REDI Act

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. Regarding CMS 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program (QPP) rules, expressed support for extending some of the services and increased flexibility for telehealth through the end of 2023, namely some audio-only services that were allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), support for collecting additional data on health equity issues to analyze disparities that occur across their programs, support for including chronic care management as one of the seven MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) for 2023. FY2022 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support $10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions programs in the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as $50 million in funding shared evenly between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. Advocated for: Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), $9.2 billion; Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), $71 million; National Health Service Corps (NHSC), $860 million in total program funding; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), $500 million; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Program Operations for Federal Exchanges, $296.5 million. Also, urged support for the VA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), $103.1 billion, which includes the following within the VHA -- VA, VHA, Medical Services, $66.2 billion, VA, VHA, Medical Community Care, $20.7 billion, VA, VHA, Medical and Prosthetic Research; $902 million. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for a variety of COVID-related bills from the 116th Congress as follows: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged congress to mitigate the impact of covid across racial and ethnic minority populations by collect covid-19 and racial disparity data, equitably distribute covid-19 vaccines and treatments, protect essential workers, permanently expand access to family and medical leave, address environmental and social drivers of health, integrate primary care and behavioral health, improve mental health parity with increased federal oversight and enforcement, make naloxone more available to prevent overdose, expand medication-assisted treatment (mat) for physicians, establish a national prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP); urged support for administering COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible immigrants in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. Urged CMS to support increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake by ensuring clinicians are appropriately paid for vaccine counseling for beneficiaries of Medicaid and Medicare. American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (H.R. 1319): Urged support for various provisions within the ARP to provide incentives for states to expand Medicaid by temporarily increasing the states base FMAP by five percentage points for two years for states that newly expand Medicaid. Urged support for allowing states, for five years, to extend Medicaid eligibility (and CHIP eligibility) to women for 12 months postpartum. Urged support to require Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment without beneficiary cost sharing with vaccines matched at a 100 percent federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) through one year after the end of the PHE. Urged support for $46 billion to HHS to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor COVID-19 infections, and for other activities necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Urged support to subsidize the health coverage of people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) under the ACA and those on unemployment insurance for a period of two years. Urged support for waiving VA cost sharing and copayments for medical treatment until September 30, 2021. Womens Health: Urged Congress to support, H.R. 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which would provide critical support for maternity care coordination programs to address the clinical and nonclinical perinatal needs of veterans and ensure effective coordination between VA and non-VA facilities in the delivery of maternity care and other health care services. Urged HHS to promptly finalize new Title X regulations that ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminates medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protects funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Urged support for mandatory, permanent extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage, from 60 days to 12 months after delivery. Urged support for the Womens Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755 and S. 1975), bills that would protect a persons ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy and to protect the health care clinicians ability to provide abortion services free from medically unnecessary restrictions such as waiting periods, biased counselling and admitting privilege requirements for clinicians. Expand Health Coverage and Affordability: Urged Congress to support H.R. 340, the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021, to expand federal matching assistance for states that choose to expand Medicaid, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Introduce and pass the companion bill in the Senate and H.R. 369, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2021, to permanently expand eligibility for higher premium tax credits under the ACA. Train and Support Frontline Physicians during and after COVID-19: Urged Congress to support H.R. 2256/S. 834, the Resident Physician Reduction Shortage Act of 2021, to increase the number of GME slots by at least 2,000 per year over seven years (14,000 slots) for specialties facing shortages, including internal medicine; H.R. 1554 (116th Congress), the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, to allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on their student loans while serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program; S. 948, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (116th Congress) and S. 3599 (116th Congress), the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, to support the COVID-19 response workforce by expediting visas for international medical graduates (IMGs) to enter the U.S. for training and patient care, permanently authorizing the Conrad 30 Program, and providing a pathway for IMGs and their families already in the U.S to obtain permanent residency status; H.R. 2418, the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, to forgive student loans for physicians and other clinicians who are on the frontlines of providing care to COVID-19 patients or helping the health care system cope with the COVID-19 public health emergency; H.R. 1667/S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, to address the behavioral health and well-being of physicians, including depression, suicides and burnout. Support the Value of Primary and Comprehensive Care: Urged Congress to Continue to fund the 3.75 percent increase to all physicians services that was approved by Congress at the end of last year to prevent CY2022 budget neutrality cuts for physician services, including primary care visits and other evaluation and management services; Ensure that any legislation that addresses budget neutrality treats all services fairly and equitably; Pass H.R. 1025, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, to increase access to health coverage for Medicaid patients by achieving payment parity for primary care services under Medicaid and Medicare; Extend the five percent bonus that physicians receive if they meet performance expectations in Advanced APMs that is set to expire at the end of 2022; Act before the end of CY2021 to prevent scheduled cuts for physician services, including primary care, resulting from budget sequestration and pay-as-you go budget rules. Voiced support for H.R. 6020, bipartisan legislation to extend the 3.75 percent update to the conversion factor for an additional year. Improve Access to Prescription Drugs and Reduce Costs: Urged Congress to support S. 898, the Fair Drug Pricing Act, to require drug companies to disclose and provide more information about imminent drug-price increases, including data about research and development costs; S. 833, the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021, to help to reduce drug prices and out-of-pocket costs by allowing the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries; S. 141, the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, to end the federal tax deduction that pharmaceutical companies use to pay for drug advertising; S. 464/H.R. 2163, the Safe Step Act, to ensure patient access to appropriate treatments based on clinical decision-making and medical necessity rather than arbitrary step therapy protocols. Promote Health Equity, Social Justice, and Eliminate Disparities: Urged Congress to support H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, to overhaul qualified immunity for law enforcement, prohibit racial profiling on the part of law enforcement and ban no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and chokeholds and carotid holds at the federal level; H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal housing credit and the jury system; H.R. 666/S. 162, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2021, to establish within the CDC a National Center on Anti-racism and Health for data collection and research and a law enforcement violence prevention program; H.R. 959/S. 346, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the U.S. and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among pregnant minority women. Expand Access to Telehealth Services and Promote Patient Safety/Privacy; Urged Congress to support H.R. 2903/S. 1512, the CONNECT for Health Act, to remove arbitrary barriers to telehealth services such as geographic and site of service restrictions; S. 168/H.R. 708, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act or the TREAT Act, to ensure that telehealth services can be provided across states lines after the public health emergency ends; Urged appropriators to include adequate funding in FY2022 to support expansion of broadband capabilities nationwide, especially to rural and underserved communities, and to remove the ban on adoption of a national unique health identifier standard. Veterans Administration: Expressed concerns to the VA about its efforts to develop National Standards of Practice for physicians and other health professionals that supersede state scope of practice and licensure laws; expressed that the VA has not provided a transparent process by which public stakeholders are provided an adequate opportunity to review and provide meaningful input into the standards of practice. Expressed concern that the VA is moving forward too quickly and with too little stakeholder input on the VA supremacy Project. Urged support for provisions in any final FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act to prevent cuts to the military medical workforce without requiring appropriate congressional oversight and review. Surprise Medical Billing: Voiced support for the decision of CMS to provide protections for patients from surprise bills in situations where they need an ambulance, especially in a perceived emergency; voiced support for CMS approach that emergency services provided by out-of-network emergency facilities and out-of-network provider organizations, and certain non-emergency services furnished by out-of-network provider organizations at certain in-network facilities, must be calculated based on a recognized amount which is generally the lesser of the Qualifying Payment Amount (QPA) - the plans median in-network rate for the item or service, or an all-payer model agreement between CMS and the state; urged CMS to include in the Independent Dispute Resolution process described in future sub-regulatory guidance that health plans have an affirmative obligation to pay fairly and appropriately for services provided in and out of network. Substance Use Disorders: Urged Congress to support for the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act in the 117th Congress, which offers increased access to treatment and will improve care for individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), specifically $1 billion per year to expand access to overdose reversal drugs (Naloxone) and provide this life-saving medicine to states to distribute to first responders, public health departments, and the public. The Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376): Urged support in Congress for the following provisions: provide temporary enhanced ACA Marketplace cost-sharing reduction assistance to individuals with household incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) for calendar years (CY) 2022 through 2025 and specify that individuals with household incomes below 138 percent of the FPL with access to employer-sponsored coverage or a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement can still receive credits; the 400 percent federal poverty level premium tax credit eligibility cap should be eliminated, and the amount of premium tax credits for all income levels should be enhanced; establish a health insurance affordability fund, with $10 billion made available annually for states to establish a state reinsurance program or use the funds to provide financial assistance to reduce out-of-pocket costs; permanently reauthorize CHIP and provide states the option to increase Medicaid and CHIP eligibility levels for children up to 300 percent of FPL without receiving a waiver. Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged Congress to support H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act (CoCM) that would provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians that choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM). CoCM involves a primary care physician working collaboratively with a psychiatric consultant and a care manager to manage the clinical care of behavioral health patient caseloads. Urged support for retaining all services added to the Medicare telehealth services list on a temporary, Category 3 basis until the end of CY23. CMS should maintain coverage of audio-only mental health visits even after the PHE is lifted. This extension should last at least through the end of 2023 with an option to extend it even further or consider making it permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who utilize these visits. Urged support for expanding access to mental and behavioral health services, including allowing beneficiaries to access services from home, or if the technology is not available at home, from a rural health clinic or hospital.

