Greene, Massie to Trigger Motion to Vacate Vote-Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced plans to force a vote this week on Greene’s motion to vacate in an attempt to oust Mike Johnson (R-La.) as Speaker of the House. Their decision follows Johnson’s work with Democrats to fund the federal government and pass $95 billion in foreign aid. House Democratic leadership have pledged to join with Johnson’s GOP backers to table the motion.
House Passes Congressional Budget Office Data Sharing Act-The House of Representatives passed legislation last week that will speed the rate at which data is shared between federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). H.R. 7032, the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office Data Sharing Act, passed by voice vote. The bill clarifies and expands the CBO Director’s authority to request and receive data from executive branch agencies, and would require CBO to maintain the same level of confidentiality protections as the agency providing the data.
Senate Passes Minority Health Resolution, Considers Health Professional Shortages-Last week, the Senate passed S. Res. 675, a resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month, including bringing attention to the health disparities faced by minority populations of the United States. The bipartisan resolution was sponsored by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and cosponsored by seven other members of the Senate. The resolution was passed the same day the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee convened a hearing about the shortage of minority health care workers and the nation’s high maternal mortality rate. During the hearing, Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) argued in favor of canceling student debt and making public colleges and universities tuition free in order to address health workforce shortages. He also urged the expansion of programs like the National Health Service Corp as well as the size of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Witnesses spoke to the importance of access to health care providers that reflect the racial and ethnic background of the patient population for improving health outcomes.
Senate Finance Leaders Release Proposal Aimed at Drug Shortages-Bipartisan leadership of the Senate Finance Committee have released a draft legislative proposal to address prescription drug shortages and stabilize the supply of generic medications. The Committee is accepting comments on the proposal at [email protected] through June 6, 2024.The draft from Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) would establish a new program in Medicare for hospitals and physicians to incentivize transparent, reliable, and resilient purchasing practices across supply-chain participants, including by driving health care providers, intermediaries, and drug manufacturers to meet standards in securing a sustainable, high-quality supply of essential medicines for all patients. Requirements for program participants include:
- Minimum three-year contracts with manufacturers for generic drugs that present high shortage risks;
- Meaningful purchase volume commitments and stable pricing;
- Requirements for contingency contracts with alternate manufacturers to strengthen competition and prevent shortages from supply-chain disruptions;
- Prohibitions against anticompetitive practices; and
- Transparency around manufacturer quality control issues.
The proposal would also change the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program to enable reductions or waivers of the inflation rebate for certain generic drugs in the event of shortage risk.
Ways and Means Expected to Markup Telehealth Legislation-The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to mark up a two-year extension of the Medicare telehealth flexibilities first instituted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains unclear what temporary extension legislation the committee will vote on. Both the CONNECT for Health Act (H.R. 4189), introduced by Ways and Means member Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), and the Telehealth Modernization Act (H.R. 7623), introduced by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), would make the pandemic-era rules permanent. Despite significant support from advocates and many lawmakers for making the telehealth regulations permanent, concerns remain about the high Congressional Budget Office score of such policy.
Klobuchar Requests Investigation into Health Data Analytics Firm-Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is asking the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to investigate potentially anticompetitive behavior by MultiPlan, a health care data analytics firm. Recent reports have revealed MultiPlan’s role in helping health insurers determine medical payments for out-of-network claims and raised questions about possible price fixing. “While it is common for patients to pay different rates for out-of-network care, I am concerned that-rather than competing for business from employers by reducing these costs to employees-algorithmic tools are processing data gathered across numerous competitors to subvert competition among insurance companies,” Klobuchar writes. “The result is that instead of competing with each other, insurance companies are pushing additional hidden costs onto employees and patients.” Sen. Klobuchar introduced legislation earlier this year, the Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act (S. 3686), which would prohibit the use of pricing algorithms that can facilitate collusion through the use of nonpublic competitor data.
United CEO Testifies on Change Healthcare Cyberattack-UnitedHealth Group’s CEO Andrew Witty testified before both the Senate Finance Committee and the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations last Wednesday to discuss the February Change Healthcare cyberattack and United’s response to the attack. Lawmakers questioned Witty about how the attack occurred, the number of Americans impacted by the resulting data breach, and the lessons learned in coordinating with federal agencies following the attack. The Change server infiltrated by the hackers was not protected by multifactor authentication, and the criminals accessed data potentially covering one-third of all Americans. Some lawmakers used the opportunity to argue against consolidation in the health care market, while others spoke in favor of minimum cybersecurity and data standards for the industry. Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) stated that his panel is currently drafting legislation that would require larger health care companies to meet stronger cybersecurity standards, noting that his committee also has jurisdiction over issues impacting the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Several days prior to Witty’s appearance before lawmakers, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent a letterto the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) urging the agency to assess the cybersecurity landscape leading up to, and after, the Change attack. The lawmakers also requested details about CISA’s role in responding to the Change data breach, the broader risks posed by ransomware, and current efforts to combat it. Meanwhile, a group of congressional Democrats are also asking the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate the timing of stock sales by United’s chair and three executives. The sales in question occurred between October, when the company learned of an antitrust investigation, and February, when the antitrust probe was made public. The lawmakers ask SEC to review whether the antitrust investigation was material to investors and, if so, whether disclosures were sufficient.
