Greetings!

IFFGD has made many recent visits to Capitol Hill with the beginning of the 2nd session of the 116th Congress. We will continue to advocate for the needs of the digestive health community while educating you on the many ways you can work with us. There have been active discussions throughout congress on advancing health legislation that will benefit the digestive health community. Congressional offices are still accepting calls and emails, with some offices telecommunicating at this time. This allows patients and community members the opportunity to continue to share their stories and advocate for patients' needs.

With the spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, and safety of the community in mind, we have made changes to several IFFGD events, including the 2020 Advocacy Event on Capitol Hill. For this event, we will be adapting this years program to an online format, allowing it to be held virtually. Please register here, to stay updated as we finalize plans for this event. Please continue to do your best to limit exposure and keep yourself and loved ones safe during this time.

Be here. Be heard. Make a difference. We hope this new eNewsletter platform will inform and assist you as you advocate for yourself and/or loved ones.
IFFGD-Sponsored Legislation

Functional GI and Motility Disorder Research Enhancement Act
22 Cosponsors

Thank you to our recent cosponsors:
Rep. Jefferson Van Drew
[R-NJ-2]
Rep. Julia Brownley [D-CA-26]
Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi
[D-NY-3]
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton 
[D-DC-At Large]
Health Legislation

Medical Nutrition Equity Act
61 Cosponsors

Safe Step Act
138 Cosponsors

Safe Step Act
14 Cosponsors
Join us for IFFGD's 2020 Virtual Advocacy Day!
We have been closely monitoring the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic outbreak and the resulting public health concerns. In our mission to inform, assist and support people affected by gastrointestinal (GI) disorders we want to do our best to ensure the health and safety of the patient community. As a result, IFFGD's 2020 Advocacy Event on Capitol Hill will now be held virtually. This web-based event will occur July 26-27, 2020. Please continue to register for this event through the link on our website page. For those interested in attending, we will ensure the opportunity to experience the educational portion of this event online. Although we will not be able to walk Capitol Hill, patients, medical professionals and community members can still make their voices heard by calling and emailing legislative offices.

Policies and priorities related to healthcare, research, treatment, guidelines, and much more are continually changing. We will provide monthly updates on what is most relevant to the GI community.

  • On January 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance allowing states to apply for capped block grants through Medicaid demonstration waivers, particularly in order to cover services for the Medicaid expansion population (i.e., adults under the age of 65). These grants put a "cap" on federal funding towards Medicaid, potentially leading to cuts in coverage so that states are able to stay within the funding limits. The guidance also allows states that receive such block grants to make other changes to their programs (e.g., formularies for prescription drugs). Two resolutions in the House of Representatives were created. H. Res. 826, created on February 3rd, expressed the opinion that the House of Representatives feels CMS should withdraw this guidance. On February 5th the House then created H. Res. 833, officially disapproving of the guidance permitting block grants under Medicaid demonstration waivers. Both resolutions were passed on February 6th; however, the Senate is not expected to act on a similar resolution.

  • On February 11th, the House Committee on Education and Labor advanced the Ban Surprise Billing Act (H.R. 5800), a bipartisan proposal to protect patients from devastating surprise medical bills. The legislation builds on various bipartisan solutions to shield patients from unexpected out-of-pocket health care costs. On February 12th, the House Committee on Ways and Means passed similar legislation, the Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020 (H.R. 5826). 

  • While the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2019, H.R. 1570, is still seeking more cosponsors, The Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2020, H.R. 2339, passed the House of Representative on February 28th. This includes similar language to waive Medicare coinsurance for colorectal cancer screening tests, otherwise known as the "polyp penalty".

Keeping informed on the federal budget process is important for all of us as constituents. IFFGD works hard to stay informed on the appropriations process each year. We will keep you updated as the appropriations process continues for FY 2021. Each fiscal year (FY) runs from October 1 through September 30 of the following year.

House and Senate Labor-HHS appropriations subcommittees held hearings on February 27th with Health and Human Services Secretary Azar. Congress is prepared to spend emergency funding to respond to needs identified by health officials. On March 5th, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 6074) allotting $8.3 billion in emergency spending to respond to the outbreak.

The President's administration budget proposal for FY 2021 was issued to Congress on February 10. These funding recommendations do not conform to the two-year budget deal released last year. Congress will now examine this budget proposal and develop the twelve annual appropriations bills based on funding levels provided by the two-year budget deal.

Key recommendations include (all changes noted below are in comparison to FY 2020):
  • $6.21 billion for FDA, a proposed increase of $265 million. 
  • $2.02 billion for Human Drugs, a proposed increase of $49 million. 
  • $1.12 billion in Prescription Drug User Fees, a proposed increase of $52 million. 
  • $526 million in Generic Drug User Fees, a proposed increase of $10 million. 
  • $425 million for Biologics, a proposed increase of $6 million. 
  • $43 million in Biosimilar User Fees, a proposed increase of $1 million. 
  • $7 billion for CDC, a proposed decrease of $693.29 million. 
  • $813 million for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, a proposed decrease of $427 million. 
  • Individual chronic disease programs are consolidated into a new proposed block grant program.
  • $38.69 billion for NIH, a proposed decrease of $2.99 billion. 
  • $2.01 billion for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a proposed decrease of $191 million from. 
  • $788 million for the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, a proposed decrease of $45 million. 
  • $2.1 billion for the Office of the Director, a proposed decrease of $148 million. 

The House and Senate are both holding subcommittee hearings beginning in March to examine the proposed budget of the National Institutes of Health for FY 2021.
IFFGD's Washington Update

We are actively working in Washington to advocate on behalf of the gastrointestinal illness community. We will continually update you on professional events, written comment submissions, and other opportunities that provide IFFGD the ability to engage with Washington.

IFFGD President Ceciel Rooker participated in the Friends of NIDDK meeting on February 18th. This meeting provided the opportunity to hear from NIDDK Director, Dr. Griffin Rodgers, and NIDDK program staff about research progress and opportunities that exist through this institution. Ms. Rooker and representatives from other organizations discussed options for working in support of NIDDK programs and initiatives. 
On March 1st and 2nd, Ms. Rooker, Ms. Lombardi, and several PAC members participated in the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC) Public Policy Forum. They met with Legislators alongside other patients, healthcare providers and stakeholders to advocate for those affected by digestive diseases. The public policy forum this year had the largest turn out with representation from various disease states and geographic areas. We are especially thankful to the patients who attended and made their voices heard on Capitol Hill.

Pictured left to right: Marissa Lombardi, Ceciel Rooker, and Brittany Aliano, PAC member
Through the Patient Affairs Staff, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) seeks to engage the voice of patients, caregivers, and other stakeholders in important decision-making processes. Learn about some of the current opportunities available and how you can get involved to make your voice heard.
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)
414-964-1799 | iffgd@iffgd.org | www.iffgd.org
IFFGD is a nonprofit organization.
We rely on donor support to fund research and to provide reliable information and support to those affected by chronic gastrointestinal disorders