LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY UPDATE
Week in Brief
President Trump Issues an Executive Order Allowing Small Businesses to Purchase Insurance Across State Lines. U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Secretary Eric Hargan and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma Announce that Cost-Sharing Reductions Payments Will Be Discontinued Immediately.
WHITE HOUSE UPDATE
October 12
Executive Order: President Donald Trump Issues an Executive Order Allowing Small Businesses to Join Together and Buy Health Insurance across State Lines. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael Burgess (R-TX) Issue a Statement. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), and House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Issue Statements Criticizing the Order.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
October 10
CHIP: Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Greg Walden (R-OR) Issues a Statement on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Extending Critical Public Health Programs.
October 11
Opioid Crisis: The House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health Holds a Hearing Entitled Member Day: Testimony and Proposals on the Opioid Crisis. Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Issue Statements.
340B Drug Program: The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations Holds a Hearing Entitled Examining How Covered Entities Utilize the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Issues a Statement.
October 12
Waivers: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) Issues a Statement Requesting that the Department of Health and Human Services Explain Why Oklahoma’s Reinsurance Waiver was Not Approved.
REGULATORY UPDATE
Department of Health and Human Services
October 10
HHS Secretary: President Trump Announces Eric Hargan Will Serve as Acting HHS Secretary.
October 11
Medicare: CMS Releases 2018 Part C and Part D Medicare Star Ratings Data.
October 12
Executive Order: Acting HHS Secretary Hargan and CMS Administrator Verma Issue Statements Praising President Trump’s Executive Order Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States.
Cost Sharing Reductions: Acting HHS Secretary Hargan and CMS Administrator Verma Announce the Discontinuation of Cost-Sharing Reductions Payments.
Capitation Payments: OIG Releases a Report, CMS’s Policies and Procedures Were Generally Effective in Ensuring that Capitation Payments Were Not Made After Beneficiaries’ Date of Death.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Congressional Hearings/Markups
SENATE
Senate HELP Committee
Hearing on the Cost of Prescription Drugs: How the System Affects What Patients Pay, Part II
• October 17, 2017 | 10:00a.m.
430 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Senate HELP Committee
Hearing Examining How Healthy Choices Can Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Costs
• October 19, 2017 | 10:00a.m.
430 Dirksen Senate Office Building
For more information about this issue of Power Play: Washington Week in Review or more legislative and regulatory updates, contact the Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville Government Relations and Public Policy group at (202) 466-6550.