Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2014

Public Health Programs for Infectious and Tropical Disease; Department of Defense Tropical Medicine Research; National Institutes of Health Tropical Medicine Programs; Government Agency Conference Attendance Policy; H.R. 1515, OPPS Global Health Technology Act; H.R. 4944, Neglected Infections of Improverished Americans Act of 2014; S. 1347, Conference Accountability Act of 2014.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE

Pub.Law 111-148 & 111-152 - Discussed implementation of health care law that would reform the health care system to provide affordable quality health care, reduce drug costs and expand access to long-term services and supports. Discussed how to implement Medicaid provisions of Affordable Care Act. (PL. 111-148)S. 374, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act - Lobbied in support of this legislation to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on Medicare coverage for in-patient psychiatric hospital services (112th). Discussed improving access to care for underserved population. (no bill) Discussed importance of maintaining low income subsididies and supports in Medicare. (no bill) Discussed the importance of coordinating services for those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid in order to ensure that beneficiaries receive all needed benefits but there is no duplication. (no bill) Discussed whether, and under what circumstances, managed care could effectively be used to provide benefits to dual eligible beneficiaries. (no bill) Discussed additional methods for fighting fraud and waste in Health Care. (no bill) Discussed Medigap and need for guaranteed issue for all populations and need to increase medical loss ratio. Discussed durable medical equipment bidding. (no bill) Lobbied for legislation to provide Medicare beneficiaries with additional opportunities to enroll in Medicare Part B.(no bill) Lobbied against the use of the Social Security account number on Government-issued identification cards issued in connection with Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP benefits and for other purposes. (no bill) Discussed support to curb waste and fraud from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. (no bill) H.R. 3630, Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 - Discussed the legislation as it pertained to SGR. Discussed Medicare Reform. (no bill) H.R. 2305/S. 1123, PRIME ACT (Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare Expenditures) - Discussed support for bill and urged cosponsorship. Discussed the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program and changes needed to further lower prescription drug costs. (no bill) H.R. 1588/S. 740, Medicare Drug Savings Act - Discussed the Medicare Drug Savings Act to require drug manufacturers to provide rebates for drugs provided to Medicare Part D low-income subsidy beneficiaries, including those who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Discussed potential improvements to the Medicare Savings Programs for low-income befeficiaries. (no bill) Discussed proposals that would establish per-capita caps under Medicaid as well as other Medicaid financing proposals including block grants and changes to the current FMAP structure. (no bill) H.R. 1717 - Discussed Medicare DMEPOS Market Pricing Program Act. Discussed implementation of regulations regarding minimum wage and overtime for home care workers and consumer-directed care. (no bill) Discussed the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program and changes needed to further lower prescription drug costs and related agency proposed rule changes. (no bill) H. R. 1588/S.740 - Discussed the Medicare Drug Savings Act to require drug manufacturers to provide rebates for drugs provided to Medicare Part D low-income subsidy beneficiaries, including those who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. H.R.3830/S.1900 - Discussed pending U.S. trade agreement negotiations and trade promotional or "fast track" authority legislation and their potential impact on Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug programs. S. 2461 - Discussed Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) extension and CHIP Extension Act of 2014. Discussed Part D Payment for Drugs for Beneficiaries Enrolled in Hospice - Final 2014 CMS Guidance.Discussed Medicare Graduate Nursing Education pilot design. (no bill) Discussed Prescription Drug Affordability. (no bill) Discussed Prescription Drug Shortages. (no bill) H.R. 3342, Affordable Medicines Utilization Act of 2011 - Lobbied to encourage state Medicaid programs to use safe, effective generic medications. H.R. 2576 - Discussion to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the calculation of modified adjusted gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain healthcare-related programs. Discussed opposition to caps on dual eligibles; discussed managed care and dual eligibles. (no bill) Discussed with CMS demonstration programs for dual eligibles and process related to the demonstrations, as well as other work of the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office, discussed consumer choice and continuity of care in Medicaid managed long-term services and supports programs, discussed focus groups on dual eligibles. Discussed Hospital & Critical Access Hospitals Conditions of Participation proposed regulations; requested that advanced practice registered nurses and physicians assistants be allowed the full scope of services in hospital admitting and visiting privileges. (no bill) Discussed Hospital Outpatient Therapeutic Services Final Rule underscoring that advanced practice registered nurses and physicians should be allowed to supervise such outpatient service clinics without physician oversight as long as in line with state scope of practice laws. (no bill) Discussed health disparities. (no bill) Discussed Medicaid reform, Medicare/Medicaid "dual eligibles" integration efforts and financial alignment demonstrations; and other CMS demonstration initiatives. (no bill) S. 3586, Recruiting Individuals to Drive Elders (RIDE) Act - Discussed Medicaid non-emergency transportation bill (112th). Discussed proposals that would establish per-capita caps under Medicaid as well as other Medicaid financing proposals including block grants and changes to the current FMAP structure. (no bill) Discussed extension of funding originally provided under the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (P.L. 110-275) to State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRICs), and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) for Medicare outreach and enrollment counseling. (no bill) Discussed the prevention of cuts to beneficiaries in the Medicare program. (no bill) Discussed the prevention of an increase in the age of eligibility in the Medicare program. (no bill) Discussed the patch to the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) in the Medicare program. (no bill) Discussed concerns of block granting Medicaid. (no bill) Discussed the Kansas managed long-term services and supports waiver proposals and related implementation issues. (no bill). H.R.928/S.408, the Medicare Drug Savings