Client expense: $257,285 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. Regarding CMS 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program (QPP) rules, expressed support for extending some of the services and increased flexibility for telehealth through the end of 2023, namely some audio-only services that were allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), support for collecting additional data on health equity issues to analyze disparities that occur across their programs, support for including chronic care management as one of the seven MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) for 2023. FY2022 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support $10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions programs in the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as $50 million in funding shared evenly between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. Advocated for: Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), $9.2 billion; Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), $71 million; National Health Service Corps (NHSC), $860 million in total program funding; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), $500 million; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Program Operations for Federal Exchanges, $296.5 million. Also, urged support for the VA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), $103.1 billion, which includes the following within the VHA -- VA, VHA, Medical Services, $66.2 billion, VA, VHA, Medical Community Care, $20.7 billion, VA, VHA, Medical and Prosthetic Research; $902 million. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for a variety of COVID-related bills from the 116th Congress as follows: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged congress to mitigate the impact of covid across racial and ethnic minority populations by collect covid-19 and racial disparity data, equitably distribute covid-19 vaccines and treatments, protect essential workers, permanently expand access to family and medical leave, address environmental and social drivers of health, integrate primary care and behavioral health, improve mental health parity with increased federal oversight and enforcement, make naloxone more available to prevent overdose, expand medication-assisted treatment (mat) for physicians, establish a national prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP); urged support for administering COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible immigrants in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. Urged CMS to support increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake by ensuring clinicians are appropriately paid for vaccine counseling for beneficiaries of Medicaid and Medicare. American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (H.R. 1319): Urged support for various provisions within the ARP to provide incentives for states to expand Medicaid by temporarily increasing the states base FMAP by five percentage points for two years for states that newly expand Medicaid. Urged support for allowing states, for five years, to extend Medicaid eligibility (and CHIP eligibility) to women for 12 months postpartum. Urged support to require Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment without beneficiary cost sharing with vaccines matched at a 100 percent federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) through one year after the end of the PHE. Urged support for $46 billion to HHS to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor COVID-19 infections, and for other activities necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Urged support to subsidize the health coverage of people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) under the ACA and those on unemployment insurance for a period of two years. Urged support for waiving VA cost sharing and copayments for medical treatment until September 30, 2021. Womens Health: Urged Congress to support, H.R. 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which would provide critical support for maternity care coordination programs to address the clinical and nonclinical perinatal needs of veterans and ensure effective coordination between VA and non-VA facilities in the delivery of maternity care and other health care services. Urged HHS to promptly finalize new Title X regulations that ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminates medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protects funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Urged support for mandatory, permanent extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage, from 60 days to 12 months after delivery. Urged support for the Womens Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755 and S. 1975), bills that would protect a persons ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy and to protect the health care clinicians ability to provide abortion services free from medically unnecessary restrictions such as waiting periods, biased counselling and admitting privilege requirements for clinicians. Expand Health Coverage and Affordability: Urged Congress to support H.R. 340, the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021, to expand federal matching assistance for states that choose to expand Medicaid, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Introduce and pass the companion bill in the Senate and H.R. 369, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2021, to permanently expand eligibility for higher premium tax credits under the ACA. Train and Support Frontline Physicians during and after COVID-19: Urged Congress to support H.R. 2256/S. 834, the Resident Physician Reduction Shortage Act of 2021, to increase the number of GME slots by at least 2,000 per year over seven years (14,000 slots) for specialties facing shortages, including internal medicine; H.R. 1554 (116th Congress), the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, to allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on their student loans while serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program; S. 948, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (116th Congress) and S. 3599 (116th Congress), the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, to support the COVID-19 response workforce by expediting visas for international medical graduates (IMGs) to enter the U.S. for training and patient care, permanently authorizing the Conrad 30 Program, and providing a pathway for IMGs and their families already in the U.S to obtain permanent residency status; H.R. 2418, the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, to forgive student loans for physicians and other clinicians who are on the frontlines of providing care to COVID-19 patients or helping the health care system cope with the COVID-19 public health emergency; H.R. 1667/S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, to address the behavioral health and well-being of physicians, including depression, suicides and burnout. Support the Value of Primary and Comprehensive Care: Urged Congress to Continue to fund the 3.75 percent increase to all physicians services that was approved by Congress at the end of last year to prevent CY2022 budget neutrality cuts for physician services, including primary care visits and other evaluation and management services; Ensure that any legislation that addresses budget neutrality treats all services fairly and equitably; Pass H.R. 1025, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, to increase access to health coverage for Medicaid patients by achieving payment parity for primary care services under Medicaid and Medicare; Extend the five percent bonus that physicians receive if they meet performance expectations in Advanced APMs that is set to expire at the end of 2022; Act before the end of CY2021 to prevent scheduled cuts for physician services, including primary care, resulting from budget sequestration and pay-as-you go budget rules. Voiced support for H.R. 6020, bipartisan legislation to extend the 3.75 percent update to the conversion factor for an additional year. Improve Access to Prescription Drugs and Reduce Costs: Urged Congress to support S. 898, the Fair Drug Pricing Act, to require drug companies to disclose and provide more information about imminent drug-price increases, including data about research and development costs; S. 833, the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021, to help to reduce drug prices and out-of-pocket costs by allowing the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries; S. 141, the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, to end the federal tax deduction that pharmaceutical companies use to pay for drug advertising; S. 464/H.R. 2163, the Safe Step Act, to ensure patient access to appropriate treatments based on clinical decision-making and medical necessity rather than arbitrary step therapy protocols. Promote Health Equity, Social Justice, and Eliminate Disparities: Urged Congress to support H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, to overhaul qualified immunity for law enforcement, prohibit racial profiling on the part of law enforcement and ban no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and chokeholds and carotid holds at the federal level; H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal housing credit and the jury system; H.R. 666/S. 162, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2021, to establish within the CDC a National Center on Anti-racism and Health for data collection and research and a law enforcement violence prevention program; H.R. 959/S. 346, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the U.S. and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among pregnant minority women. Expand Access to Telehealth Services and Promote Patient Safety/Privacy; Urged Congress to support H.R. 2903/S. 1512, the CONNECT for Health Act, to remove arbitrary barriers to telehealth services such as geographic and site of service restrictions; S. 168/H.R. 708, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act or the TREAT Act, to ensure that telehealth services can be provided across states lines after the public health emergency ends; Urged appropriators to include adequate funding in FY2022 to support expansion of broadband capabilities nationwide, especially to rural and underserved communities, and to remove the ban on adoption of a national unique health identifier standard. Veterans Administration: Expressed concerns to the VA about its efforts to develop National Standards of Practice for physicians and other health professionals that supersede state scope of practice and licensure laws; expressed that the VA has not provided a transparent process by which public stakeholders are provided an adequate opportunity to review and provide meaningful input into the standards of practice. Expressed concern that the VA is moving forward too quickly and with too little stakeholder input on the VA supremacy Project. Urged support for provisions in any final FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act to prevent cuts to the military medical workforce without requiring appropriate congressional oversight and review. Surprise Medical Billing: Voiced support for the decision of CMS to provide protections for patients from surprise bills in situations where they need an ambulance, especially in a perceived emergency; voiced support for CMS approach that emergency services provided by out-of-network emergency facilities and out-of-network provider organizations, and certain non-emergency services furnished by out-of-network provider organizations at certain in-network facilities, must be calculated based on a recognized amount which is generally the lesser of the Qualifying Payment Amount (QPA) - the plans median in-network rate for the item or service, or an all-payer model agreement between CMS and the state; urged CMS to include in the Independent Dispute Resolution process described in future sub-regulatory guidance that health plans have an affirmative obligation to pay fairly and appropriately for services provided in and out of network. Substance Use Disorders: Urged Congress to support for the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act in the 117th Congress, which offers increased access to treatment and will improve care for individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), specifically $1 billion per year to expand access to overdose reversal drugs (Naloxone) and provide this life-saving medicine to states to distribute to first responders, public health departments, and the public. The Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376): Urged support in Congress for the following provisions: provide temporary enhanced ACA Marketplace cost-sharing reduction assistance to individuals with household incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) for calendar years (CY) 2022 through 2025 and specify that individuals with household incomes below 138 percent of the FPL with access to employer-sponsored coverage or a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement can still receive credits; the 400 percent federal poverty level premium tax credit eligibility cap should be eliminated, and the amount of premium tax credits for all income levels should be enhanced; establish a health insurance affordability fund, with $10 billion made available annually for states to establish a state reinsurance program or use the funds to provide financial assistance to reduce out-of-pocket costs; permanently reauthorize CHIP and provide states the option to increase Medicaid and CHIP eligibility levels for children up to 300 percent of FPL without receiving a waiver. Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged Congress to support H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act (CoCM) that would provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians that choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM). CoCM involves a primary care physician working collaboratively with a psychiatric consultant and a care manager to manage the clinical care of behavioral health patient caseloads. Urged support for retaining all services added to the Medicare telehealth services list on a temporary, Category 3 basis until the end of CY23. CMS should maintain coverage of audio-only mental health visits even after the PHE is lifted. This extension should last at least through the end of 2023 with an option to extend it even further or consider making it permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who utilize these visits. Urged support for expanding access to mental and behavioral health services, including allowing beneficiaries to access services from home, or if the technology is not available at home, from a rural health clinic or hospital.

