Tag Archives: Health care

US Federal Labor Viewpoints – Week of November 1, 2021

This is a weekly post spotlighting labor topics in focus by the US legislative and executive branches during the previous week. In this issue, we cover: The Administration Releases its COVID-19 Vaccine Employer Rule U.S. States Challenge Federal Vaccine Mandates Other General COVID-19 Updates October Jobs Report House Approves Bill to Address Age Discrimination Labor … Continue Reading

US Executive Branch Update – January 29, 2021

This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change, as is the White House press briefing schedule. 9:45 a.m. EST – The President and The Vice President receive … Continue Reading

US Executive Branch Update – January 28, 2021

This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change, as is the White House press briefing schedule. 9:45 a.m. EST – The President and The Vice President receive … Continue Reading

EU’s New Pharmaceutical Strategy

The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has put an emphasis on health policy since the beginning of her term, by promoting the development of a number of initiatives that will be published in the months and years to come. Inevitably, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated a growing demand for better coordination across EU … Continue Reading

US Executive Branch Update – October 5, 2020

This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* *The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change. THE PRESIDENT has no public events scheduled. Note:  President Donald Trump will be working from the presidential offices at … Continue Reading

Public Policy Briefing – July 23, 2020

The enhanced unemployment benefits created by the March 27 CARES Act are set to expire in eight days. The US Congress will need more time than that to determine a path to passage of the next major bipartisan pandemic response legislation – assuming Republicans and Democrats in Washington are able to eventually reach agreement on … Continue Reading

Government Shutdown Looms as Current CR Expires Friday; White House Expresses Interest in Bipartisan Negotiations

Legislative Activity Government Shutdown Looms as Current CR Expires Friday; White House Expresses Interest in Bipartisan Negotiations Congress faces a short time frame to pass a spending package for the remainder of the current fiscal year and prevent a government shutdown as the current FY 2017 Continuing Resolution (CR/P.L. 114-254) expires Friday at midnight. House … Continue Reading

House Energy and Commerce Committee to Hold Concussion Roundtable; Senate HELP Committee to Mark Up Substance Abuse and Mental Health Bills; CMS Releases Proposed Rule on Part B Drug Payment Model

Legislative Activity House Energy and Commerce Committee to Hold Concussion Roundtable Last December, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) announced that the committee would commence a broad review of concussions and their implications. His initiative officially begins this week, with a roundtable titled “Broad Review of Concussions: Initial Roundtable.” The committee … Continue Reading

Two Health Bills Scheduled for House Floor; Senate to Consider Opioid Abuse Legislation; CMS Releases Proposed Rule on Provider Integrity; MedPAC Meets This Week

Legislative Activity Two Health Bills Scheduled for House Floor House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has stated that the chamber may consider two health bills this coming week. On Tuesday, March 1, the House is expected to consider H.R. 2814, to Name the Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Base Outpatient Clinic in Sevierville, Tennessee, the Dannie … Continue Reading

Senate Cloture Vote Scheduled for FDA Nominee, Chamber May Consider Opioid Legislation

Legislative Activity Senate Cloture Vote Scheduled for FDA Nominee, Chamber May Consider Opioid Legislation On Monday, February 22, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has scheduled a cloture vote on the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner.   Three Senators – Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders … Continue Reading

Congress Awaits Health Provisions in President’s Budget; Health Bills Slated for House Floor Consideration; SAMHSA Releases Proposed Rule Focused on Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records

Legislative Activity Congress Awaits Health Provisions in President’s Budget On Tuesday, February 9, President Barack Obama will submit his FY 2017 Budget Request to Congress, which is expected to include several large-scale investments for the nation’s health. Last week, the White House released a “sneak preview” of the Budget, which includes: $755 million for cancer … Continue Reading

House to Consider Overriding President’s Veto of Reconciliation Legislation; CMS Releases Proposed Rule on ACOs and Issues Policy Changes Related to Home Health

Legislative Activity House to Consider Overriding President’s Veto of Reconciliation Legislation Following a postponement due to weather last week, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced that on Tuesday, February 2, the House will consider the President’s veto message on H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. The legislation seeks … Continue Reading

Blizzard Postpones House Consideration of Veto Message on Reconciliation Legislation; CMS Releases Final Rule on Medicaid Drug Reimbursement

Legislative Activity Blizzard Postpones House Consideration of Veto Message on Reconciliation Legislation Due to the winter storm in Washington, the House will no longer be in session this week. Previously, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) had announced that on Tuesday, January 26, the House would consider the President’s veto message on H.R. 3762, the … Continue Reading