Act - Discussed requirement for drug manufacturers to provide rebates for drugs provided to Medicare Part D low-income subsidy beneficiaries, including those who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Discussed Health Disparities. (no bill) Discussed medicare demonstration project replacing standard medicare cards with Smart Card technology. (no bill) H.R. 574 - The Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act of 2013. H.R. 1173 - Discussed Personalize Your Care Act. Discussed Medicaid expansion and estate recovery. (no bill) Discussed Medicaid and asset transfers. (no bill) Discussed the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 and provided feedback on the draft bill. (no bill number at the time, but later bill number was H.R. 4944/S. 2553) S. 2491, Discussed Medicare Protection Act. Submitted comment letter on FYIS Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility payment rule. (no bill) Discussed concern about CMS guidance on prescription drugs for medicare beneficiaries receiving hospice and coordination between hospice providers and medicare Part D sponsors. (no bill)H.R. 1179/S.569, Improving Access to Medicare Act - Discussed support of Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act and urged cosponsorship and advancement of the bill. Discussed comments regarding Medicare and You handbook. (no bill) Discussed CMS information regarding healthcare marketplaces. H.R. 2305/S.1123, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act. Bill reduces waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid programs. Discussed Competitive bidding of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies. (no bill) Discussed repeal of Affordable Care Act provision making prescriptions necessary for over-the-counter drugs purchased with flexible spending accounts. (no bill) Discussed Medicare supplemental coverage. (no bill) Discussed the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program and changes needed to further lower prescription drug cost. (no bill) Discussed potential improvements to the Medicare Savings Programs for low-income beneficiaries. (no bill) Discussed Recruiting Individuals to Drive Our Elders Act (RIDE) would increase state flexibility by giving states the option to receive federal assistance to reimburse their volunteer drivers for no-load miles. (no bill) Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2014 - Lobbied to protect vital health and social services programs from enhanced reductions from the prior year baseline, and to prevent repeal of certain financial and health care-related regulation.(no bill) Discussed potential improvements to the Medicare Savings Programs for low-income beneficiares. (no bill) Discussed pending U.S. trade agreement negotiations, including trade promotional or 'fast track' authority, and their potential impact on Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug programs. (no bill) Discussed fraud, Medicare home healthcare, ways to find savings in Medicare without harming Medicare beneficiaries (care coordination, prescription drugs, waste, fraud and abuse). Discussed You've Earned A Say, ways to find savings in medicare without harming medicare beneficiaries (care coordination, prescription drugs, waste, fraud and abuse). PL.111-148 - Discussed implementation of provision to require reporting of nursing home staffing data based on payroll data.Discussed Medicare Advantage. (no bill) Discussed H.R. 3616, Protecting Seniors from Healthcare Fraud Act. Discussed observation care and "two-midnight rule". (no bill) H.R. 1070, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act - Discussed and sent letter of endorsement to bill. Discussed the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program and changes needed to further lower prescription drug costs and related agency proposed rule changes. (no bill) H.R. 1588/S.740, Medicaid Drug Savings Act - Discussed the requirement for drug manufacturers to provide rebates for drugs provided to Medicare Part D low-income subsidy beneficiaries, including those who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Discussed potential improvements to the Medicare Savings Programs for low-income beneficiaries. (no bill) Discussed pending U.S. Trade agreement negotiations, including trade promotional or "fast track" authority, and their potential impact on Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug programs. (no bill) H.R. 2810/S.1871/H.R. 4015/S.2110 - Discussed SGR repeal and health care extender provisions, including the Qualified Individual low-income Medicare beneficiary assistance program. H.R. 4418, The Expanding Availability of Medicare Data Act - Sent letter of endorsement. Discussed Medicare data and billing transparency. (no bill) Discussed socio-economic risk adjustment. (no bill) Discussed nursing home staffing data in meeting with CMS. (no bill) Discussed advanced care planning, Welcome to Medicare visit, and Medicare wellness visits. Discussed language access in managed long-term services and supports in meeting with the HHS Office for Civil Rights. S. 2240, Discussed Medicare Choices Empowerment and Protection Act. S. 1439, Discussed support for Care Planning Act. Discussed LTSS Scorecard and reserving a room/logistics for Hill briefing on the LTSS Scorecard. (no bill). Discussed managed LTSS and language access. (no bill) H.R. 3024, Discussed the Medicare Common Access Card Act. H.R. 9673, Discussed the Bundling and Coordinating Post Acute Care (BACPAC) Act and shared views on post-acute care return. Discussed Medicare expansion. (no bill) H.R. 1179/S. 569, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act - Submitted written statement for the record for the current hospital ---in the Medicare program hearings. Shared draft witness questions with some subcommittee members and committee staff. Discussed Medicaid Labs Spousal Impoverishment provisions (PL. 111-198). S. 2361, Discussed Stop Schemes and cons against Medicare and seniors. Invited Hill staff to attend the LTSS Scorecard briefing. (no bill) Participated in a roundtable discussion on long-term services and supports. (no bill) Discussed Welcome to Medicare Visit and advance care planning. (no bill) Discussed transparency in healthcare. (no bill) Discussed New York State Community first choice option and workforce issues. (no bill)

Client expense: $2,360,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Administration on Aging, Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Bureau of the Census, Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Energy, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Highway Administration (FHA), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Natl Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Social Security Administration (SSA), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

Issues related to neglected tropical disease research; potential legislation related to neglected tropical diseases research, 21st Century Cures Initiative, HR 4944, Neglaected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2014, HR 4847, End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $10,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE