When is Congress in session? House 2024 Calendar Senate 2024 Calendar
What’s Ahead: This Week
Hearings and Markups –
- Thursday, February 29
- Energy and Commerce Committee, “Legislative Proposals to Support Patients with Rare Diseases.” Additional Information
Notable Policy Events –
- Monday, February 26
- Health Affairs, “Housing-Sensitive Health Conditions Can Predict Poor Quality Housing.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Tuesday, February 27
- American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), “Advancing Health at the Speed of AI.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- CATO Institute, “Tear Down This Wall: Liberating Patients to Access Out-of-State Telehealth.” Additional Information
- Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), “Promoting Health Equity Through Economic Opportunity.” Free Virtual. Additional Information
- Wednesday, February 28
- CMS, “Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model Overview Webinar.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Families USA, “The Picture of Health A Pro-Consumer Blueprint for Health Care Payment and Delivery Reform.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Health Management Associates, “Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Ecosystem of Care: Pivoting to Save Lives Part 1 – An Overview.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- HHS, “Black Health Forum.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Milbank Memorial Fund, Robert Graham Center, and the Physicians Foundation, “The 2024 Health of US Primary Care Scorecard Webinar.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Primary Care Collaborative (PCC), “Prioritizing Solutions: Empowering Collaborative Primary Care with Ethical use of AI.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- RAND Corporation, “America’s Opioid Problems.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Tuesday, February 27 – Wednesday, February 28
- Resource Initiative and Society for Education (RISE), “The AI In Health Care Summit.” Paid, Virtual. Additional Information
- Thursday, February 29
- CMS, “Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model Overview Webinar.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Duke Margolis Institute for Health Policy, “Collaborative Action for America’s Health: Short- and Long-Term Strategies Across Public Health, Health Systems, and Social Services.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Partnership to Empower Physician-Led Care (PEPC), “Independent Practice Success in CMMI Models.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Tuesday, February 27 – Friday, March 1
- Global Health Care, LLC (GHC), “The Virtual Forty-First National HIPAA Summit.” Paid, Virtual. Additional Information
Weekly Wrap-Up: Notable Health Care Developments from Last Week
Medicare & Medicaid –
- On February 23, CMS issued a final rule which addresses changes to the hospital-specific limit on Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments. This final rule provides clarify to states and hospitals on how the limit will be calculated. Rule
- Also on February 23, Sens. Welch (D-VT) and Boozman (R-AR) led 30 Senators in a letter requesting Senate leaders to advance a legislative solution to address Medicare physician payment cuts. Letter Press Release
Marketplaces – On February 21, Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Cassidy (R-LA) and Sen. Braun (R-IN) sent a letter to HHS Secretary Becerra, Treasury Secretary Yellen, and Labor Acting Secretary Su, expressing concern about limiting short-term limited duration insurance (STLDI) coverage. Letter Press Release STLDI Proposed Rule
Payment & Delivery System Models – On February 23, CMMI announced year eight evaluation report of the Independence at Home demonstration. Independence at Home Report
Public Health Prevention, Preparedness, Surveillance – On February 21, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Cancer Screening Research Network (CSRN), which will evaluate emerging technologies for cancer screening and support the Cancer Moonshot initiative. Cancer Moonshot CSRN Press Release
Health IT, Privacy, & Digital Health –
- On February 20, House Speaker Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Jeffries (D-NY) announced the establishment of a bipartisan task force on artificial intelligence (AI), which will be led by Reps. Obernolte (R-CA) and Lieu (D-CA). Press Release Report
- On February 21, Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Cassidy (R-LA) released a report outlining ways to improve privacy protections for Americans’ health data. Report Press Release
- Also on February 21, Micky Tripathi, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC), published an article on California’s Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework (DxF), which is building on the federal Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA). Article
- On February 22, HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released two reports to Congress on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance and enforcement, which includes data on the number of HIPAA cases investigated, areas of noncompliance, and insights into trends such as cybersecurity readiness. Press Release Compliance Report Breach Notification Report
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Policy – On February 20, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) to maintain and enhance the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) network to provide training and technical assistance services to the substance misuse prevention field. NOFO
Prescription Drugs & Health Innovation – On February 21, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Raskin (D-MD) led a group of 15 Democrats in a letter to three pharmaceutical companies requesting information on steps they are taking to respond to generic oncology drug shortages. Pfizer Letter Sandoz Letter Teva Letter Press Release
Legislative Activity –
Introduced Legislation –
- On February 20, Rep. Carey (R-OH) introduced the Improve Transparency and Stability for Families and Children Act (H.R. 7410), which would establish deadlines for the obligation and expenditure of funds and allow States to establish rainy day funds under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families. Bill Text Press Release
- On February 23, Rep. Steel (R-CA) introduced the Reduce Bureaucracy to Uplift Families Act (H.R. 7449), which would limit the percentage of funds made available for the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families that may be used for administrative expenses. Bill Text Press Release