Harris Selects Tim Walz as Running Mate-Kamala Harris announced her selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday. Walz is a second-term governor who served in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019. As a member of the House, Walz developed a reputation as a moderate dealmaker who focused on his work as a member of the Veterans’ Affairs and Agriculture committees. During his time on Capitol Hill, Walz supported Medicare drug price negotiation efforts, expansion of cannabis medical research, and further studies of the health effects of Agent Orange on veterans. As Minnesota governor, Walz instated shutdowns, social distancing policies, mask mandates, and vaccine requirements for government employees in response to the coronavirus pandemic. His administration has implemented drug price transparency requirements, created a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and capped out of pocket insulin costs. Walz and the Minnesota legislature also created a state-based public health insurance option last year. Walz is a vocal defender of both abortion access and gender-affirming care-codifying abortion rights in the state constitution and shielding patients and providers from other states’ abortion and gender-affirming care penalties. Walz has frequently shared his family’s struggle with infertility and their use of in vitro fertilization when discussing reproductive health care. He also has enacted climate policy at the state level.
Bicameral Republicans Raise Questions About Part D Stabilization Demonstration-Republican leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees are urging the Government Accountability Office to conduct a review of the Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration recently announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The letter questions the legality of the demonstration and expresses concerns about its potential impact on health care affordability for seniors. The lawmakers go on to argue that CMS is “waiving statutory directives under the guise of a ‘demonstration project,’ with no meaningful research aims, budgetary assessments, or empirical rigor.”
CBO Responds to Budget Committee Questions for the Record-The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has asserted that vertical integration of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurers does not necessarily result in lower premiums for plan enrollees. While consolidation may lead to lower drug prices in such health plans, these reductions in spending may not necessarily be passed on to enrollees in the form of lower premiums, and may result in drug costs and premiums increasing for other insurers using the PBM. This information comes in response to a question for the record from House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) following a hearing on hospital and physician consolidation and its impact on the federal budget. Arrington also posed a question regarding the potential impact of site-neutral payment reform on commercial market prices. In response, CBO asserts its belief that expanding Medicare’s use of site-neutral payments would not increase the prices paid by commercial insurers-an argument frequently made by skeptics of such policies. “From the perspective of economic theory, it is unclear why hospitals would negotiate higher prices with private payers only after they experienced payment reductions from public payers,” the agency writes.
Senate Finance Probes Possible Ethics Violation by New UNOS CTO-Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Finance committee member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have sent letters to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Office of Management and Budget regarding UNOS’ hiring of Ankit Mathur as UNOS chief technology officer in March. Mathur previously worked as chief delivery officer at US Digital Service. He is thus restricted by federal post-employment regulations in what activities he can perform in his new position at UNOS, and the lawmakers are probing what, if any, ethics violations may have occurred with Mathur’s hiring. “We are concerned that UNOS has not taken this matter as seriously as it should,” the letters state. Wyden and Grassley request details from the administration about the time periods for ethics restrictions that Mathur was under after he left the government to join UNOS, and about actions that were taken in preparation for and in response to his hiring.
Senators Push for Medicare Coverage of Wheelchair Standing Systems-A bipartisan group of senators have written to the Biden administration urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cover standing systems embedded in power wheelchairs under the Medicare program. The agency proposed for the first time last year to provide Medicare coverage of seated elevation systems in power wheelchairs. The lawmakers thank CMS for its decision, but express concerns that the agency has not yet initiated a National Coverage Analysis for standing systems in these wheelchairs, arguing that the absence of Medicare coverage for these systems leaves many beneficiaries “without access to critical technology that can significantly improve their health outcomes and quality of life.” The letter was signed by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.).
OSU Awarded $15 Million NIH Grant to Study Long COVID Cure-The Ohio State University (OSU) has been awarded the largest ever infectious diseases grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study a cure for long COVID. The five-year study will focus on a specific enzyme produced by certain COVID patients in high levels. The $15 million grant was awarded to build on a 2022 study by OSU researchers suggesting that blocking the single molecule could protect against severe illness from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Congressional Retirements and Resignations-Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) lost the Democratic primary race for Missouri’s 1st congressional district to St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. Bush is the second member of the progressive “Squad” to lose a primary this election cycle. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on the Judiciary.