Cassidy Urges White House to Detail Avian Flu Research Priorities-Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has sent a letterto the White House urging the Biden administration to issue a plan detailing its research priorities related to the H5N1 influenza (Avian Flu) outbreak. Cassidy highlights the importance of coordination across federal agencies, transparent communication about the spread and behavior of the virus, and the risks of jeopardizing public trust in the nation’s agriculture and food sectors. He calls on the President “to swiftly publish a prioritized list of research activities, including target timelines for generating results and communicating findings to the public” and to “make all relevant data and methodologies available to nonfederal scientists in an appropriate manner for validation.”
FDA Releases Final LDT Rule-The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized a rule to regulate laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) as medical devices. The regulation, which is aimed at ensuring the accuracy and reliability of LDTs, will be phased in over a four-year period. Lawmakers in Congress, including House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), had previously called on the agency to rescind the proposed rule due to concerns about its impact on patient access to innovative diagnostics. “While the final rule is a slight improvement to the proposed rule, it will still increase costs and decrease access to diagnostics and medical tests that provide information crucial for doctors to treat their patients effectively…Moreover, finalizing this rule is inconsistent with President Biden’s goal of reducing cancer deaths. The FDA should abandon the rule, as it lacks the clear statutory authority to implement it,” Chair Rogers stated.
FSMB Adopts Guidance on Clinical Use of AI-The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) has released a new report on Navigating the Responsible and Ethical Incorporation of Artificial Intelligence into Clinical Practice. The guidance suggests that physicians are ultimately responsible for their use of AI and should be held accountable for any harms that occur because of its use. FSMB discusses best practices for regulating the clinical use of AI, and recommends that state medical boards set accountability measures based on a tool’s risk to patients. “With focused efforts on the current and future state of the use of AI by licensees, state medical boards may sustain regulatory efficiency, achieve consistency across jurisdictions in the regulation of AI in clinical practice, help secure the benefits of AI, and proactively safeguard patients while upholding professional standards,” the report states.
Congressional Retirements and Resignations-New York state senator Timothy Kennedy (D) won the special election for New York’s 26th congressional district last week. Kennedy will fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Brian Higgins (D), who resigned in February. Democrats now control 213 seats in the House of Representatives to Republicans’ 217 seats, with five vacancies remaining.
A running list of members of Congress who are retiring or seeking other office can be found below.
| SENATE | |
| Stabenow (D), MI | Braun (R), IN |
| Cardin (D), MD | Romney (R), UT |
| Carper (D), DE | |
| Butler (D), CA | |
| Manchin (D), WV | |
| Sinema (I), AZ | |
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | |
| Porter (D), CA | Mooney (R), WV |
| Lee (D), CA | Banks (R), IN |
| Gallego (D), AZ | Bishop (R), NC |
| Schiff (D), CA | Lesko (R), AZ |
| Slotkin (D), MI | Granger (R), TX |
| Allred (D), TX | Buck (R), CO (effective March 22, 2024) |
| Trone (D), MD | Burgess, MD (R), TX |
| Blunt Rochester (D), DE | Wenstrup, DPM (R), OH |
| Napolitano (D), CA | McHenry (R), NC |
| Wexton (D), VA | McCarthy (R), CA (effective Dec. 31, 2023) |
| Kim, Andy (D), NJ | Johnson (R), OH (effective Jan. 21, 2024) |
| Jackson, Jeff (D), NC | Ferguson, IV, DMD, PC (R), GA |
| Sarbanes (D), MD | Curtis (R), UT |
| Blumenauer (D), OR | Luetkemeyer (R), MO |
| Kilmer (D), WA | Lamborn (R), CO |
| Spanberger (D), VA | Bucshon, MD (R), IN |
| Kildee (D), MI | Pence (R), IN |
| Phillips (D), MN | Duncan (R), SC |
| Cardenas (D), CA | Armstrong (R), ND |
| Eshoo (D), CA | McMorris Rodgers (R), WA |
| Manning (D), NC | Gallagher (R), WI (effective April 19, 2024) |
| Nickel (D), NC | LaTurner (R), KS |
| Ruppersberger (D), MD | |
| Sablan (D), MP | |
| Kuster (D), NH | |
Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups
House Committee on Small Business hearing “Stifling Innovation: Examining the Impacts of Regulatory Burdens on Small Businesses in Healthcare;” 10:00 a.m.; May 8
Senate Budget Committee hearing “Reducing Paperwork, Cutting Costs: Alleviating Administrative Burdens in Health Care;” 10:00 a.m.; May 8
Senate Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the Food and Drug Administration;” 10:00 a.m.; May 8
Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Feeding a Healthier America: Current Efforts and Potential Opportunities for Food is Medicine;” 2:30 p.m.; May 21
Recently Introduced Health Legislation
H.R.8128-To require health insurance coverage for scalp cooling items; Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and the Workforce; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs; Oversight and Accountability
H.R.8134-To promote the leadership of the United States in global innovation by establishing a robust patent system that restores and protects the right of inventors to own and enforce private property rights in inventions and discoveries, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Massie, Thomas [Rep.-R-KY-4]; Committees: House-Judiciary
H.R.8137-To provide for an exception to the restrictions described in the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 1997 with respect to certain States; Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Judiciary; Education and the Workforce; Oversight and Accountability; Natural Resources; Foreign Affairs
H.R.8144-To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to include rural emergency hospitals in the definition of a covered entity for purposes of the 340B drug discount program; Sponsor: Bergman, Jack [Rep.-R-MI-1]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.R.8154-To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend telehealth services for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means
S.4204-A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to codify value-based purchasing arrangements under the Medicaid program and reforms related to price reporting under such arrangements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mullin, Markwayne [Sen.-R-OK]; Committees: Senate-Finance
S.4215-A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish new prohibited acts relating to dietary supplements; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate-Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