Client expense: $101,390 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Lobby members of Congress regarding issues related to telemedicine. Advocate for increased transparency regarding drug pricing. Advocate for reducing barriers to entry of generic drugs into the marketplace. Advocate for transparency on the part of pharmaceutical benefit managers. Advocate for patient access to compounded medications. Advocate for reducing the burdens of utilization management tools, including step therapy and prior authorization for pharmaceuticals and services. Advocate for a stable supply of medications and mitigate drug shortages. Lobby members of the House to join the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Advocate for adequate and accurate network coverage for dermatologic care within health insurance exchange networks. Support H.R. 2163/S. 464, Safe Step Act. Support S. 989, Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act. Support H.R. 153, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act Support S. 898, Fair Accountability & Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act Support H.R. 3662, Patient Access to Urgent-Use Pharmacy Compounding Act Support H.R. 1916/S. 754, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. Advocate for relief from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans. Advocate for the continued and increased funding of Community Health Centers. Advocate for implementation of surprise medical billing legislation (enacted as part of P.L. 116-260, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, H.R. 133) as intended by Congress. Advocate for congressional action to hold health care professionals harmless from any cuts related to CMS Evaluation and Management Code proposals in any forthcoming legislation. Support H.R. 1677/S. 620, the KEEP Telehealth Options Act. Support H.R. 2903/S. 1512 the CONNECT for Health Act of 2021 Support the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (S. 610/H.R. 1667). Support H.R. 3173, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act Support H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest Act or the REDI Act Support the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S. 834/H.R. 2256) Advocate for a study on skin cancer in minority populations and communities to be included in the FY2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R. 4502) Advocate for the FDA to implement the 2015 rule, General and Plastic Surgery Devices: Restricted Sale, Distribution, and Use of Sunlamp Products; and the Sunlamp Products Proposed; Amendment to Performance Standard, which would ban minors under the age of 18 from using tanning beds. Support H.R. 5054, Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act Advocate to support extension of moratorium on 2% Medicare sequester as well as waiving PAYGO and mitigating anticipated additional 4% cuts to Medicare physician payment reimbursement due to enactment of H.R. 1319, American Recovery Act, P.L. 117-2.

Client expense: $390,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. Regarding CMS proposed 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program (QPP) rules, expressed support for extending some of the services and increased flexibility for telehealth through the end of 2023, namely some audio-only services that were allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), support for collecting additional data on health equity issues to analyze disparities that occur across their programs, support for including chronic care management as one of the seven MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) for 2023. FY2022 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support $10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions programs in the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as $50 million in funding shared evenly between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. Advocated for: Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), $9.2 billion; Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), $71 million; National Health Service Corps (NHSC), $860 million in total program funding; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), $500 million; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Program Operations for Federal Exchanges, $296.5 million. Also, urged support for the VA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), $103.1 billion, which includes the following within the VHA -- VA, VHA, Medical Services, $66.2 billion, VA, VHA, Medical Community Care, $20.7 billion, VA, VHA, Medical and Prosthetic Research; $902 million. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for a variety of COVID-related bills from the 116th Congress as follows: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged congress to mitigate the impact of covid across racial and ethnic minority populations by collect covid-19 and racial disparity data, equitably distribute covid-19 vaccines and treatments, protect essential workers, permanently expand access to family and medical leave, address environmental and social drivers of health, integrate primary care and behavioral health, improve mental health parity with increased federal oversight and enforcement, make naloxone more available to prevent overdose, expand medication-assisted treatment (mat) for physicians, establish a national prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP); urged support for administering COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible immigrants in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (H.R. 1319): Urged support for various provisions within the ARP to provide incentives for states to expand Medicaid by temporarily increasing the states base FMAP by five percentage points for two years for states that newly expand Medicaid. Urged support for allowing states, for five years, to extend Medicaid eligibility (and CHIP eligibility) to women for 12 months postpartum. Urged support to require Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment without beneficiary cost sharing with vaccines matched at a 100 percent federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) through one year after the end of the PHE. Urged support for $46 billion to HHS to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor COVID-19 infections, and for other activities necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Urged support to subsidize the health coverage of people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) under the ACA and those on unemployment insurance for a period of two years. Urged support for waiving VA cost sharing and copayments for medical treatment until September 30, 2021. Womens Health: Urged Congress to support, H.R. 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which would provide critical support for maternity care coordination programs to address the clinical and nonclinical perinatal needs of veterans and ensure effective coordination between VA and non-VA facilities in the delivery of maternity care and other health care services. Urged HHS to promptly finalize new Title X regulations that ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminates medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protects funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Urged support for mandatory, permanent extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage, from 60 days to 12 months after delivery. Urged support for the Womens Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755 and S. 1975), bills that would protect a persons ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy and to protect the health care clinicians ability to provide abortion services free from medically unnecessary restrictions such as waiting periods, biased counselling and admitting privilege requirements for clinicians. Expand Health Coverage and Affordability: Urged Congress to support H.R. 340, the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021, to expand federal matching assistance for states that choose to expand Medicaid, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Introduce and pass the companion bill in the Senate and H.R. 369, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2021, to permanently expand eligibility for higher premium tax credits under the ACA. Train and Support Frontline Physicians during and after COVID-19: Urged Congress to support H.R. 2256/S. 834, the Resident Physician Reduction Shortage Act of 2021, to increase the number of GME slots by at least 2,000 per year over seven years (14,000 slots) for specialties facing shortages, including internal medicine; H.R. 1554 (116th Congress), the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, to allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on their student loans while serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program; S. 948, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (116th Congress) and S. 3599 (116th Congress), the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, to support the COVID-19 response workforce by expediting visas for international medical graduates (IMGs) to enter the U.S. for training and patient care, permanently authorizing the Conrad 30 Program, and providing a pathway for IMGs and their families already in the U.S to obtain permanent residency status; H.R. 2418, the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, to forgive student loans for physicians and other clinicians who are on the frontlines of providing care to COVID-19 patients or helping the health care system cope with the COVID-19 public health emergency; H.R. 1667/S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, to address the behavioral health and well-being of physicians, including depression, suicides and burnout. Support the Value of Primary and Comprehensive Care: Urged Congress to Continue to fund the 3.75 percent increase to all physicians services that was approved by Congress at the end of last year to prevent CY2022 budget neutrality cuts for physician services, including primary care visits and other evaluation and management services; Ensure that any legislation that addresses budget neutrality treats all services fairly and equitably; Pass H.R. 1025, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, to increase access to health coverage for Medicaid patients by achieving payment parity for primary care services under Medicaid and Medicare; Extend the five percent bonus that physicians receive if they meet performance expectations in Advanced APMs that is set to expire at the end of 2022; Act before the end of CY2021 to prevent scheduled cuts for physician services, including primary care, resulting from budget sequestration and pay-as-you go budget rules. Improve Access to Prescription Drugs and Reduce Costs: Urged Congress to support S. 898, the Fair Drug Pricing Act, to require drug companies to disclose and provide more information about imminent drug-price increases, including data about research and development costs; S. 833, the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021, to help to reduce drug prices and out-of-pocket costs by allowing the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries; S. 141, the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, to end the federal tax deduction that pharmaceutical companies use to pay for drug advertising; S. 464/H.R. 2163, the Safe Step Act, to ensure patient access to appropriate treatments based on clinical decision-making and medical necessity rather than arbitrary step therapy protocols. Support Essential Public Health and Research Initiatives: Urged Congress to support H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act that would establish new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties; H.R. 3076/S. 506, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act from the 116th Congress, to establish a grant program to help states and Indian tribes implement extreme risk protection order laws and expands categories of individuals who are prohibited from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting a firearm; H.R. 3271/S. 1702, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act that would take important steps to mitigate the harmful impact of climate change on health. Promote Health Equity, Social Justice, and Eliminate Disparities: Urged Congress to support H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, to overhaul qualified immunity for law enforcement, prohibit racial profiling on the part of law enforcement and ban no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and chokeholds and carotid holds at the federal level; H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal housing credit and the jury system; H.R. 666/S. 162, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2021, to establish within the CDC a National Center on Anti-racism and Health for data collection and research and a law enforcement violence prevention program; H.R. 959/S. 346, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the U.S. and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among pregnant minority women. Expand Access to Telehealth Services and Promote Patient Safety/Privacy; Urged Congress to support H.R. 2903/S. 1512, the CONNECT for Health Act, to remove arbitrary barriers to telehealth services such as geographic and site of service restrictions; S. 168/H.R. 708, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act or the TREAT Act, to ensure that telehealth services can be provided across states lines after the public health emergency ends; Urged appropriators to include adequate funding in FY2022 to support expansion of broadband capabilities nationwide, especially to rural and underserved communities, and to remove the ban on adoption of a national unique health identifier standard. Veterans Administration: Expressed concerns to the VA about its efforts to develop National Standards of Practice for physicians and other health professionals that supersede state scope of practice and licensure laws; expressed that the VA has not provided a transparent process by which public stakeholders are provided an adequate opportunity to review and provide meaningful input into the standards of practice. Infrastructure Investment: Expressed support with Congress for several provisions in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, legislation that makes sweeping and historic investments in this nations infrastructure; Applauded provisions that would improve public health specifically to ensure all Americans have access to safe drinking water, broadband services that provide vital access to telehealth services, as well as investment in clean energy to reverse the negative health effects associated with climate change. Surprise Medical Billing: Voiced support for the decision of CMS to provide protections for patients from surprise bills in situations where they need an ambulance, especially in a perceived emergency; voiced support for CMS approach that emergency services provided by out-of-network emergency facilities and out-of-network provider organizations, and certain non-emergency services furnished by out-of-network provider organizations at certain in-network facilities, must be calculated based on a recognized amount which is generally the lesser of the Qualifying Payment Amount (QPA) - the plans median in-network rate for the item or service, or an all-payer model agreement between CMS and the state; urged CMS to include in the Independent Dispute Resolution process described in future sub-regulatory guidance that health plans have an affirmative obligation to pay fairly and appropriately for services provided in and out of network.

