Health Care Checkup
August 6, 2021
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Late Sunday, the Senate unveiled the text of its long-awaited bipartisan infrastructure bill. The $1 trillion package will make investments in traditional infrastructure, including public transit, passenger rail, clean energy, clean drinking water, bridges, airports, and broadband. To pay for these infrastructure improvements, the bill will make cuts to Medicare spending. Specifically, the bill will save $51 billion by delaying a Trump-era Medicare drug rebate rule for three years. It will also save $3 billion by reducing Medicare spending on discarded medications from single-dose drug vials. A vote on the legislation is expected to occur this weekend.
On Thursday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Finance Ranking Member Mike Crapo, (R-ID) sent a letter to members of the Finance Committee, requesting input on ways to address the behavioral health workforce shortage, support care integration, improve oversight and enforcement of mental health parity laws, and expand access to telehealth services for behavioral health care. The letter marks the launch of an effort by Wyden and Crapo to create bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing barriers to mental health care amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new eviction moratorium for counties in the U.S. experiencing “substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of SARS-CoV-2.” The order came several days after the prior eviction moratorium expired. Since the U.S. Supreme Court called into question the legality of the last moratorium, this order will likely face legal scrutiny as well. President Joe Biden acknowledged this, and said he has indicated to the CDC, that he would like to explore other options for renters during the pandemic. The new moratorium is set to expire on October 3, 2021. The CDC’s order can be found here.
On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that will update Medicare fee-for-service payment rates for inpatient hospitals and long-term care hospitals during fiscal year (FY) 2022. Overall, hospitals will see a 2.5% increase (an additional $2.3 billion) in Medicare reimbursements for FY 2022. Long-term care hospitals are expected to receive a 1.1% increase ($42 million) under the new rule. Other provisions in the rule include requiring that hospitals report COVID-19 vaccination rates among healthcare workers.
It has been reported that the Biden Administration is working toward a recommendation that immunocompromised people receive a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine. The recommendation is expected to come “very soon,” but a specific timeline has not yet been given. The news comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) calls upon wealthy nations to halt booster doses until the end of September, so poor nations can catch up in vaccination rates.
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What to Expect Next Week: Both the House and Senate will be in August recess. It is expected that the Senate will vote on its infrastructure package this weekend.
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Senate Finance Committee Leaders Launch Initiative to Improve Mental Health Care
On Thursday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Finance Ranking Member Mike Crapo, (R-ID) sent a letter to members of the Finance Committee, requesting input on ways to address the behavioral health workforce shortage, support care integration, improve oversight and enforcement of mental health parity laws, and expand access to telehealth services for behavioral health care. The letter marks the launch of an effort by Wyden and Crapo to create bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing barriers to mental health care amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senators wrote that in February 2021, four in ten adults reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, compared to one in ten prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Additional information on the initiative can be found here.
CDC Orders New Moratorium on Evictions
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new eviction moratorium for counties in the U.S. experiencing “substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of SARS-CoV-2.” The order came several days after the prior eviction moratorium expired. Since the U.S. Supreme Court called into question the legality of the last moratorium, this order will likely face legal scrutiny as well. President Joe Biden acknowledged this, and said he has indicated to the CDC, that he would like to explore other options for renters during the pandemic. The new moratorium is set to expire on October 3, 2021. The CDC’s order can be found here.
CMS Finalizes FY 2022 Hospital Inpatient Rule
On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that will update Medicare fee-for-service payment rates for inpatient hospitals and long-term care hospitals during fiscal year (FY) 2022. Overall, hospitals will see a 2.5% increase (an additional $2.3 billion) in Medicare reimbursements for FY 2022. Long-term care hospitals are expected to receive a 1.1% increase ($42 million) under the new rule. Other provisions in the rule include requiring that hospitals report COVID-19 vaccination rates among healthcare workers. The rule also finalized add-on payments for COVID-19 treatments, which will remain in effect until the end of the FY in which the public health emergency ends. The final rule is slated to go into effect on October 1, 2021 and can be found here.
Senate Unveils Bipartisan Infrastructure Package
Late Sunday, the Senate unveiled the text of its long-awaited bipartisan infrastructure bill. The $1 trillion package will make investments in traditional infrastructure, including public transit, passenger rail, clean energy, clean drinking water, bridges, airports, and broadband. To pay for these infrastructure improvements, the bill will make cuts to Medicare spending. Specifically, the bill will save $51 billion by delaying a Trump-era Medicare drug rebate rule for three years. It will also save $3 billion by reducing Medicare spending on discarded medications from single-dose drug vials. While the Senate is expected to head into August recess next week, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the Senate will remain in session until its work on the bill is complete. A Senate vote on the bill is expected to occur this coming weekend. The House is already in recess and will not return until September 20, so the bill is not expected to land on President Biden’s desk for at least another month. A section-by-section summary of the legislation can be found here.
COVID-19 Booster Shots May be Recommended Soon for Immunocompromised
It has been reported that the Biden Administration is working toward a recommendation that immunocompromised people receive a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine. The recommendation is expected to come “very soon,” but a specific timeline has not yet been given. The news comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) calls upon wealthy nations to halt booster doses until the end of September, so poor nations can catch up in vaccination rates.
Congressional Democrats Push for Medicaid-Like Coverage in Upcoming Budget Reconciliation Bill
A group of thirty Congressional Democrats sent a letter to House and Senate leadership, asking that they include a federally administered Medicaid-like program from the Medicaid Saves Lives Act, S. 2315 and H.R. 4595 in the upcoming budget reconciliation bill. The Medicaid Saves Lives Act calls upon the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to provide health care coverage to low-income adults in states that have not expanded Medicaid. The letter can be viewed here.
Senate HELP Committee Marks Up Health Bills
This week, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions marked up several bills related to suicide prevention and rights for pregnant workers. The results of the markup are as follows:
- S. 1486, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
- Prohibits “employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for qualified employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.”
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This bill was ordered to be reported favorably.
- S. 1543, STANDUP Act of 2021
- Amends the “Public Health Service Act to provide best practices on student suicide awareness and prevention training and condition State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and tribal educational agencies receiving funds under section 520A of such Act to establish and implement a school-based student suicide awareness and prevention training policy.”
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This bill was ordered to be reported favorably by voice vote.
- S. 2425, Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2021
- Amends the “Public Health Service Act to ensure the provision of high-quality service through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.”
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This bill was ordered to be reported favorably by voice vote.
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SENATE HEARINGS AND EXECUTIVE SESSIONS |
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HOUSE HEARINGS AND EXECUTIVE SESSIONS |
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ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Food and Drug Administration
Guidance Documents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institutes of Health
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