Senate HELP Committee Marks Up Public Health Program Reauthorizations. The bills would reauthorize several programs related to older adults, individuals with developmental disabilities and individuals with traumatic brain...more
Senate HELP Committee Holds Hearing on Medical Debt. The hearing examined the negative impacts of medical debt and explored potential solutions to address the growing issue. Senators and witnesses highlighted the disparity...more
7/15/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Data Privacy ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
ONC ,
Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Physician Fee Schedule ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Value-Based Care. The hearing examined the challenges and opportunities associated with delivering better health outcomes and Medicare savings through value-based care....more
7/1/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
Telehealth ,
U.S. House
Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing on Disability Benefits. The hearing discussed ways to improve work incentives for those on Social Security disability programs. Senators and witnesses noted that there are currently...more
House Energy & Commerce Committee Advances 13 Health Bills. The bipartisan legislation dealt with public health, Medicaid fraud and some small telehealth bills, but not the Medicare extension legislation that the committee is...more
House Oversight Subcommittee Hearing with Fauci. The hearing aimed to gather more information on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by Anthony Fauci, MD, former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases...more
6/7/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Section 340B ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
House Energy & Commerce Committee Hearing on FDA. The hearing examined the US Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) regulation of drugs, biologics and devices.
House Budget Committee Hearing on Healthcare Monopolies. The...more
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Advances 21 Bills. The markup included legislation around telehealth, Medicaid, workforce and rare diseases. Of note, the subcommittee advanced a bill that included an extension of...more
5/20/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Laboratory Developed Tests ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare Payment Reform ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
House Ways & Means Committee Marks Up Telehealth and More. The bills considered in the markup support expanding access to telehealth as well as access to healthcare in rural areas. All six bills passed out of the committee,...more
5/13/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Legislative Hearing on Improving Medicaid Access. Daniel Tsai, deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), testified. Members...more
5/6/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
DACA ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Final Rules ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
A Quiet Healthcare Week on Capitol Hill. Congress was largely in recess this week, although the Senate returned briefly to complete consideration of a long-awaited foreign aid bill. Both chambers will return to session the...more
4/26/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HRSA ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Nursing Homes ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Section 340B ,
Senate Committees ,
Skilled Nursing Facility ,
U.S. House
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Cybersecurity. During the hearing, there was bipartisan concern about UnitedHealth Group’s response to the Change Healthcare cyberattack and consensus around the...more
4/18/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
GAO ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Payment Systems ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
Senate HELP Committee Holds Field Hearing on Private Equity. In the hearing, held at the Massachusetts State House, members discussed the impact of private equity ownership on patients, providers, quality of care and...more
4/8/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Final Rules ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Payment Systems ,
Proposed Legislation ,
U.S. House
Appropriations Update. On March 20, Congress released bill text for the second (and final) tranche of fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations bills, which include: Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS,...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE President Releases FY 2025 Budget: The budget requests $130.7 billion in discretionary spending for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal year (FY) 2025. House Ways & Means Committee...more
Appropriations Update. On March 3, Congress released bill text for the CAA, 2024, which includes funding for six of the 12 appropriations bills: Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-VA, Energy-Water, Transportation-HUD,...more
3/11/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP Act ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Private Equity ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
Appropriations Update. As appropriators continue to finalize the 12 funding bills for fiscal year (FY) 2024 – which began on October 1, 2023 – a series of stopgap CRs have been needed to avoid a government shutdown. This...more
3/4/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Payment Systems ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
SAMHSA ,
Senate Banking Committee ,
Senate Committees
Senate HELP Committee Releases HIPAA Modernization White Paper: Sen. Cassidy (R-LA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a white paper entitled “Strengthening Health...more
2/26/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Data Privacy ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
GAO ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP Act ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Legislative Hearing on 19 Bills. Lawmakers discussed 19 pieces of legislation designed to support patients and caregivers in the key areas of autism, heart defects,...more
2/19/2024
/ Ambulatory Surgery Centers ,
Caregivers ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Legislative Agendas ,
MACs ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Medicare Part D ,
Mental Health ,
Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Request For Information ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
House Energy and Commerce Committee Holds Hearing on Healthcare Costs. The hearing included discussion on what factors are causing cost increases for individuals, for the healthcare sector, and for federal health programs...more
2/2/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Medicare Part D ,
Mental Health ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
SAMHSA ,
Senate Committees ,
Substance Abuse ,
Telehealth ,
U.S. House
Senate Finance Chair Continues Inquiry into MA Marketing Techniques. Chairman Wyden (D-OR) sent letters to five third-party marketing organizations that participate in the MA enrollment period. The letters seek information on...more
1/29/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Long-Term Care ,
Medicare Advantage ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
Congress Passes CR and Averts Government Shutdown. As appropriators continue to draft the 12 funding bills for FY 2024, a new stopgap CR was needed to avoid a partial government shutdown on January 19. The Senate passed the...more
House Passes Healthcare Legislation. The House brought two key bipartisan healthcare bills to the floor this week. The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (H.R. 5378) was approved by a vote of 320–71, and the Support for...more
12/18/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
GAO ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Privacy Laws ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
Technology Sector ,
U.S. House
Two-Week Stretch Before Holiday Recess - Congress only has two weeks left in session for the rest of year. There is a lot to accomplish in those two weeks. While government funding has been punted into early 2024, Congress is...more
CONGRESS -
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Examines AI. The hearing explored the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, acknowledging its promise in enhancing efficiency, improving patient care and...more
12/4/2023
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House