H.Res.1180-Recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in medical education; Sponsor: Beatty, Joyce [Rep.-D-OH-3]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.Res.1181-Expressing support for designation of April as “National Donate Life Month” and expressing gratitude to all Americans who have registered to be organ and tissue donors; Sponsor: Costa, Jim [Rep.-D-CA-21]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.Res.1185-Designating the month of May as “National First Responder Month”; Sponsor: Newhouse, Dan [Rep.-R-WA-4]; Committees: House-Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R.8165-To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish qualifications for the appointment of a person as a marriage and family therapist, qualified to provide clinical supervision, in the Veterans Health Administration; Sponsor: Brownley, Julia [Rep.-D-CA-26]; Committees: House-Veterans’ Affairs
H.R.8167-To require the Secretary of Defense to award grants to fund research on orthotics and prosthetics; Sponsor: Cartwright, Matt [Rep.-D-PA-8]; Committees: House-Armed Services
H.R.8168-To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to establish, or expand upon, master’s degree programs in orthotics and prosthetics, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cartwright, Matt [Rep.-D-PA-8]; Committees: House-Veterans’ Affairs
S.4223-A bill to establish certain duties for pharmacies to ensure provision of Food and Drug Administration-approved contraception, medication related to contraception, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate-Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.4226-A bill to decriminalize and deschedule cannabis, to provide for reinvestment in certain persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, to provide for expungement of certain cannabis offenses, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate-Finance
S.4229-A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require that coinsurance for drugs under Medicare part D be based on the drug’s net price and not the drug’s list price; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate-Finance
S.4230-A bill to improve the tracking and processing of security and safety incidents and risks associated with artificial intelligence, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate-Commerce, Science, and Transportation
S.4231-A bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate-Finance
S.4232-A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former employees of covered health agencies from serving on the board of entities involved in development and research of a drug, biological product, or device and from profiting from a drug, biological product, or device, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Vance, J. D. [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate-Judiciary
S.4236-A bill to authorize the Director of the National Science Foundation to identify grand challenges and award competitive prizes for artificial intelligence research and development; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate-Commerce, Science, and Transportation
H.R.8200-To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants to eligible entities to carry out construction or modernization projects designed to strengthen and increase capacity within the specialized pediatric health care infrastructure, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cardenas, Tony [Rep.-D-CA-29]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.R.8202-To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a presumption of service-connection under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for certain diseases associated with the COVID-19 vaccine that become manifest during the one-year period following the receipt of the vaccine, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Davidson, Warren [Rep.-R-OH-8]; Committees: House-Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services
H.R.8207-To provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gomez, Jimmy [Rep.-D-CA-34]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Education and the Workforce; Ways and Means
H.R.8211-To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit former employees of covered health agencies from serving on the board of entities involved in development and research of a drug, biological product, or device and from profiting from a drug, biological product, or device, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lesko, Debbie [Rep.-R-AZ-8]; Committees: House-Judiciary
H.R.8217-To amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a special enrollment period under Medicare for individuals enrolled in COBRA continuation coverage, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and the Workforce
H.R.8220-To clarify coverage of occupational therapy under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Trone, David J. [Rep.-D-MD-6]; Committees: House-Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce
S.Res.675-A resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2024, which include bringing attention to the health disparities faced by minority populations of the United States such as American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders; Sponsor: Cardin, Benjamin L. [Sen.-D-MD]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.
S.J.Res.76-A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to “Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance and Independent, Noncoordinated Excepted Benefits Coverage”; Sponsor: Braun, Mike [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate-Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.4238-A bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants to eligible entities to carry out construction or modernization projects designed to strengthen and increase capacity within the specialized pediatric health care infrastructure, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate-Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.4246-A bill to improve menopause care and mid-life women’s health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA]; Committees: Senate-Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
H.R.8223-To improve menopause care and mid-life women’s health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blunt Rochester, Lisa [Rep.-D-DE-At Large]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.R.8227-To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove in-person requirements under Medicare for mental health services furnished through telehealth and telecommunications technology; Sponsor: Hern, Kevin [Rep.-R-OK-1]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means
H.R.8235-To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modify the distribution of certain additional graduate medical education positions under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House-Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce