Week in Brief
Federal Spending: President Trump Signs FY 2018 Omnibus Spending Legislation Into Law, Funding Government Through September 2018.
WHITE HOUSE UPDATE
Opioids: President Trump Delivers Remarks on Combatting the Opioid Crisis.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Monday, March 19
Opioids: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) Releases Statement on President Trump’s Plan to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Tuesday, March 20
HHS Nominations: Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing to Consider Two Nominations for the Department of Health and Human Services. Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Issues Statement. Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) Issues Statement.
Medicare Advantage: Senate Finance Committee Republican Members Send Letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Regarding Medicare Advantage Supplemental Benefits.
Individual Insurance Market: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) Issues Statement on Republican Proposal Regarding the Individual Health Insurance Market.
Wednesday, March 21
CDC Director: Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Issues Statement on New CDC Director. Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Issues Related Statement.
MACRA: House Ways and Means Committee Holds Hearing on Implementation of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). Health Subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL) Makes Opening Statement.
Opioids: House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health Holds Two-Day Hearing on the Opioid Crisis. Full Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Subcommittee on Health Chairman Michael Burgess (R-TX) Deliver Opening Statements.
Opioids: Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Highlights Funds to Combat Opioid Crisis Contained in FY 2018 Omnibus Spending Bill.
Gun Violence Research: Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Sends Letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar Regarding Gun Violence Research at the CDC.
Thursday, March 22
Drug Rebates: House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Finance Committee Leaders Send Letter to CMS Regarding Oversight of Medicaid Drug Rebate Program.
Friday, March 23
ACA: Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (R-OR) Releases Statement Marking Eighth Anniversary of Signing of Affordable Care Act into Law.
Health Insurance Stabilization Legislation: Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Issues Statement on Amendment to Address Health Insurance Premiums in Individual Insurance Market that was Blocked from Inclusion in FY 2018 Omnibus Spending Bill. Chairman Alexander Had Issued Multiple Statements on this Amendment Throughout Week, Including March 19 Statement 1, March 19 Statement 2, March 20, and March 22. Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Issues Statements: March 21 and March 22.
REGULATORY UPDATE
Wednesday, March 21
CDC: HHS Secretary Alex Azar Appoints Dr. Robert Redfield to Serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Thursday, March 22
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: HHS Secretary Alex Azar Holds Listening Session with State PDMP Leaders.
UPCOMING HEARINGS
No Upcoming Congressional Hearings; Congress in Two Week Recess.
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.