Client expense: $287,346 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. Regarding CMS proposed 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program (QPP) rules, expressed support for extending some of the services and increased flexibility for telehealth through the end of 2023, namely some audio-only services that were allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), support for collecting additional data on health equity issues to analyze disparities that occur across their programs, support for including chronic care management as one of the seven MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) for 2023. FY2022 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support $10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions programs in the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as $50 million in funding shared evenly between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. Advocated for: Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), $9.2 billion; Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), $71 million; National Health Service Corps (NHSC), $860 million in total program funding; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), $500 million; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Program Operations for Federal Exchanges, $296.5 million. Also, urged support for the VA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), $103.1 billion, which includes the following within the VHA -- VA, VHA, Medical Services, $66.2 billion, VA, VHA, Medical Community Care, $20.7 billion, VA, VHA, Medical and Prosthetic Research; $902 million. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for a variety of COVID-related bills from the 116th Congress as follows: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged congress to mitigate the impact of covid across racial and ethnic minority populations by collect covid-19 and racial disparity data, equitably distribute covid-19 vaccines and treatments, protect essential workers, permanently expand access to family and medical leave, address environmental and social drivers of health, integrate primary care and behavioral health, improve mental health parity with increased federal oversight and enforcement, make naloxone more available to prevent overdose, expand medication-assisted treatment (mat) for physicians, establish a national prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP); urged support for administering COVID-19 vaccinations to all eligible immigrants in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (H.R. 1319): Urged support for various provisions within the ARP to provide incentives for states to expand Medicaid by temporarily increasing the states base FMAP by five percentage points for two years for states that newly expand Medicaid. Urged support for allowing states, for five years, to extend Medicaid eligibility (and CHIP eligibility) to women for 12 months postpartum. Urged support to require Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment without beneficiary cost sharing with vaccines matched at a 100 percent federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) through one year after the end of the PHE. Urged support for $46 billion to HHS to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor COVID-19 infections, and for other activities necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Urged support to subsidize the health coverage of people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) under the ACA and those on unemployment insurance for a period of two years. Urged support for waiving VA cost sharing and copayments for medical treatment until September 30, 2021. Womens Health: Urged Congress to support, H.R. 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which would provide critical support for maternity care coordination programs to address the clinical and nonclinical perinatal needs of veterans and ensure effective coordination between VA and non-VA facilities in the delivery of maternity care and other health care services. Urged HHS to promptly finalize new Title X regulations that ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminates medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protects funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Urged support for mandatory, permanent extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage, from 60 days to 12 months after delivery. Urged support for the Womens Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755 and S. 1975), bills that would protect a persons ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy and to protect the health care clinicians ability to provide abortion services free from medically unnecessary restrictions such as waiting periods, biased counselling and admitting privilege requirements for clinicians. Expand Health Coverage and Affordability: Urged Congress to support H.R. 340, the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021, to expand federal matching assistance for states that choose to expand Medicaid, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Introduce and pass the companion bill in the Senate and H.R. 369, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2021, to permanently expand eligibility for higher premium tax credits under the ACA. Train and Support Frontline Physicians during and after COVID-19: Urged Congress to support H.R. 2256/S. 834, the Resident Physician Reduction Shortage Act of 2021, to increase the number of GME slots by at least 2,000 per year over seven years (14,000 slots) for specialties facing shortages, including internal medicine; H.R. 1554 (116th Congress), the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, to allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on their student loans while serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program; S. 948, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (116th Congress) and S. 3599 (116th Congress), the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, to support the COVID-19 response workforce by expediting visas for international medical graduates (IMGs) to enter the U.S. for training and patient care, permanently authorizing the Conrad 30 Program, and providing a pathway for IMGs and their families already in the U.S to obtain permanent residency status; H.R. 2418, the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, to forgive student loans for physicians and other clinicians who are on the frontlines of providing care to COVID-19 patients or helping the health care system cope with the COVID-19 public health emergency; H.R. 1667/S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, to address the behavioral health and well-being of physicians, including depression, suicides and burnout. Support the Value of Primary and Comprehensive Care: Urged Congress to Continue to fund the 3.75 percent increase to all physicians services that was approved by Congress at the end of last year to prevent CY2022 budget neutrality cuts for physician services, including primary care visits and other evaluation and management services; Ensure that any legislation that addresses budget neutrality treats all services fairly and equitably; Pass H.R. 1025, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, to increase access to health coverage for Medicaid patients by achieving payment parity for primary care services under Medicaid and Medicare; Extend the five percent bonus that physicians receive if they meet performance expectations in Advanced APMs that is set to expire at the end of 2022; Act before the end of CY2021 to prevent scheduled cuts for physician services, including primary care, resulting from budget sequestration and pay-as-you go budget rules. Improve Access to Prescription Drugs and Reduce Costs: Urged Congress to support S. 898, the Fair Drug Pricing Act, to require drug companies to disclose and provide more information about imminent drug-price increases, including data about research and development costs; S. 833, the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021, to help to reduce drug prices and out-of-pocket costs by allowing the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries; S. 141, the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, to end the federal tax deduction that pharmaceutical companies use to pay for drug advertising; S. 464/H.R. 2163, the Safe Step Act, to ensure patient access to appropriate treatments based on clinical decision-making and medical necessity rather than arbitrary step therapy protocols. Support Essential Public Health and Research Initiatives: Urged Congress to support H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act that would establish new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties; H.R. 3076/S. 506, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act from the 116th Congress, to establish a grant program to help states and Indian tribes implement extreme risk protection order laws and expands categories of individuals who are prohibited from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting a firearm; H.R. 3271/S. 1702, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act that would take important steps to mitigate the harmful impact of climate change on health. Promote Health Equity, Social Justice, and Eliminate Disparities: Urged Congress to support H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, to overhaul qualified immunity for law enforcement, prohibit racial profiling on the part of law enforcement and ban no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and chokeholds and carotid holds at the federal level; H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal housing credit and the jury system; H.R. 666/S. 162, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2021, to establish within the CDC a National Center on Anti-racism and Health for data collection and research and a law enforcement violence prevention program; H.R. 959/S. 346, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the U.S. and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among pregnant minority women. Expand Access to Telehealth Services and Promote Patient Safety/Privacy; Urged Congress to support H.R. 2903/S. 1512, the CONNECT for Health Act, to remove arbitrary barriers to telehealth services such as geographic and site of service restrictions; S. 168/H.R. 708, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act or the TREAT Act, to ensure that telehealth services can be provided across states lines after the public health emergency ends; Urged appropriators to include adequate funding in FY2022 to support expansion of broadband capabilities nationwide, especially to rural and underserved communities, and to remove the ban on adoption of a national unique health identifier standard. Veterans Administration: Expressed concerns to the VA about its efforts to develop National Standards of Practice for physicians and other health professionals that supersede state scope of practice and licensure laws; expressed that the VA has not provided a transparent process by which public stakeholders are provided an adequate opportunity to review and provide meaningful input into the standards of practice. Infrastructure Investment: Expressed support with Congress for several provisions in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, legislation that makes sweeping and historic investments in this nations infrastructure; Applauded provisions that would improve public health specifically to ensure all Americans have access to safe drinking water, broadband services that provide vital access to telehealth services, as well as investment in clean energy to reverse the negative health effects associated with climate change. Surprise Medical Billing: Voiced support for the decision of CMS to provide protections for patients from surprise bills in situations where they need an ambulance, especially in a perceived emergency; voiced support for CMS approach that emergency services provided by out-of-network emergency facilities and out-of-network provider organizations, and certain non-emergency services furnished by out-of-network provider organizations at certain in-network facilities, must be calculated based on a recognized amount which is generally the lesser of the Qualifying Payment Amount (QPA) - the plans median in-network rate for the item or service, or an all-payer model agreement between CMS and the state; urged CMS to include in the Independent Dispute Resolution process described in future sub-regulatory guidance that health plans have an affirmative obligation to pay fairly and appropriately for services provided in and out of network.

Client expense: $102,561 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Lobby members of Congress regarding issues related to telemedicine. Advocate for increased transparency regarding drug pricing. Advocate for reducing barriers to entry of generic drugs into the marketplace. Advocate for transparency on the part of pharmaceutical benefit managers. Advocate for patient access to compounded medications. Advocate for reducing the burdens of utilization management tools, including step therapy and prior authorization for pharmaceuticals and services. Advocate for a stable supply of medications and mitigate drug shortages. Lobby members of the House to join the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Advocate for adequate and accurate network coverage for dermatologic care within health insurance exchange networks. Support H.R. 2163/S. 464, Safe Step Act. Support S. 989, Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act. Support H.R. 153, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act Support S. 898, Fair Accountability & Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act Support H.R. 3662, Patient Access to Urgent-Use Pharmacy Compounding Act Support H.R. 1916/S. 754, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. Advocate for relief from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans. Advocate for the continued and increased funding of Community Health Centers. Advocate for implementation of surprise medical billing legislation (enacted as part of P.L. 116-260, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, H.R. 133) as intended by Congress. Advocate to mitigate anticipated 4% cuts to Medicare physician payment reimbursement due to enactment of H.R. 1319, American Recovery Act, P.L. 117-2 (H.R. 1868). Advocate to support extension of moratorium on 2% Medicare sequester (H.R. 315, S. 748, H.R. 1868). Advocate for congressional action to hold health care professionals harmless from any cuts related to CMS Evaluation and Management Code proposals in any forthcoming legislation. Support H.R. 1677/S. 620, the KEEP Telehealth Options Act. Support the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (S. 610/H.R. 1667). Support H.R. 3173, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act Support H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest Act or the REDI Act Support the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S. 834/H.R. 2256) Advocate for a study on skin cancer in minority populations and communities to be included in the FY2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Advocate for the FDA to implement the 2015 rule, General and Plastic Surgery Devices: Restricted Sale, Distribution, and Use of Sunlamp Products; and the Sunlamp Products Proposed; Amendment to Performance Standard, which would ban minors under the age of 18 from using tanning beds.

