Power Play: Washington Week in Review May 4

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Monday, May 4

Oversight: Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray and Democratic Lawmakers Call to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Overturn Policies that Undermine Global Health and COVID-19 Response

Disabilities: Special Committee on Aging Ranking Member Bob Casey and Senators Press Walmart to Grant Priority Access or Accommodations to People with Disabilities

Tuesday, May 5

Coronavirus: Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Susan Collins Warns of Coronavirus Texting Scam

Veterans’ Affairs: Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester and HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray Praise Expansion of Caregivers Program for Veterans of All Eras as Required under VA MISSION Act

Coronavirus Response: Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray Urges HHS and Department of Labor to Work Together to Shift Unemployed Workers into a Public Health Workforce Focused on COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Wednesday, May 6

Veterans’ Affairs: Following Push from Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester, VA Announces Personal Protective Equipment for all VA Health Care Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic

Oversight: Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray Seeks Answers from HHS Secretary Alex Azar Regarding Political Pressure Surrounding Plan to Push Unproven COVID-19 Treatment

Coronavirus Response: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden and Special Committee on Aging Ranking Member Bob Casey Push for Action on COVID-19 in Nursing Homes on Call with CMS Administrator Seema Verma

Thursday, May 7

Coronavirus Response: Following Request from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Lawmakers, Treasury Modifies Employee Retention Tax Credit Eligibility for Employers Providing Health Benefits for Furloughed Employees

Veterans’ Affairs: VA Boosts Emergency Assistance to Homeless Veterans during COVID-19 Crisis Following Efforts by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester

Vulnerable Populations: Special Committee on Aging Ranking Member Bob Casey Announces COVID-19 Recovery for Seniors and People with Disabilities Act

Friday, May 8

Senior Care: Special Committee on Aging Ranking Member Bob Casey and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse Propose Bill to Slow the Spread of COVID-19 in Nursing Homes

REGULATORY UPDATE

Monday, May 4

NIH: National Institutes of Health to Begin Study to Determine Incidence of Novel Coronavirus Infection in U.S. Children Begins

Tuesday, May 5

NIH: National Institutes of Health Study Indicates MRI Technique Could Reduce Need for Radiation in Measuring Tumor Response to Chemotherapy

HHS: Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights Issues Guidance on Covered Health Care Providers and Restrictions on Media Access to Protected Health Information about Individuals in Their Facilities

Wednesday, May 6

FDA: Food and Drug Administration Approves First Targeted Therapy to Treat Aggressive Form of Lung Cancer

FDA: Food and Drug Administration Issues Guidance for Manufacturers in Notifying FDA of Changes in Production of Certain Medical Devices to Mitigate Shortages during COVID-19 Crisis

Food and Drug Administration Issues Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Sherlock BioSciences, Inc.’s COVID-19 Test Kit Utilizing CRISPR Technology

Thursday, May 7

NIH: National Institutes of Health Study Reveals Emergency Opioid Overdose Visits Associated With Increased Risk for Later Suicide

CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Announces Final Payment Notice for 2021 Coverage Year

NIH: National Institutes of Health Supports Research Survey to Examine Impact of COVID-19 on Rare Diseases Community

HHS: Department of Health and Human Services Extends Deadline for Attestation, Acceptance of Terms and Conditions for Provider Relief Fund Payments to 45 Days

Department of Health and Human Services Awards More than Half Billion Dollars Across the Nation to Expand COVID-19 Testing
Department of Health and Human Services Deploys New Portable Dialysis Machines to New York for COVID-19 Response

Friday, May 8

CMS: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Issues Interim Final Rule with Policy and Regulatory Revisions Regarding Reporting Requirements for the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program

FDA: Food and Drug Administration Authorizes First Diagnostic Test Using At-Home Collection of Saliva Specimens

UPCOMING EVENTS

Veterans and Community Oversight and Engagement Board

May 21, 2020 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Teleconference access – (800) 767-1750, passcode: 21115#

Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation

May 26-28, 2020, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Teleconference access — 1-800-767-1750, passcode: 75937#

NIH

National Institute on Aging Programs Review

May 27, 2020 8:00 AM

Natcher Building, Conference Rooms E1 & E2