Week in Brief
Short-Term Limited-Duration Insurance Plans: Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury Issue Final Rule Expanding Availability of Short-Term Limited Duration Plans. For Related News, See:
- White House Fact Sheet
- Statements from HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma
- Statement from Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR)
- Statement from Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
- Statement from Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA)
- Statements from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess (R-TX)
- Statement from House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Veteran’s Health: Robert Wilkie Sworn In as VA Secretary. President Trump Delivers Remarks.
WHITE HOUSE UPDATE
Electronic Visit Verification: President Trump Signs H.R. 6042 Into Law. House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) Issues Statement.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Tuesday, July 31
Health Care Spending: Senate HELP Committee Holds Hearing on Reducing Health Care Costs by Decreasing Administrative Spending. For Related News, See:
- Statement from Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
- Statement from Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA)
Wednesday, August 1
340B: House Energy and Commerce Republican Site Sends Letters to 340B Contract Pharmacies
FDA Funding: Senate Passes FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill in Four-Bill “Minibus” Appropriations Package. For Related News, See:
- Statement and Recap from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL)
- Statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Drug Pricing: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Claire McCaskill (D-MO) Releases Report on Drug Pricing, Medicare.
Veterans’ Health: Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Holds Hearing on Pending Legislation.
Thursday, August 2
Mental Health: House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) Release Statement on Senate Passage of H.R. 2345, National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act.
Veterans’ Health: Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Highlights Recent Work Regarding Veterans’ Health Care, Benefits, Accountability at VA.
Friday, August 3
Opioids: Energy and Commerce Committee Leaders Request Information from Opioid Manufacturers.
REGULATORY UPDATE
Monday, July 30
Kidney Health: FDA Approves First Treatment for Rare Adrenal Tumors.
Tuesday, July 31
Medicare: CMS Announces Annual Release of Part D National Average Bid Amount and Other Part C & D Bid Information.
Prior Authorization: GAO Releases Report on Status of HHS’s Implementation of Required Prior Authorization Medical Reviews and Provider Education for Chiropractic Services.
Biosimilars: FDA Announces Biosimilar User Fee Rates for Fiscal Year 2019
Wednesday, August 1
Skilled Nursing Facilities: CMS Releases Unpublished Final Rule on FY 2019 Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities, SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program, SNF Quality Reporting Program.
Hospice Payment: CMS Releases Unpublished Final Rule on FY 2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements.
Prescription Drugs: FDA Announces Prescription Drug User Fee Rates for Fiscal Year 2019.
Synthetic Opioids: FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Releases Statement on FDA Oversight of Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) Associated With Transmucosal Immediate-Release Fentanyl Products.
DNA Sequencing: NIH Review Article Explores Medical Applications of Fetal DNA Sequencing.
Thursday, August 2
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP: CMS Announces Extension of Temporary Moratoria on Enrollment of Part B Non-Emergency Ground Ambulance Suppliers and Home Health Agencies in Designated Geographic Locations.
UPCOMING EVENTS
CMS
Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (the Panel): Annual Meeting
August 20, 2018 9:30 AM to 5 PM
August 21, 2018, 9:30 AM to 1 PM
CMS Single Site Campus: Main Auditorium
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244
CMS
Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee: Public Meeting
August 22, 2018, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM
CMS Single Site Campus: Main Auditorium
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244
FDA
Public Workshop: Advancing the Development of Pediatric Therapeutics 5: Advancing Pediatric Pharmacovigilance
September 14, 2018 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
FDA White Oak Campus
10903 New Hampshire Ave. Bldg 31, Room 1503
Silver Spring, MD 20903
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.