Client expense: $350,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. FY2022 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support $10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions programs in the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as $50 million in funding shared evenly between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. Advocated for: Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), $9.2 billion; Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), $71 million; National Health Service Corps (NHSC), $860 million in total program funding; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), $500 million; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Program Operations for Federal Exchanges, $296.5 million. Also, urged support for the VA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), $103.1 billion, which includes the following within the VHA -- VA, VHA, Medical Services, $66.2 billion, VA, VHA, Medical Community Care, $20.7 billion, VA, VHA, Medical and Prosthetic Research; $902 million. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for a variety of COVID-related bills from the 116th Congress as follows: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged congress to mitigate the impact of covid across racial and ethnic minority populations by collect covid-19 and racial disparity data, equitably distribute covid-19 vaccines and treatments, protect essential workers, permanently expand access to family and medical leave, address environmental and social drivers of health, integrate primary care and behavioral health, improve mental health parity with increased federal oversight and enforcement, make naloxone more available to prevent overdose, expand medication-assisted treatment (mat) for physicians, establish a national prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (H.R. 1319): Urged support for various provisions within the ARP to provide incentives for states to expand Medicaid by temporarily increasing the states base FMAP by five percentage points for two years for states that newly expand Medicaid. Urged support for allowing states, for five years, to extend Medicaid eligibility (and CHIP eligibility) to women for 12 months postpartum. Urged support to require Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment without beneficiary cost sharing with vaccines matched at a 100 percent federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) through one year after the end of the PHE. Urged support for $46 billion to HHS to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor COVID-19 infections, and for other activities necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Urged support to subsidize the health coverage of people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) under the ACA and those on unemployment insurance for a period of two years. Urged support for waiving VA cost sharing and copayments for medical treatment until September 30, 2021. Patient Identifier: Urged Congress to reject the inclusion of outdated rider language in Section 510 of the Fiscal Year 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill that prohibits the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from spending any federal dollars to promulgate or adopt a national unique health identifier standard. Womens Health: Urged Congress to support, H.R. 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which would provide critical support for maternity care coordination programs to address the clinical and nonclinical perinatal needs of veterans and ensure effective coordination between VA and non-VA facilities in the delivery of maternity care and other health care services. Urged HHS to promptly finalize new Title X regulations that ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminates medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protects funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Expand Health Coverage and Affordability: Urged Congress to support H.R. 340, the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021, to expand federal matching assistance for states that choose to expand Medicaid, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Introduce and pass the companion bill in the Senate and H.R. 369, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2021, to permanently expand eligibility for higher premium tax credits under the ACA. Train and Support Frontline Physicians during and after COVID-19: Urged Congress to support H.R. 2256/S. 834, the Resident Physician Reduction Shortage Act of 2021, to increase the number of GME slots by at least 2,000 per year over seven years (14,000 slots) for specialties facing shortages, including internal medicine; H.R. 1554 (116th Congress), the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, to allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on their student loans while serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program; S. 948, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (116th Congress) and S. 3599 (116th Congress), the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, to support the COVID-19 response workforce by expediting visas for international medical graduates (IMGs) to enter the U.S. for training and patient care, permanently authorizing the Conrad 30 Program, and providing a pathway for IMGs and their families already in the U.S to obtain permanent residency status; H.R. 2418, the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, to forgive student loans for physicians and other clinicians who are on the frontlines of providing care to COVID-19 patients or helping the health care system cope with the COVID-19 public health emergency; H.R. 1667/S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, to address the behavioral health and well-being of physicians, including depression, suicides and burnout. Support the Value of Primary and Comprehensive Care: Urged Congress to Continue to fund the 3.75 percent increase to all physicians services that was approved by Congress at the end of last year to prevent CY2022 budget neutrality cuts for physician services, including primary care visits and other evaluation and management services; Ensure that any legislation that addresses budget neutrality treats all services fairly and equitably; Pass H.R. 1025, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, to increase access to health coverage for Medicaid patients by achieving payment parity for primary care services under Medicaid and Medicare; Extend the five percent bonus that physicians receive if they meet performance expectations in Advanced APMs that is set to expire at the end of 2022; Act before the end of CY2021 to prevent scheduled cuts for physician services, including primary care, resulting from budget sequestration and pay-as-you go budget rules. Improve Access to Prescription Drugs and Reduce Costs: Urged Congress to support S. 898, the Fair Drug Pricing Act, to require drug companies to disclose and provide more information about imminent drug-price increases, including data about research and development costs; S. 833, the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021, to help to reduce drug prices and out-of-pocket costs by allowing the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries; S. 141, the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, to end the federal tax deduction that pharmaceutical companies use to pay for drug advertising; S. 464/H.R. 2163, the Safe Step Act, to ensure patient access to appropriate treatments based on clinical decision-making and medical necessity rather than arbitrary step therapy protocols. Support Essential Public Health and Research Initiatives: Urged Congress to support H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act that would establish new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties; H.R. 3076/S. 506, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act from the 116th Congress, to establish a grant program to help states and Indian tribes implement extreme risk protection order laws and expands categories of individuals who are prohibited from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting a firearm; H.R. 3271/S. 1702, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act that would take important steps to mitigate the harmful impact of climate change on health. Promote Health Equity, Social Justice, and Eliminate Disparities: Urged Congress to support H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, to overhaul qualified immunity for law enforcement, prohibit racial profiling on the part of law enforcement and ban no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and chokeholds and carotid holds at the federal level; H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal housing credit and the jury system; H.R. 666/S. 162, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2021, to establish within the CDC a National Center on Anti-racism and Health for data collection and research and a law enforcement violence prevention program; H.R. 959/S. 346, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the U.S. and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among pregnant minority women. Expand Access to Telehealth Services and Promote Patient Safety/Privacy; Urged Congress to support H.R. 2903/S. 1512, the CONNECT for Health Act, to remove arbitrary barriers to telehealth services such as geographic and site of service restrictions; S. 168/H.R. 708, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act or the TREAT Act, to ensure that telehealth services can be provided across states lines after the public health emergency ends; Urged appropriators to include adequate funding in FY2022 to support expansion of broadband capabilities nationwide, especially to rural and underserved communities, and to remove the ban on adoption of a national unique health identifier standard.

Client expense: $248,306 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS)

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. FY2022 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support $10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions programs in the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as $50 million in funding shared evenly between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. Advocated for: Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), $9.2 billion; Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), $71 million; National Health Service Corps (NHSC), $860 million in total program funding; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), $500 million; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Program Operations for Federal Exchanges, $296.5 million. Also, urged support for the VA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), $103.1 billion, which includes the following within the VHA -- VA, VHA, Medical Services, $66.2 billion, VA, VHA, Medical Community Care, $20.7 billion, VA, VHA, Medical and Prosthetic Research; $902 million. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for a variety of COVID-related bills from the 116th Congress as follows: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged congress to mitigate the impact of covid across racial and ethnic minority populations by collect covid-19 and racial disparity data, equitably distribute covid-19 vaccines and treatments, protect essential workers, permanently expand access to family and medical leave, address environmental and social drivers of health, integrate primary care and behavioral health, improve mental health parity with increased federal oversight and enforcement, make naloxone more available to prevent overdose, expand medication-assisted treatment (mat) for physicians, establish a national prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (H.R. 1319): Urged support for various provisions within the ARP to provide incentives for states to expand Medicaid by temporarily increasing the states base FMAP by five percentage points for two years for states that newly expand Medicaid. Urged support for allowing states, for five years, to extend Medicaid eligibility (and CHIP eligibility) to women for 12 months postpartum. Urged support to require Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment without beneficiary cost sharing with vaccines matched at a 100 percent federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) through one year after the end of the PHE. Urged support for $46 billion to HHS to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor COVID-19 infections, and for other activities necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Urged support to subsidize the health coverage of people earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) under the ACA and those on unemployment insurance for a period of two years. Urged support for waiving VA cost sharing and copayments for medical treatment until September 30, 2021. Patient Identifier: Urged Congress to reject the inclusion of outdated rider language in Section 510 of the Fiscal Year 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill that prohibits the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from spending any federal dollars to promulgate or adopt a national unique health identifier standard. Womens Health: Urged Congress to support, H.R. 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which would provide critical support for maternity care coordination programs to address the clinical and nonclinical perinatal needs of veterans and ensure effective coordination between VA and non-VA facilities in the delivery of maternity care and other health care services. Urged HHS to promptly finalize new Title X regulations that ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminates medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protects funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Expand Health Coverage and Affordability: Urged Congress to support H.R. 340, the Incentivizing Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021, to expand federal matching assistance for states that choose to expand Medicaid, regardless of when such expansion takes place. Introduce and pass the companion bill in the Senate and H.R. 369, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2021, to permanently expand eligibility for higher premium tax credits under the ACA. Train and Support Frontline Physicians during and after COVID-19: Urged Congress to support H.R. 2256/S. 834, the Resident Physician Reduction Shortage Act of 2021, to increase the number of GME slots by at least 2,000 per year over seven years (14,000 slots) for specialties facing shortages, including internal medicine; H.R. 1554 (116th Congress), the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, to allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on their student loans while serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program; S. 948, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (116th Congress) and S. 3599 (116th Congress), the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, to support the COVID-19 response workforce by expediting visas for international medical graduates (IMGs) to enter the U.S. for training and patient care, permanently authorizing the Conrad 30 Program, and providing a pathway for IMGs and their families already in the U.S to obtain permanent residency status; H.R. 2418, the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, to forgive student loans for physicians and other clinicians who are on the frontlines of providing care to COVID-19 patients or helping the health care system cope with the COVID-19 public health emergency; H.R. 1667/S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, to address the behavioral health and well-being of physicians, including depression, suicides and burnout. Support the Value of Primary and Comprehensive Care: Urged Congress to Continue to fund the 3.75 percent increase to all physicians services that was approved by Congress at the end of last year to prevent CY2022 budget neutrality cuts for physician services, including primary care visits and other evaluation and management services; Ensure that any legislation that addresses budget neutrality treats all services fairly and equitably; Pass H.R. 1025, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, to increase access to health coverage for Medicaid patients by achieving payment parity for primary care services under Medicaid and Medicare; Extend the five percent bonus that physicians receive if they meet performance expectations in Advanced APMs that is set to expire at the end of 2022; Act before the end of CY2021 to prevent scheduled cuts for physician services, including primary care, resulting from budget sequestration and pay-as-you go budget rules. Improve Access to Prescription Drugs and Reduce Costs: Urged Congress to support S. 898, the Fair Drug Pricing Act, to require drug companies to disclose and provide more information about imminent drug-price increases, including data about research and development costs; S. 833, the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021, to help to reduce drug prices and out-of-pocket costs by allowing the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries; S. 141, the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, to end the federal tax deduction that pharmaceutical companies use to pay for drug advertising; S. 464/H.R. 2163, the Safe Step Act, to ensure patient access to appropriate treatments based on clinical decision-making and medical necessity rather than arbitrary step therapy protocols. Support Essential Public Health and Research Initiatives: Urged Congress to support H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act that would establish new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties; H.R. 3076/S. 506, the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act from the 116th Congress, to establish a grant program to help states and Indian tribes implement extreme risk protection order laws and expands categories of individuals who are prohibited from receiving, possessing, shipping, or transporting a firearm; H.R. 3271/S. 1702, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act that would take important steps to mitigate the harmful impact of climate change on health. Promote Health Equity, Social Justice, and Eliminate Disparities: Urged Congress to support H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, to overhaul qualified immunity for law enforcement, prohibit racial profiling on the part of law enforcement and ban no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and chokeholds and carotid holds at the federal level; H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations and facilities, education, federal housing credit and the jury system; H.R. 666/S. 162, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2021, to establish within the CDC a National Center on Anti-racism and Health for data collection and research and a law enforcement violence prevention program; H.R. 959/S. 346, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to reduce preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the U.S. and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among pregnant minority women. Expand Access to Telehealth Services and Promote Patient Safety/Privacy; Urged Congress to support H.R. 2903/S. 1512, the CONNECT for Health Act, to remove arbitrary barriers to telehealth services such as geographic and site of service restrictions; S. 168/H.R. 708, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act or the TREAT Act, to ensure that telehealth services can be provided across states lines after the public health emergency ends; Urged appropriators to include adequate funding in FY2022 to support expansion of broadband capabilities nationwide, especially to rural and underserved communities, and to remove the ban on adoption of a national unique health identifier standard.

