The Senate Special Committee on Aging convened a hearing to examine how Congress can work to increase health care price transparency and lower costs for Americans. Witnesses included several health policy experts. Key Takeaways Political Landscape. Republicans and Democrats emphasized the critical need to increase health care price transparency. Members discussed the impacts of the lack of price transparency, contributing… (Eisen, July 11, 2024) #Cost-Sharing, #Costs, #Drug Pricing, #Hospitals, #Transparency

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), released the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2) proposed rule (press release, fact sheets). What is it. The proposed rule builds on the HTI-1 rule (Impact Summary) and seeks to advance interoperability,… (Slifer, July 11, 2024) #Health Information Technology

Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule (press release; fact sheet; MSSP fact sheet; QPP fact sheet; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program fact sheet), which addresses an array of policies under Medicare Part B and the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) Quality… (Testa, July 11, 2024) #Accountable Care Organizations, #Care Coordination, #Clinical Labs, #Coverage Decisions, #Delivery Reform, #Drug Pricing, #Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), #Opioids, #Physicians, #Prevention, #Primary Care, #Telehealth

The Government Accountability Office is seeking nominations for the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC). The PTAC was established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) to provide recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on physician payment models. PTAC aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the U.S. healthcare delivery system… (Eisen, 1/1/70) #Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), #Physicians

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced $123 million to combat youth homelessness. This consists of $51.1 million already awarded in Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) Grants and a $72 million notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) and supportive services programs. Grant applications for the YHDP NOFO are due August… (Eisen, 1/1/70) #Grants, #Health Equity

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released compelling data showcasing substantial advancements in health care coverage within minority communities, attributed largely to the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and concerted efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to improve access to quality health care. This release also includes an issue brief outlining the actions taken by… (Eisen, 1/1/70) #Affordable Care Act, #Coverage Decisions, #Insurance Coverage, #Social Determinants of Health

With the November elections on the horizon, both Senate and House Democrats are drawing a stark contrast with Republicans on reproductive rights. Congressional Democrats are amplifying access to abortion, contraception, and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to the forefront. Senate and House Votes on the Right to Contraception Act The Right to Contraception Act, a bicameral legislation (S. 1999; H.R. 4121), seeks… (Eisen, June 6, 2024) #Health Equity, #Women’s Health

This week the Biden-Harris Administration announced two new activities to support access to high-quality behavioral health services for Medicaid beneficiaries. First, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released 10 new states that have met the requirements for participation in the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program: Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico,… (Marceno, June 5, 2024) #Demonstration Programs, #Health Equity, #Mental and Behavioral Health

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced funding and actions to strengthen Tribal food sovereignty, including $2.3 million in funding for school meal programs. The funding awards include: Support for four school districts in the Wind River Indian Reservation Wyoming through the Center for Popular Research, Education, and Policy for training and technical assistance for school nutrition staff to… (McClurg, June 5, 2024) #Nutrition

The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations convened a hearing on oversight of the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Members of the subcommittee and witnesses agreed that the 340B program is integral to expanding access to care for disadvantaged communities, but given the significant growth of the program in recent years, members expressed support for additional program transparency… (Slifer, June 4, 2024) #340B, #Community Health Centers, #Drug Pricing, #Rural Health