for buying tobacco products to 21, a major priority for the industry and the Senate GOP leader, whose state is one of the nation's largest tobacco producers.

It is also unclear if other senators who were working on a rival surprise billing proposal will jump on board.

The key dispute for months has been how much insurers will pay doctors for a service once the patient is taken out of the middle.

The deal announced Sunday would set the payment rate based on the average amount that is paid for the service in that area. Doctors and hospitals have been pushing for a rival approach that would let an outside arbitrator decide the payment amount.

The new agreement moves slightly toward the doctors' position by allowing high-cost bills — those that cost more than $750 — to go to arbitration, but doctors and hospitals are not satisfied.

A key group of lawmakers have backed the doctor-favored approach, including Sens. Bill Cassidy William (Bill) Morgan CassidyCoushatta tribe begins long road to recovery after Hurricane Laura Senators offer disaster tax relief bill Bottom line MORE (R-La.), Maggie Hassan Margaret (Maggie) HassanDemocrats step up hardball tactics as Supreme Court fight heats up Congress needs to prioritize government digital service delivery Senate Democrats demand answers on migrant child trafficking during pandemic MORE (D-N.H.) and Michael Bennet Michael Farrand BennetOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency Next crisis, keep people working and give them raises MORE (D-Colo.), a 2020 presidential candidate.

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That group also has not endorsed the deal, though they said they are “encouraged” as the “final details” are worked out.

The deal also includes a range of other health care measures aimed at lowering costs, such as requiring drug companies to provide justifications to the government for large price increases and banning anti-competitive clauses that hospitals use in contracts with insurers.

Backers hope those will bring over enough votes to take the bill across the finish line.

“This agreement will make health care and prescription drugs more affordable for the American people,” Pallone said in a statement. “I’m hopeful that this bipartisan, bicameral agreement can be voted on quickly so that it can be signed into law before the end of the year.”