Client expense: $98,181 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS)

S.3548, CARES Act: To provide emergency assistance and health care response for individuals, families, and businesses affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic; Practice Support/Grants to Practice S.3599, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act: Foreign physician immigration status H.R. 7059, Coronavirus Provider Protection Act: Liability protection for healthcare providers Public Law No: 116-142, Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 S.3201, Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act: Letter to Congressional Leadership regarding Fentanyl S.2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act: reducing drug shortages H.R. 3502, Protecting People From Surprise Medical Bills Act: Surprise Medical Bills H.R. 2500, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020: Krishnamoorthi amdt on drug shortages H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019: pre-authorization S. 1895, Lower Health Care Costs Act H.R. 3692, Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act of 2017: Medically assisted treatment; opioids H.R. 5761, Ending Maternal Mortality Act of 2018: Maternal mortality H.R. 5718, Perioperative Reduction of Opioids Act: Opioids H.R. 5197, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S. 2516, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S.2680, Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S.2456, CARA 2.0 Act of 2018: Medically assisted treatment; opioids H.R. 1565, Saving Lives, Saving Costs S.1475, Saving Lives, Saving Costs S.4349, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act: physician health Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (PL 114-198) FY 2021 LHHS Appropriations: Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations for Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services Outside Witness Testimony Affordable Care Act reform efforts H.R. 1628, American Health Care Act of 2017 S. Amdt. 1030 to H.R. 1628, "Graham-Cassidy" Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 H.R. 1492, Medical Controlled Substances Transportation Act of 2017 H.R. 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 H.R. 3545, Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act H.R. 3446, Restoring Board Immunity Act of 2017: Professional Licensing S.2260, Opioids and STOP Pain Initiative ACT:opioids 42 CFR Part 2, Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records: appropriate access to patient information essential for providing whole-person care H.R.3928, Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act of 2017 H.R. 1554, REDI Act: student loan debt repayment for residents H.R.842, Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021: PRO Act, labor protections 21st Century Cures Initiative Drug Shortages - FDA, DEA, HHS, CMS, GAO, House Energy and Commerce Committee, Senate HELP Committee DEA Scheduling Propofol Comparative Effectiveness Research - PCORI HITECH Implementation, Electronic Health Records, Final and Proposed Rules, HIT Meaningful Use HHS/OIG Anesthesia Practice Arrangements, Company Model FDA Safe Use Initiative Pain Management FTC Letters to States re: Interventional Pain Medicine & Advanced Practice Nurses & Competition in Healthcare Anesthesia Research Funding (Pediatric and others) Scope of Practice FDA Operating Room Fires Naloxone FDA Opioids Prescription Drug Abuse FDA Network of Experts NIH Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee FDA SMART TOTS - pediatric anesthesia research USP - US Pharmacopeia National Pain Strategy Nondiscrimination Compounding FDA Nominations to Advisory Committees (Anesthesia Drugs, Anesthesia Devices, Compounding) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) funding Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Sequestration Opioids and opioid abuse; Brain health Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants Blood management COVID-19: Increased supply of PPE and ventilators, Funding for physician practices impacted by the cancellation of elective surgeries, unique role of anesthesiologists in responding to COVID-19 pandemic, medical liability, Scope of Practice (Waiver of federal supervision requirement under the Emergency Declaration), insurance moratorium; COVID Update Memorandum 4/21/20 Centre for Clinical and Applied Services Provision Research

Client expense: $260,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

Resident Education Deferred Interest Act H.R.1554

Client expense: $20,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 implementation, Medicare physician payment reform, MEDPAC, surgical global payments, ACA implementation, health care reform, health care quality improvement, physician workforce issues, comparative clinical effectiveness research, health information technology, EHR meaningful use, EHR data blocking, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, MEDCAC, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, registry access to Medicare claims data, lung cancer screenings, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, graduate medical education, electronic cigarette and cigar regulation, PTAC, meaningful use, congenital heart disease funding, unique device identifiers, medical liability reform, tobacco riders in appropriations bills, tobacco regulation in the FDA, price transparency, ECMO coding, Prohibit Smoking in VA Facilities Act (S.2106/HR3700) Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S.348/HR1763), Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, surprise billing, prior authorization, Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act (S.1107/HR2222), T21 bills, Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Act (HR.3911), Smoke-Free Schools Act of 2019 (HR.4019/S.1832), Protection for Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Act (HR.4086), The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R.748), Coronavirus Provider Protection Act (H.R.7059), Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 (S. 348/H.R. 1763), Quit Because of COVID-19 Act (H.R.7286), Tobacco to 21 Act (S.1258/H.R.2411), The Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act (H.R.6697), Immediate Relief for Rural Facilities and Providers Act (S.3559/H.R.6365), Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019 (H.R.2339), Vaccines Act of 2019 (H.R.2862), Investment in Tomorrow's Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act (S.2443), Protecting People from Surprise Medical Bills Act (H.R.3502), Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act (H.R.1498), Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act (H.R.1554), Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (H.R.1682), Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2019 (H.R.1854), Women & Lung Cancer Research & Preventive Services Act (H.R.2222), Prevent BLEEDing Act of 2019 (H.R.2550), Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act (H.R.2781), PCORI Reauthorization (H.R.3030), Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act (H.R.3107), Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act (H.R.3302), Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act (S.655), Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (S.753)

Client expense: $186,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA)

Legislation related to student debt policy. H.R.2186 - Student Loan Refinancing Act H.R.1554 - REDI Act S.359 & H.R.996 - Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act H.R.4678 - Oral Health Literacy & Awareness Act of 2019 H.R.4674 - College Affordability Act H.R.1899 - Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), SENATE, Treasury, Dept of

Student loan deferral during the COVID-19 national emergency and loan forgiveness for physicians providing direct care to COVID-19 patients H.R.1554-Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act S.289-Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2019

Client expense: $340,838 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Price transparency, out-of-network reimbursement of emergency medical services, surprise medical bills Opioids, pain management Federal funding for Substance Use Disorder treatments Drug Shortages H.R.451-Dont Break Up the T-Band Act of 2020 H.R.501-Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 H.R.861-End Surprise Billing Act of 2019 H.R.925-The Heroes Act H.R.1301-Mental Health Telemedicine Expansion Act H.R.1309-Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act H.R.1418-Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019 H.R.1554-Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act H.R.1646-Helping Emergency Responders Overcome (HERO) Act H.R.1682-Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2019 H.R.1767-Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act H.R.2281-Easy Medication Access and Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Addiction Act H.R.2328-Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health Act H.R.2464-End the Cycle of Violence Act of 2019 H.R.2482-Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 H.R.2519-Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act of 2019 H.R.2550-Prevent Blood Loss with Emergency Equipment Devices Act of 2019 H.R.2569-Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2019 H.R.3107-Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019 H.R.3417-Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 H.R.3502-Protecting People From Surprise Medical Bills Act H.R.3630-No Surprises Act H.R.3935-Protecting Patients Transportation to Care Act H.R.3984-Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2019 H.R.4194-National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019 H.R.4861-Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019 H.R.4932-Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act of 2019 H.R.5619-Suicide Prevention Act H.R.5727-Research Empirical Solutions to End Ambulance Reversals from Closed Hospitals (RESEARCH) Act of 2020 H.R.5800-Ban Surprise Billing Act H.R.5826-Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020 H.R.5855-Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2020 H.R.6663-Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act of 2020 H.R.6800-Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act H.R.6910-Emergency Room Hero and Patient Safety Act H.R.6930-Manufacturing API, Drugs, and Excipients (MADE) in America Act of 2020 H.R.7059-Coronavirus Provider Protection Act H.R.7255-Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020 H.R.7574-Strengthening Americas Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2020 H.R.7819-Eliminating the Provider Relief Fund Tax Penalties Act of 2020 H.R.8094-Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act H.R.8441-Frontlines Heroes Act H.R.8505-To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes H.R.8702-Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020 S.289-Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2019 S.299-Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act S.350-Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019 S.618-Medicare Choices Empowerment and Protection Act S.753-Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2019 S.824-Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act S.851-Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act S.1199-Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 S.1266-Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills Act S.1334-Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department S.1350-Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2019 S.1365-Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2019 S.1531-Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 S.1895-Lower Health Care Costs Act S.2074-Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 S.2661-National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 S.2741-Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 S.3006-Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019 S.3143-Magnet Injury Prevention Act S.3198-Suicide Prevention Act S.3346-Prevent Blood Loss with Emergency Equipment Devices Act of 2020 S.4349-Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act S.5007-Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020

