Week in Brief
Tax Reform: Members of the House and Senate Hold a Conference Committee Hearing on H.R. 1, “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) Issue Opening Statements. Conference Chairman Brady gave each Conferee Three (3) Minutes to Deliver an Opening Statement.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
December 12, 2017
Open Enrollment: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Issue a Letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Eric Hargan and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma Requesting that the Open Enrollment Period Be Extended until January 31, 2018.
Prescription Drugs: Senate HELP Committee Holds a Hearing Entitled “The Cost of Prescription Drugs: An Examination of The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Report ‘Making Medicines Affordable: A National Imperative.’” Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Issue Opening Statements.
Affordable Care Act: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) Announces the Introduction of Four Bills to Delay Taxes Related to the Affordable Care Act.
Caring for Our Veterans Act of 2017: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Issues a Statement Urging Passage of the “Caring for Our Veterans Act of 2017” to Extend Funding for the Veterans’ Choice Fund.
Addiction Treatment Fraud: The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Holds a Hearing Entitled “Examining Concerns of Patient Brokering and Addiction Treatment Fraud.” Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS) and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-WA) Issue Opening Statements.
December 13, 2017
Drug Supply Chain: House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Holds a Hearing “Examining the Drug Supply Chain.” Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Greg Walden (R-WA) Issue Opening Statements.
21st Century Cures Act: The Senate HELP Committee Holds a Hearing Entitled “Implementation of the 21st Century Cures Act: Responding to Mental Health Needs.” Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) Issue Opening Statements.
December 14, 2017
Opioid Crisis: Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Issue Letter Asking Governors and Insurance Commissioners How the Federal Government Can Best Help States Combat the Opioid Crisis.
REGULATORY UPDATE
Department of Health and Human Services
December 11, 2017
Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM): CMS Announces that Cohort 2 of MCCM Will Begin Providing Services on January 1, 2018.
December 12, 2017
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF): CMS Adds New Measures to the IRF Compare Website.
Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH): CMS Adds New Measures to the LTCH Compare Website.
Medicare Prior Authorization: CMS Announces a One-Year Extension of the Medicare Prior Authorization Model for Repetitive Scheduled Non-Emergent Ambulance Transport in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and DC.
Opioid Crisis: Acting HHS Secretary Eric D. Hargan Holds Meeting to Address the Opioid Crisis.
Suicide Prevention: VA and SAMHSA Announce Mayor’s Challenge Aimed at Preventing Suicide of Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families.
December 13, 2017
Mental Health: Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) Delivers Report, The Way Forward: Federal Action for a System That Works for All People Living with SMI and SED and Their Families and Caregivers, to Congress.
December 14, 2017
Physicians: CMS Updates Physician Compare Website to Include New Quality Information.
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.