Power Play: Washington Week in Review July 23

Week in Brief

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WHITE HOUSE UPDATE

ADA: President Trump Issues Presidential Proclamation on the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Opioids: First Lady Melania Trump Participates in Roundtable Discussion on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome During Visit to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Monday, July 23

Health Workforce:  House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) Celebrate House Passage of Health Workforce Bills.

Health Care Reform: House Budget Committee Majority Site Reviews Health-Related Legislative Priorities in Budget Digest on “Health Week” Legislation.

Tuesday, July 24

Medical Device Tax: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) Applauds House Repeal of ACA Medical Device Tax, Passage of Health, IRS, Social Security, and Tax Bills.

Opioids: House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the Opioid Crisis: Implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). For Related News, See:

• Opening Remarks from House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith (R-NE)
• Opening Remarks from House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Ranking Member Danny Davis (D-IL)

FDA Funding: Senate Passes FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill in Four-Bill “Minibus” Appropriations Package. For Related News, See:

• Statement and Recap from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL)
• Statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

ACA Repeal: Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Delivers Remarks on Senate Floor Regarding Previous Senate Efforts to Repeal ACA One Year Ago.

Wednesday, July 25

Health Legislation: Senate HELP Committee Passes Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act, Action for Dental Health Act, Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment Act. For Related News, See:

• Statement and Recap from Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
• Statement and Recap from Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA)

Health Savings Accounts: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) Celebrates House Passage of HSA Bills; Majority Site Publishes Blog Post Promoting HSAs.

21^st Century Cures: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on FDA and NIH Implementation of 21^st Century Cures Act. For Related News, See:

• Recap from House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans
• Remarks from House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
• Statements and Memorandum from House Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats

SSDA: House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Holds Hearing to Examine Changes to Social Security’s Disability Appeals Process.

• Opening Statement from Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John Larson (D-CT)

ACA: Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) Celebrates House Passage of Legislation on Health Savings Accounts.

Thursday, July 26

MACRA: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), Merit-Based Incentive Payment System. For Related News, See:

• Recap from House Energy and Commerce Committee Majority Site
• Statements and Memorandum from House Energy and Commerce Committee Minority Site

Medicare Part D: House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) Introduce Legislation to Limit Growth of Consumer Out-of-Pocket Spending in Medicare Part D Program.

SSDA: House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Subcommittee Ranking Member John Larson (D-CT) Lead Bipartisan Letter to SSA Calling for Halt to Changes to Disability Appeals Process.

Friday, July 27

Health Legislation: House Energy and Commerce Committee Concludes “Health Week” with Review of Committee’s Recently Passed Legislation.

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REGULATORY UPDATE

Tuesday, July 24

Risk Adjustment: CMS Issues Final Ruling Allowing Resumption of ACA Risk Adjustment Payments. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) Issues Statement.

Neurology: NIH Renews NeuroNEXT for Neurological Clinical Research.

Medicare: CMS Welcomes New Leadership Team, Makes Additional Staffing Announcement.

Wednesday, July 25

Medicare-for-All: CMS Administrator Seema Verma Comments on “Medicare for All” Proposal in Remarks at Commonwealth Club of California.

Cognitive Impairment: NIH-Funded Researchers Present Preliminary Clinical Trial Results Suggesting Aggressive Blood Pressure Control May Lower Risk of Cognitive Impairment.

Thursday, July 26

Association Health Plans: Eleven States Sue Department of Labor Over Expansion of Association Health Plans.

Medicaid: GAO Issues Report on Medicaid Manage Care, Concludes Improvements Needed to Better Oversee Payment Risks.

Work Requirements: HHS Secretary Alex Azar Delivers Commitment Remarks at Heritage Foundation Event.

Friday, July 27

Medicare Advantage: CMS Releases 2015 Medicare Advantage Data to CareSet Systems.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

SAMHSA
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment: Public Meeting
August 1, 2018, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
SAMHSA
5600 Fishers Lane, 5E49
Rockville, MD 20857

CMS
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (the Panel): Annual Meeting
August 20, 2018 9:30 AM to 5 PM
August 21, 2018, 9:30 AM to 1 PM
CMS Single Site Campus: Main Auditorium
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244

CMS
Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee: Public Meeting
August 22, 2018, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM
CMS Single Site Campus: Main Auditorium
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244

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For more information about this issue of Power Play: Washington Week in Review or more legislative and regulatory updates, contact the Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville Government Relations and Public Policy group at (202) 466-6550.