Client expense: $340,838 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Price transparency, out-of-network reimbursement of emergency medical services, surprise medical bills Opioids, pain management Federal funding for Substance Use Disorder treatments Drug Shortages H.R.451-Dont Break Up the T-Band Act of 2020 H.R.501-Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 H.R.861-End Surprise Billing Act of 2019 H.R.925-The Heroes Act H.R.1301-Mental Health Telemedicine Expansion Act H.R.1309-Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act H.R.1418-Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019 H.R.1554-Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act H.R.1646-Helping Emergency Responders Overcome (HERO) Act H.R.1682-Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2019 H.R.1767-Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act H.R.2281-Easy Medication Access and Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Addiction Act H.R.2328-Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health Act H.R.2464-End the Cycle of Violence Act of 2019 H.R.2482-Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 H.R.2519-Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act of 2019 H.R.2550-Prevent Blood Loss with Emergency Equipment Devices Act of 2019 H.R.2569-Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2019 H.R.3107-Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019 H.R.3417-Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 H.R.3502-Protecting People From Surprise Medical Bills Act H.R.3630-No Surprises Act H.R.3935-Protecting Patients Transportation to Care Act H.R.3984-Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2019 H.R.4194-National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019 H.R.4861-Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019 H.R.4932-Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act of 2019 H.R.5619-Suicide Prevention Act H.R.5727-Research Empirical Solutions to End Ambulance Reversals from Closed Hospitals (RESEARCH) Act of 2020 H.R.5800-Ban Surprise Billing Act H.R.5826-Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020 H.R.5855-Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2020 H.R.6663-Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act of 2020 H.R.6800-Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act H.R.6910-Emergency Room Hero and Patient Safety Act H.R.6930-Manufacturing API, Drugs, and Excipients (MADE) in America Act of 2020 H.R.7059-Coronavirus Provider Protection Act H.R.7255-Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020 H.R.7574-Strengthening Americas Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2020 H.R.7819-Eliminating the Provider Relief Fund Tax Penalties Act of 2020 H.R.8094-Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act S.289-Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2019 S.299-Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act S.350-Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019 S.618-Medicare Choices Empowerment and Protection Act S.753-Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2019 S.824-Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act S.851-Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act S.1199-Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2019 S.1266-Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills Act S.1334-Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department S.1350-Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2019 S.1365-Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2019 S.1531-Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 S.1895-Lower Health Care Costs Act S.2074-Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 S.2661-National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 S.2741-Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 S.3006-Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019 S.3143-Magnet Injury Prevention Act S.3198-Suicide Prevention Act S.3346-Prevent Blood Loss with Emergency Equipment Devices Act of 2020 S.4349-Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act

Client expense: $391,824 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Student loan deferral during the COVID-19 national emergency and loan forgiveness for physicians providing direct care to COVID-19 patients H.R.1554-Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act S.289-Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2019

Client expense: $391,824 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobby members of Congress regarding issues related to telemedicine. Advocate for increased transparency regarding drug pricing. Lobby members of the House to join the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Advocate for adequate and accurate network coverage for dermatologic care within health insurance exchange networks. Support H.R. 1959, Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act. Support H.R. 2077/S. 2546, Safe Step Act. Support H.R. 1035, Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act. Support H.R. 985, Fair Access for Safe and Timely Generics Act. Support S. 476, C-THRU Act. Support S. 989, Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act. Support H.R. 1034/S. 640, Phair Pricing Act. Support S. 657, Drug Price Transparency Act Support H.R. 938, BLOCKING Act Support H.R. 2375/S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics & Biosimilars Act Support H.R. 1499, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act Support H.R. 2296/S. 1391, Fair Accountability & Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act Support H.R. 2069, Stopping the Pharmaceutical Industry from Keeping drugs Expensive (SPIKE) Act. Support H.R. 2115, Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act Support H.R. 2376/S. 1227, Prescription Pricing for the People Act Support H.R. 1379/S. 560, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. Advocate for relief from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans. Support H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act Support pediatric subspecialty loan repayment in any reauthorization of the Title VII programs. Support S. 2443 Investment in Tomorrows Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act Support H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act. Advocate for the continued and increased funding of Community Health Centers. Lobby members of Congress to cosponsor H. Res. 323, which would support state, local, and community initiatives to encourage parents, teachers, camp counselors, and childcare professionals to take measures to prevent sunburns in the minors they care for, and would express the sense of the House of Representatives that state, local, and community entities should continue to support efforts to curb the incidences of skin cancer beginning with childhood skin protection. In the context of legislation to address surprise medical bills, advocate for an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to resolve disputes between payers and physicians and against provisions that would set out-of-network reimbursement rates at a benchmark level. (H.R. 2328, H.R. 3502, S. 1531, S. 1895, H.R. 133) Support H.R. 4575, Improving Provider Directories Act, which would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to establish a process to address inaccurate information listed in publicly accessible provider directories of such plans and issuers. Support the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effect Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 (S. 2741/H.R. 4932), which would increase access to telehealth services. Support legislation to address drug shortages by providing additional authority to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a stable supply of medications (S. 2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act; H.R. 6080, Preventing Drug Shortages Act). Similar provisions to mitigate drug shortages included in CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Request resources to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) and supplies and relief from Medicare payment sequester and relief from penalties in Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) under MACRA in the CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Support the Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act (H.R. 7255) to help promote mental health wellness among physicians and other health care workers during the Public Health Emergency. Advocate for congressional action to hold health care professionals harmless from any cuts related to CMS Evaluation and Management Code proposals in any forthcoming legislative package (H.R. 8702/S. 5007, Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act; S. 8505, a bill to provide a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustment under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule; H.R. 133, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021). Support H.R. 7233, the KEEP Telehealth Options Act. Oppose H.R 884/S. 2772 the Medicare Mental Health Access Act

Client expense: $310,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobby members of Congress regarding issues related to telemedicine. Advocate for increased transparency regarding drug pricing. Lobby members of the House to join the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Advocate for adequate and accurate network coverage for dermatologic care within health insurance exchange networks. Support H.R. 1959, Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act. Support H.R. 2077/S. 2546, Safe Step Act. Support H.R. 1035, Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act. Support H.R. 985, Fair Access for Safe and Timely Generics Act. Support S. 476, C-THRU Act. Support S. 989, Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act. Support H.R. 1034/S. 640, Phair Pricing Act. Support S. 657, Drug Price Transparency Act Support H.R. 938, BLOCKING Act Support H.R. 2375/S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics & Biosimilars Act Support H.R. 1499, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act Support H.R. 2296/S. 1391, Fair Accountability & Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act Support H.R. 2069, Stopping the Pharmaceutical Industry from Keeping drugs Expensive (SPIKE) Act. Support H.R. 2115, Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act Support H.R. 2376/S. 1227, Prescription Pricing for the People Act Support H.R. 1379/S. 560, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. Advocate for relief from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans. Support H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act Support pediatric subspecialty loan repayment in any reauthorization of the Title VII programs. Support S. 2443 Investment in Tomorrows Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act Support H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act. Advocate for the continued and increased funding of Community Health Centers. Lobby members of Congress to cosponsor H. Res. 323, which would support state, local, and community initiatives to encourage parents, teachers, camp counselors, and childcare professionals to take measures to prevent sunburns in the minors they care for, and would express the sense of the House of Representatives that state, local, and community entities should continue to support efforts to curb the incidences of skin cancer beginning with childhood skin protection. In the context of legislation to address surprise medical bills, advocate for an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to resolve disputes between payers and physicians and against provisions that would set out-of-network reimbursement rates at a benchmark level. (H.R. 2328, H.R. 3502, S. 1531, S. 1895, H.R. 133) Support H.R. 4575, Improving Provider Directories Act, which would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to establish a process to address inaccurate information listed in publicly accessible provider directories of such plans and issuers. Support the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effect Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 (S. 2741/H.R. 4932), which would increase access to telehealth services. Support legislation to address drug shortages by providing additional authority to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a stable supply of medications (S. 2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act; H.R. 6080, Preventing Drug Shortages Act). Similar provisions to mitigate drug shortages included in CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Request resources to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) and supplies and relief from Medicare payment sequester and relief from penalties in Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) under MACRA in the CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Support the Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act (H.R. 7255) to help promote mental health wellness among physicians and other health care workers during the Public Health Emergency. Advocate for congressional action to hold health care professionals harmless from any cuts related to CMS Evaluation and Management Code proposals in any forthcoming legislative package (H.R. 8702/S. 5007, Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act; S. 8505, a bill to provide a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustment under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule; H.R. 133, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021). Support H.R. 7233, the KEEP Telehealth Options Act. Oppose H.R 884/S. 2772 the Medicare Mental Health Access Act

Client expense: $310,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Monitor federal issues and legislation associated with health care policy. Monitor federal and legislative activity related to Medicare Reimbursement. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal governments response to the outbreak. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the HEALS Act (S. 4317 - S. 4324). Monitor implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). Monitor implementation of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10). Monitor implementation of 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). House Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. Senate Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. H.R. 3, Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. H.R.748, CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) and other legislation related to the policies in reaction to the national health crisis. H.R.7010, Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-142). H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Defense, CJS, FSGG, Homeland Security). H.R. 1554, REDI Act. H.R. 2087, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain manufacturers to report drug pricing information with respect to drugs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. H.R. 2279, Safe Step Act. H.R. 2693, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to, and utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits under part B of the Medicare program by establishing a minimum payment amount under such part for bone mass measurement. H.R. 2781, Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019. H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019. H.R. 4378, FY2020 Continuing Appropriations Resolution (P.L. 116-59). S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. S. 283, Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019. S. 1391, Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2019. S. 2543, Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. S. 2546, Safe Step Act. H.R. 1763, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. S. 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. H.R. 6788, Workforce Resilience Act. S. 3599, Workforce Resilience Act. H.R. 5741, Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act. H.R. 8505, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes H.R. 8702, Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020 H.R. 6644/S. 3741, Health Care at Home Act H.R. 4932/S. 2741, The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act H.R. 266, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139). S. 4014, The Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program (P4) Act. S. 4116, A bill to extend the authority for commitments for the paycheck protection program and separate amounts authorized for other loans under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act, and for other purposes (P.L. 116-147). S.4775, Delivering Immediate Relief to America's Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act. H.R. 6800, The Heroes Act. H.R. 8337 - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (P.L. 116-159). P.L. 116-260, FY2021 Omnibus and COVID Relief and Response Act. H.R. 133: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

