Week in Brief
Open Enrollment: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Release Final 2018 Health Insurance Exchange Enrollment Report.
Medicare Advantage: CMS Issues 2019 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rate Announcement and Call Letter.
WHITE HOUSE UPDATE
Opioids: Surgeon General Jerome Adams Writes Blog Post on Addressing the Opioid Crisis.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Monday, March 26
Opioids: Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Releases Two Discussion Draft Bills on Opioids.
Wednesday, March 28
Veterans’ Affairs: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Issues Statement on the Nomination of Admiral Rodney Jackson to Replace Dr. David Shulkin as U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary. Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-MT) Issues Related Statement. House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN) Releases Statement. House Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) Releases Statement.
Medicare Advantage: House Ways and Means Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee Leaders Send Letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma Regarding Proposed Changes to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D.
Medicaid Waivers: House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) Ask Government Accountability Office (GAO) To Investigate Costs Associated with Section 1115 Medicaid Waivers.
Wednesday, April 4
Opioids: Senate HELP Committee Leaders Release Discussion Draft of Legislation to Address Opioid Crisis, Announce Related Hearing.
Thursday, April 5
Opioids: Senate Special Committee on Aging Leaders Celebrate Passage of Bill to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Due to Opioid Crisis.
Friday, April 6
Drug Spending: House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Urges CMS to Update Drug Spending Dashboards.
REGULATORY UPDATE
Thursday, March 29
Appointments: HHS Secretary Alex Azar Announces Two Appointments.
Wednesday, April 4
Opioids: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Launches HEAL Initiative to Address Opioids and Pain Research.
Electronic Health Records: HHS Releases Guide For Patients on How to Obtain Health Records.
Thursday, April 5
Opioids: Surgeon General Jerome Adams Releases Advisory on Naloxone.
Friday, April 6
Appointments: HHS Secretary Azar Announces Several Appointments.
UPCOMING HEARINGS
Senate HELP Committee
The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018
April 11, 2018, 10:00 AM
430 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Senate Judiciary Committee
Defeating Fentanyl: Addressing the Deadliest Drugs Fueling the Opioid Crisis
April 11, 2018, 2:30 PM
226 Dirksen Senate Office Building
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health
Combating the Opioid Crisis: Improving the Ability of Medicare and Medicaid to Provide Care for Patients
April 11, 2018, 2:15 PM
2322 Rayburn House 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.