Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017

Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156/ S 1133 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the ACA cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer; Review of The Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, a bill to provide funding to combat the opioid epidemic; Discussions with the White House/Office of National Drug Control Policy about the opioid epidemic, including concerns about regulations that prohibit the sharing of substance use disorder records among health care providers; Support H.R. 4392 a bill to prevent cuts to the 340B drug savings program, which would provide relief from deep cuts to payments to hospitals participating in the 340B program; Letter to congress outlining AHA opposition to a potential policy that would cut payments to hospitals treating hospice patients; Oppose H.R. 4710, 340B Protecting Access for the Underserved and Safety-Net Entities (PAUSE) Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a moratorium on the registration of certain new 340B hospitals and associated site; Sent comments to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for its hearing on Examining the Impact of Health Care Consolidation.; Letter sent to the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee for its hearing on, "Combating the Opioid Crisis: Helping Communities Balance Enforcement and Patient Safety"; Letter submitted to the Ways and Means Committee on policy recommendations to address the opioid epidemic; Sent letter to discuss the current state of health care costs, and efforts to increase transparency in the pricing of health care services and the quality of care; Addressed our concerns with the MedPAC Commissions draft recommendation to substantially reduce payments for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments (EDs) that are within 6 miles of an on-campus hospital ED.

Client expense: $4,960,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

H.R. 1783, the Improving Veterans' Access to Quality Healthcare Act; H.R. 1253 the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act; H.R. 880/ S. 1022 the MISSION ZERO Act; H.R. 959, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act; H.R. 767/S. 256 SOAR to Health and Wellness Act; ACA repeal and replace legislation; H.R. 1478 Gun Violence Research Act; H.R. 3780 Air Ambulance Quality and Accountability Act; H.R. 1876/ S. 781 Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act; H.R. 5223 Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act

Client expense: $31,297 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; opposition to S. 1133 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017,a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support a resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2017 submit for the record our comments on information security in the health care field; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer; Review of The Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, a bill to provide funding to combat the opioid epidemic; Discussions with the White House/Office of National Drug Control Policy about the opioid epidemic, including concerns about regulations that prohibit the sharing of substance use disorder records among health care providers; Support H.R. 4392 a bill to prevent cuts to the 340B drug savings program, which would provide relief from deep cuts to payments to hospitals participating in the 340B program; Letter to congress outlining AHA opposition to a potential policy that would cut payments to hospitals treating hospice patients.

H.R. 1783, the Improving Veterans' Access to Quality Healthcare Act; H.R. 1253 the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act; H.R. 304/S. 916 the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act; H.R. 880/ S. 1022 the MISSION ZERO Act; H.R. 959, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act; H.R. 767/S. 256 SOAR to Health and Wellness Act; ACA repeal and replace legislation; H.R. 1478 Gun Violence Research Act; H.R. 3780 Air Ambulance Quality and Accountability Act

Client expense: $31,200 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; opposition to S. 1133 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017,a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support a resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2017 submit for the record our comments on information security in the health care field; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer.

H.R. 1783, the Improving Veterans' Access to Quality Healthcare Act; H.R. 1253 the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act; H.R. 304/S. 916 the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act; H.R. 880/ S. 1022 the MISSION ZERO Act; H.R. 959, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act; H.R. 767/S. 256 SOAR to Health and Wellness Act; ACA repeal and replace legislation

Client expense: $31,035 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876.Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; opposition to S. 1133 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017,a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support a resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2017 submit for the record our comments on information security in the health care field; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Review HR 1732 Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to add certain synthetic substances to schedule I; Review HR 449 Synthetic Drug Awareness Act of 2017, a bill to require the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service to submit to Congress a report on the effects on public health of the increased rate of use of synthetic drugs; Urged CMS to release guidance related to hospital co-location policies; Held discussions regarding the Social Security Act definition of a hospital; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services.

H.R. 1783, the Improving Veterans' Access to Quality Healthcare Act; H.R. 1253 the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act; H.R. 304/S. 916 the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act; H.R. 880/ S. 1022 the MISSION ZERO Act; H.R. 959, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act; ACA repeal and replace legislation

Client expense: $91,100 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

H.R. 1783, the Improving Veterans' Access to Quality Healthcare Act; H.R. 1253 the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act; H.R. 304/S. 916 the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act; H.R. 880/ S. 1022 the MISSION ZERO Act; H.R. 959, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act; ACA repeal and replace legislation

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

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)