President May Highlight Obamacare Successes in State of the Union Address; HHS-OCR Releases HIPAA Guidance; MedPAC Meeting This Week

Legislative Activity President May Highlight Obamacare Successes in State of the Union Address On Tuesday, January 12, President Barack Obama will give his final State of the Union address to Congress. While details of the speech have yet to be released, last week, the President vetoed Congress’s budget reconciliation bill, which aimed to dismantle the … Continue Reading

Senate Republicans Eye Obamacare Repeal Measures In Reconciliation Bill; HHS-OIG Evaluates 340B Payments; CMS Releases Notice Of 2017 Benefit And Payment Parameters

Legislative Activity Senate Republicans Eye Obamacare Repeal Measures In Reconciliation Bill Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has scheduled a meeting on Monday, November 30, for Republican senators to discuss repealing parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Senate Republican leaders are hoping to consider the Senate substitute amendment to the House-passed reconciliation bill, H.R. … Continue Reading

Health Bills Scheduled For House Floor Action; Medicare Premiums And Deductibles Announced

Legislative Activity Health Bills Scheduled For House Floor Action House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced that on Monday, November 16, the House will consider two health bills under suspension of the rules: S. 599, the Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act, which extends and expands the Medicaid emergency psychiatric demonstration project; and … Continue Reading

Health Subcommittee to Mark Up Seven Bills; HHS Waives Fraud and Abuse Laws in Shared Savings Program; Two-Midnight Rule Revisions Finalized

Legislative Activity House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health to Mark Up Seven Bills On Tuesday, November 3, and Wednesday, November 4, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a markup to consider seven pieces of legislation: H.R. 2017, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015, and … Continue Reading

Lawmakers To Vie For House Ways And Means Gavel; FDA Names Medical Device Security As A Priority; CMS Releases Proposed Notice On Basic Health Program Funding

Legislative Activity Lawmakers To Vie For House Ways And Means Gavel With Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) expected to succeed Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) as Speaker of the House, some Republican lawmakers are eyeing the opening Rep. Ryan would leave behind at the helm of the House Committee on Ways and Means. Several congressmen are expected … Continue Reading

Health-Focused Reconciliation Recommendations Clear Three Committees; CMS Requests Input on MIPS Implementation

Legislative Activity Health-Focused Reconciliation Recommendations Clear Three Committees Last week, three House committees considered and passed reconciliation recommendations that included health-related language. The House Committee on Ways and Means approved language that would repeal the individual and employer mandates, the excise taxes on medical devices and high cost employer-sponsored health coverage (also known as the … Continue Reading

House Votes on Defunding Planned Parenthood; Subcommittee Continues Review of Medicaid Program; ONC Names Chief Nursing Officer; MedPAC Considers Unified PPS for Post-Acute Care; ACA Lawsuit to Proceed

Legislative Activity House Votes on Defunding Planned Parenthood With the fiscal year quickly coming to an end, the government spending fight will ramp up as the House of Representatives continues its response to the controversial Planned Parenthood videos which were released this summer. As early as Thursday, September 17, the House is expected to vote … Continue Reading

House Committee on Energy and Commerce to Mark Up Health Legislation; Potential Senate Vote on Obamacare Repeal This Week; House Committee on the Judiciary Announces Hearings on Competition in the Health Care Marketplace; Medicare Trustees Release Annual Report

Legislative Activity House Committee on Energy and Commerce to Mark Up Health Legislation The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has announced that it will hold a markup on Tuesday, July 28. Several health bills are on the agenda: H.R. 1344, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2015, which reauthorizes a program for … Continue Reading

Republicans Postpone Reconciliation Actions Until After August Recess; CMS Proposes Sweeping Changes to LTC Facilities; MedPAC Releases 2015 Data Book

Legislative Activity Republicans Postpone Reconciliation Actions Until After August Recess With the August District Work Period only weeks away, House Committee on the Budget Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) announced this past week that the House Committee on the Budget would not act on reconciliation until after the lawmakers reconvene in September. The three House committees … Continue Reading

Republicans Consider Obamacare Repeal; CMS Releases Proposed Update to Physician Fee Schedule; Obama Nominates Slavitt to Lead CMS; GAO Releases Report on 340B Drug Pricing Program

Legislative Activity Republicans Consider Obamacare Repeal Through Reconciliation Some GOP lawmakers continue to advocate for an Affordable Care Act repeal via the budget reconciliation process. Others, however, have been questioning whether this budget tactic would be better used for different policy objectives, such as tax reform. The budget resolution provided a July 24 deadline for … Continue Reading
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