The House Energy & Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee held a hearing on ways to promote transparency and competition in health care. Members presented a largely bipartisan front, focusing on asking witnesses ways to improve the Hospital Price Transparency Final Rule and the Transparency in Coverage Final Rule and how to address provider consolidation. All witnesses agreed that the hospital price… (McClurg, March 29, 2023) #340B, #Costs, #Hospitals, #Pharmacy Benefit Managers

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced two funding opportunities, worth $123.6 million, for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) expansion. The CCBHC Planning, Development, and Implementation (CCBHC-PDI) grant will help establish new CCBHC programs, while the CCBHC Improvement and Advancement (CCBHC-IA) grant aims to enhance existing CCBHCs that… (Colocho, March 28, 2023) #Community Health Centers, #Health Equity, #Mental and Behavioral Health, #Opioids, #Prevention, #Public Option

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) issued a request for nominations for new members of the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality (Council) which advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Director of AHRQ on national health services research priorities. Seven new members are sought to replace seven members whose terms expire… (Testa, March 27, 2023) #Quality

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued draft guidance on clinical trial considerations to support accelerated approval of oncology therapeutics. The FDA asserts that while single-arm trials have been commonly used to support accelerated approval, a randomized controlled trial is the preferred approach as it provides a more robust efficacy and safety assessment and allows for direct comparison to an… (Slifer, March 24, 2023) #Food and Drug Administration, #Prescription Drugs

The Biden-Harris Administration launched the new White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities to strengthen public-private partnerships that improve nutrition and diet-related diseases. This Challenge is intended to implement the priorities of the White House Conference on Nutrition, Hunger, and Health in September 2022 (WHG summary) and the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The Administration,… (McClurg, March 24, 2023) #Health Equity, #Nutrition

Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Gary Peters (D-MI) released a report that found continued shortages of critical medications due to economic drivers, insufficient visibility into supply chains, increased demand, and an overreliance on foreign suppliers (full report). The report shows that drug shortages and lack of transparency into pharmaceutical supply chains present a national security… (Colocho, March 23, 2023) #Drug Pricing, #Food and Drug Administration, #Generic Drugs, #Transparency

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget request for HHS (WHG summary). Democrats supported the need for steady increases in non-defense priorities, such as behavioral health crisis programs, maternal care, and… (Colocho, March 23, 2023) #Budget, #Graduate Medical Education (GME), #Health Equity, #Mental and Behavioral Health, #Prevention, #Public Health, #Transparency, #Wellness, #Women’s Health

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced $60 million in grant funding to support school food programs. $50 million is awarded in grants to four organizations to increase collaboration between schools, food producers and suppliers, and other partners to develop nutritious, appetizing school meals. An additional $10 million in funding for Fiscal Year 2023 Team Nutrition… (McClurg, March 23, 2023) #Nutrition

The Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) announced the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Modernization Initiative to better serve the needs of patients and families. The Initiative is aimed at strengthening accountability, equity, and performance in the organ donation and transplantation system through a focus on five key areas: technology; data transparency; governance; operations; and quality improvement and innovation.  Today’s… (Lewis, March 23, 2023) #Program Integrity

Today, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) released both a proposed rule and a final rule for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. The RHC Program provides financial support to rural health care providers for the costs of broadband and other communications services that support access to care for patients in rural areas. The proposed rule is the “Second Further Notice… (Testa, March 22, 2023) #Hospitals, #Physicians, #Rural Health, #Telehealth