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 | |
| Menendez (D), NJ (effective Aug. 20, 2024) | |
| 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 | Burgess, MD (R), TX |
| Trone (D), MD | Wenstrup, DPM (R), OH |
| Blunt Rochester (D), DE | McHenry (R), NC |
| Napolitano (D), CA | Johnson (R), OH (effective Jan. 21, 2024) |
| Wexton (D), VA | Ferguson, IV, DMD, PC (R), GA |
| Kim, Andy (D), NJ | Curtis (R), UT |
| Jackson, Jeff (D), NC | Luetkemeyer (R), MO |
| Sarbanes (D), MD | Lamborn (R), CO |
| Blumenauer (D), OR | Bucshon, MD (R), IN |
| Kilmer (D), WA | Pence (R), IN |
| Spanberger (D), VA | Duncan (R), SC |
| Kildee (D), MI | Armstrong (R), ND |
| Phillips (D), MN | McMorris Rodgers (R), WA |
| Cardenas (D), CA | Gallagher (R), WI (effective April 19, 2024) |
| Eshoo (D), CA | LaTurner (R), KS |
| Manning (D), NC | Graves (R), LA |
| Nickel (D), NC | |
| Ruppersberger (D), MD | |
| Sablan (D), MP | |
| Kuster (D), NH | |
| Bowman (D), NY | |
Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups
Senate HELP Committee hearing “Why Is Novo Nordisk Charging Americans with Diabetes and Obesity Outrageously High Prices for Ozempic and Wegovy?” 10:00 a.m.; September 24
Recently Introduced Health Legislation
H.Res.1400-Supporting the goals and ideals of Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day on August 21, 2024; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Cosponsors: (2) Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.Res.1404-Expressing support for keeping guns out of classrooms; Sponsor: Hayes, Jahana [Rep.-D-CT-5]; Committees: House-Education and the Workforce; Judiciary
H.R.9237-To improve end-of-life care; Sponsor: Barragan, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means
H.R.9243-To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to publish the list of medications that the Administrator has compiled for purposes of the medical certification of airmen, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Casten, Sean [Rep.-D-IL-6]; Committees: House-Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R.9249-To amend title 5, United States Code, to require the publication of scientific data, incident data, or other pertinent data relied on by an agency to justify a rule; Sponsor: Edwards, Chuck [Rep.-R-NC-11]; Committees: House-Judiciary
H.R.9250-To create an Active Shooter Alert Communications Network, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Escobar, Veronica [Rep.-D-TX-16]; Committees: House-Judiciary
H.R.9253-To provide for a coordinated national research program to examine the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of violence and unintended injury and death relating to gun ownership, use, and trafficking, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Foushee, Valerie P. [Rep.-D-NC-4]; Committees: House-Judiciary; Science, Space, and Technology; Energy and Commerce
H.R.9258-To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require pill press molds to bear a unique serial number, to amend the Controlled Substances Act to prohibit the knowing possession of a pill press mold with intent to manufacture certain counterfeit substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Harder, Josh [Rep.-D-CA-9]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Judiciary
H.R.9260-To prohibit State excise taxes on firearms and ammunition manufacturers and dealers; Sponsor: Issa, Darrell [Rep.-R-CA-48]; Committees: House-Judiciary
H.R.9269-To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an income tax credit for fertility treatments; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House-Ways and Means
H.R.9271-To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program for telehealth services furnished by Indian health programs; Sponsor: Leger Fernandez, Teresa [Rep.-D-NM-3]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means
H.R.9272-To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish new payment rules for certain catastrophic specialty hospitals under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Loudermilk, Barry [Rep.-R-GA-11]; Committees: House-Ways and Means
H.R.9275-To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a refundable tax credit for non-directed living kidney donations; Sponsor: Malliotakis, Nicole [Rep.-R-NY-11]; Committees: House-Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce
H.R.9276-To expand medical, employment, and other benefits for individuals serving as family caregivers for certain veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Morelle, Joseph D. [Rep.-D-NY-25]; Committees: House-Veterans’ Affairs; Ways and Means
H.R.9298-To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat qualified water competency and water safety lesson expenses as medical expenses; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House-Ways and Means
H.R.9300-To amend title II of the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make improvements in the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program; Sponsor: Tokuda, Jill N. [Rep.-D-HI-2]; Committees: House-Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Education and the Workforce
H.J.Res.200-Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Health and Human Services relating to “Control of Communicable Diseases; Foreign Quarantine: Importation of Dogs and Cats”; Sponsor: Golden, Jared F. [Rep.-D-ME-2]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.R.9304-To require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to conduct a review of the current state of stomach cancer incidence, prevention, screening, awareness, and future public health importance, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Caraveo, Yadira [Rep.-D-CO-8]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.R.9305-To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to local governments for the training of local law enforcement officers on public health threats arising from violations of building codes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Costa, Jim [Rep.-D-CA-21]; Committees: House-Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R.9310-To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide Tribal courts and law enforcement with more tools to combat the opioid epidemic; Sponsor: Larsen, Rick [Rep.-D-WA-2]; Committees: House-Judiciary; Natural Resources
H.R.9314-To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national program to conduct and support activities toward the goal of significantly reducing the number of cases of overweight and obesity among individuals in the United States; Sponsor: Norton, Eleanor Holmes [Del.-D-DC-At Large]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce
H.R.9321-To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a demonstration program to test providing preferential treatment under the Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP programs for certain drugs and biologicals manufactured in the United States; Sponsor: Slotkin, Elissa [Rep.-D-MI-7]; Committees: House-Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means
H.R.9324-To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize certain heath care professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to deliver, distribute, or dispense to veterans certain controlled medications via telemedicine under certain conditions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Womack, Steve [Rep.-R-AR-3]; Committees: House-Veterans’ Affairs