When is Congress in session? House 2024 Calendar Senate 2024 Calendar
What’s Ahead: This Week
Hearings and Markups –
- Tuesday, June 11
- House Appropriations Committee, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, “Subcommittee Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill.” Additional Information
- Thursday, June 13
- House Appropriations Committee, “Full Committee Markup Fiscal Year 2025 Defense, Financial Services and General Government, and Legislative Branch Bills.” Additional Information
- House Budget Committee, “Medicare and Social Security: Examining Solvency and Impacts to the Federal Budget.” Additional Information
- House Energy & Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health, “Checking-In on CMMI: Assessing the Transition to Value-Based Care.” Additional Information
Notable Policy Events –
- Monday, June 10
- Administration for Community Living (ACL), “A Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Monday, June 10 to Tuesday, June 11
- HHS, “Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) June 2024 Public Meeting.” Free, Hybrid. Additional Information
- Tuesday, June 11
- Kaiser Permanente, “Health, Housing, and Justice: What Kaiser Permanente Learned from Investing in Legal Aid.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Inner City Fund (ICF), “Public Health on the Front Lines: A Conversation About the Social Determinants of Health.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Wednesday, June 12
- CMS, “Office of Minority Health (OMH) Health Care Workforce and Health Equity Inclusion Virtual Forum.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Duke-Margolis Health Policy Center, “ReVAMPing the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: Implementing Policy to Prevent Drug Shortages.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Thursday, June 13
- Axios Pro, “Ask the Newsroom: What’s Next for Hospitals.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Modern Healthcare, “Hospital of the Future Virtual Briefing.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), “Health IT Advisory Committee.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), “The Future is Hybrid: Assessing Virtual Musculoskeletal Solutions.” Free, Virtual. Additional Information
- Politico, “Transforming Health Care: New Paths for Medical Technology and Diagnostics.” Free, Hybrid. Additional Information
Weekly Wrap-Up: Notable Health Care Developments from Last Week
Medicare & Medicaid –
- On June 4, CMS announced 10 states to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program, which provides states with funding to expand access to mental health and substance use services. CCBHC Program Press Release
- On June 5, CMS released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Medicaid and CHIP coverage of peer support services, which provides clarification regarding federal policy on coverage of peer support services. FAQs Press Release
- On June 7, CMS approved Oregon’s Basic Health Program (BHP) Blueprint, which would allow expand health care coverage to individuals with income 138 – 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Basic Health Program Oregon’s Blueprint Press Release
- Also on June 7, CMS announced that Rhode Island submitted a request to amend its section 1115 demonstration extension request, which would provide health-related social needs and contingency management services to eligible individuals as well as pre-release supports for incarcerated individuals. The comment period is open through July 7, 2024. Pending Application Comments
Marketplaces –
- On June 7, HHS released data on Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage among minority communities. Data on Black Americans Data on Latinos Data on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Data on American Indians and Alaska Natives Press Release
- Also on June 7, HHS released a report, which reviewed legislative and administrative policy initiatives that have built on the ACA expansion of health insurance coverage. Report Press Release
- Also on June 7, CMS announced the availability of $500 million in grants over the next five years to support navigators in federally-facilitated exchanges. NOFO Press Release
Payment & Delivery System Models – On June 4, the CMS Innovation Center published an update in Health Affairs, which highlighted the Center’s work on safety-net provider participation in models to improve care for more beneficiaries, data collection that supports whole-person care, and payment innovations to narrow disparities. Article
Public Health Prevention, Preparedness, Surveillance – On June 3, the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published an op-ed about federal action to protect nursing home residents. Opinion Article Press Release
Health IT, Privacy, & Digital Health – On June 5, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter urging HHS Secretary Becerra to require mandatory cybersecurity defenses for large health care companies. Letter Press Release
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Policy –
- On June 3, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published a blog detailing government, private sector, academic, and non-profit actions on mental health research. Blog
- Also on June 3, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on opportunities for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve assessment of network adequacy for mental health. Full Report Highlights
- On June 6, Sen. Murphy (D-CT) and six Democratic Senators sent a letter to HHS, the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury (USDT) urging the agencies to finalize the mental health parity rules proposed last July. Letter Press Release
Prescription Drugs & Health Innovation –
- On June 5, House Energy & Commerce Committee Ranking Member Pallone (D-NJ) issued a statement on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) work on pharmaceutical patents. Statement
- On June 6, Reps. DeGette (D-CO) and Bucshon (R-IN) announced a request for information (RFI) to provide input on the next steps in the 21st Century Cures initiative. Responses are due August 2, 2024. RFI Press Release
SDOH & Health Equity –
- On June 3, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced a $15 million investment over four years through the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMS) Program, which would improve maternal health in rural communities. Press Release Rural MOMS Program
- On June 4, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a settlement to ensure effective communication and access to care for patients who are deaf or hard of hearing. Press Release
Health Systems & Health Care Workforce – On June 3, Sen. Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter to a health system expressing concerns about the organization transferring its hospitalist practice to a private equity firm. Letter
Misc. –
- On June 3, HHS-OIG issued the Spring 2024 Semiannual Report to Congress, which highlights HHS-OIG audits and investigations conducted between October 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. Press Release Semiannual Report
- On June 6, House Energy & Commerce Committee Ranking Member Pallone (D-NJ) and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Nadler (D-NY) sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ), FTC, and HHS on its public inquiry on how private equity affects health care. Letter Press Release
- Also on June 6, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden (D-OR) and Sens. Grassley (R-IA), Cardin (D-MD), and Young (R-IN) sent a letter to CMS asking the agency to take additional measures to prevent abuse of pancreata procurement by organ procurement organizations (OPOs). Letter Press Release
- Also on June 6, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden (D-OR) and Sens. Grassley (R-IA), Cardin (D-MD), and Young (R-IN) sent a letter to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Board of Directors implementation of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act. Letter Press Release
Legislative Activity –
Introduced Legislation –
- On June 3, Rep. Velázquez (D-NY) and seven cosponsors introduced the Liver Illness Visibility, Education, and Research (LIVER) Act (H.R. 8601), which would provide for and support liver illness visibility, education, and research. Press Release