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

Monitor federal issues and legislation associated with health care policy. Monitor federal and legislative activity related to Medicare Reimbursement. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal governments response to the outbreak. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the HEALS Act (S. 4317 - S. 4324). Monitor implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). Monitor implementation of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10). Monitor implementation of 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). House Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. Senate Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. H.R. 3, Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. H.R.748, CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) and other legislation related to the policies in reaction to the national health crisis. H.R.7010, Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-142). H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Defense, CJS, FSGG, Homeland Security). H.R. 1554, REDI Act. H.R. 2087, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain manufacturers to report drug pricing information with respect to drugs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. H.R. 2279, Safe Step Act. H.R. 2693, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to, and utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits under part B of the Medicare program by establishing a minimum payment amount under such part for bone mass measurement. H.R. 2781, Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019. H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019. H.R. 4378, FY2020 Continuing Appropriations Resolution (P.L. 116-59). S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. S. 283, Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019. S. 1391, Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2019. S. 2543, Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. S. 2546, Safe Step Act. H.R. 1763, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. S. 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. H.R. 6788, Workforce Resilience Act. S. 3599, Workforce Resilience Act. H.R. 5741, Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act. H.R. 8505, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes H.R. 8702, Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020 H.R. 6644/S. 3741, Health Care at Home Act H.R. 4932/S. 2741, The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act H.R. 266, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139). S. 4014, The Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program (P4) Act. S. 4116, A bill to extend the authority for commitments for the paycheck protection program and separate amounts authorized for other loans under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act, and for other purposes (P.L. 116-147). S.4775, Delivering Immediate Relief to America's Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act. H.R. 6800, The Heroes Act. H.R. 8337 - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (P.L. 116-159). P.L. 116-260, FY2021 Omnibus and COVID Relief and Response Act. H.R. 133: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

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

Monitor federal issues and legislation associated with health care policy. Monitor federal and legislative activity related to Medicare Reimbursement. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal governments response to the outbreak. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the HEALS Act (S. 4317 - S. 4324). Monitor implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). Monitor implementation of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10). Monitor implementation of 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). House Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. Senate Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. H.R. 3, Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. H.R.748, CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) and other legislation related to the policies in reaction to the national health crisis. H.R.7010, Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-142). H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Defense, CJS, FSGG, Homeland Security). H.R. 1554, REDI Act. H.R. 2087, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain manufacturers to report drug pricing information with respect to drugs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. H.R. 2279, Safe Step Act. H.R. 2693, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to, and utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits under part B of the Medicare program by establishing a minimum payment amount under such part for bone mass measurement. H.R. 2781, Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019. H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019. H.R. 4378, FY2020 Continuing Appropriations Resolution (P.L. 116-59). S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. S. 283, Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019. S. 1391, Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2019. S. 2543, Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. S. 2546, Safe Step Act. H.R. 1763, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. S. 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. H.R. 6788, Workforce Resilience Act. S. 3599, Workforce Resilience Act. H.R. 5741, Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act. H.R. 8505, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes H.R. 8702, Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020 H.R. 6644/S. 3741, Health Care at Home Act H.R. 4932/S. 2741, The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act H.R. 266, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139). S. 4014, The Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program (P4) Act. S. 4116, A bill to extend the authority for commitments for the paycheck protection program and separate amounts authorized for other loans under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act, and for other purposes (P.L. 116-147). S.4775, Delivering Immediate Relief to America's Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act. H.R. 6800, The Heroes Act. H.R. 8337 - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (P.L. 116-159). P.L. 116-260, FY2021 Omnibus and COVID Relief and Response Act. H.R. 133: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

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

Administration proposals relating to biomedical research, health care reform and Medicaid funding. H.R. 1763 and S. 348: Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions, and for other purposes (ALL). H.R. 1554: Resident Education Deferred Interest Act To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for interest-free deferment on student loans for borrowers serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program (ALL). H.R. 8283 and S. 4421: Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act A bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment (ALL). H.R. 133: COVID-19 Relief and Fiscal 2021 Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act Making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, providing coronavirus emergency response and relief, and for other purposes (provisions relating to relief for medical providers, COVID-19 testing and vaccine development, and graduate medical education).

Client expense: $70,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobby members of Congress regarding issues related to telemedicine. Advocate for increased transparency regarding drug pricing. Lobby members of the House to join the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Advocate for adequate and accurate network coverage for dermatologic care within health insurance exchange networks. Support H.R. 1959, Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act. Support H.R. 2077/S. 2546, Safe Step Act. Support H.R. 1035, Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act. Support H.R. 985, Fair Access for Safe and Timely Generics Act. Support S. 476, C-THRU Act. Support S. 989, Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act. Support H.R. 1034/S. 640, Phair Pricing Act. Support S. 657, Drug Price Transparency Act Support H.R. 938, BLOCKING Act Support H.R. 2375/S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics & Biosimilars Act Support H.R. 1499, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act Support H.R. 2296/S. 1391, Fair Accountability & Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act Support H.R. 2069, Stopping the Pharmaceutical Industry from Keeping drugs Expensive (SPIKE) Act. Support H.R. 2115, Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act Support H.R. 2376/S. 1227, Prescription Pricing for the People Act Support H.R. 1379/S. 560, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. Advocate for relief from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans. Support H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act Support pediatric subspecialty loan repayment in any reauthorization of the Title VII programs. Support S. 2443 Investment in Tomorrows Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act Support H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act. Advocate for the continued and increased funding of Community Health Centers. Lobby members of Congress to cosponsor H. Res. 323, which would support state, local, and community initiatives to encourage parents, teachers, camp counselors, and childcare professionals to take measures to prevent sunburns in the minors they care for, and would express the sense of the House of Representatives that state, local, and community entities should continue to support efforts to curb the incidences of skin cancer beginning with childhood skin protection. In the context of legislation to address surprise medical bills, advocate for an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to resolve disputes between payers and physicians and against provisions that would set out-of-network reimbursement rates at a benchmark level. (H.R. 2328, H.R. 3502, S. 1531, S. 1895, H.R. 133) Support H.R. 4575, Improving Provider Directories Act, which would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to establish a process to address inaccurate information listed in publicly accessible provider directories of such plans and issuers. Support the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effect Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 (S. 2741/H.R. 4932), which would increase access to telehealth services. Support legislation to address drug shortages by providing additional authority to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a stable supply of medications (S. 2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act; H.R. 6080, Preventing Drug Shortages Act). Similar provisions to mitigate drug shortages included in CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Request resources to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) and supplies and relief from Medicare payment sequester and relief from penalties in Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) under MACRA in the CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Support the Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act (H.R. 7255) to help promote mental health wellness among physicians and other health care workers during the Public Health Emergency. Advocate for congressional action to hold health care professionals harmless from any cuts related to CMS Evaluation and Management Code proposals in any forthcoming legislative package (H.R. 8702/S. 5007, Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act; S. 8505, a bill to provide a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustment under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule; H.R. 133, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021). Support H.R. 7233, the KEEP Telehealth Options Act. Oppose H.R 884/S. 2772 the Medicare Mental Health Access Act

Client expense: $310,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobby members of Congress regarding issues related to telemedicine. Advocate for increased transparency regarding drug pricing. Lobby members of the House to join the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Advocate for adequate and accurate network coverage for dermatologic care within health insurance exchange networks. Support H.R. 1959, Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act. Support H.R. 2077/S. 2546, Safe Step Act. Support H.R. 1035, Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act. Support H.R. 985, Fair Access for Safe and Timely Generics Act. Support S. 476, C-THRU Act. Support S. 989, Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act. Support H.R. 1034/S. 640, Phair Pricing Act. Support S. 657, Drug Price Transparency Act Support H.R. 938, BLOCKING Act Support H.R. 2375/S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics & Biosimilars Act Support H.R. 1499, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act Support H.R. 2296/S. 1391, Fair Accountability & Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act Support H.R. 2069, Stopping the Pharmaceutical Industry from Keeping drugs Expensive (SPIKE) Act. Support H.R. 2115, Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act Support H.R. 2376/S. 1227, Prescription Pricing for the People Act Support H.R. 1379/S. 560, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. Advocate for relief from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans. Support H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act Support pediatric subspecialty loan repayment in any reauthorization of the Title VII programs. Support S. 2443 Investment in Tomorrows Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act Support H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act. Advocate for the continued and increased funding of Community Health Centers. Lobby members of Congress to cosponsor H. Res. 323, which would support state, local, and community initiatives to encourage parents, teachers, camp counselors, and childcare professionals to take measures to prevent sunburns in the minors they care for, and would express the sense of the House of Representatives that state, local, and community entities should continue to support efforts to curb the incidences of skin cancer beginning with childhood skin protection. In the context of legislation to address surprise medical bills, advocate for an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to resolve disputes between payers and physicians and against provisions that would set out-of-network reimbursement rates at a benchmark level. (H.R. 2328, H.R. 3502, S. 1531, S. 1895, H.R. 133) Support H.R. 4575, Improving Provider Directories Act, which would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to establish a process to address inaccurate information listed in publicly accessible provider directories of such plans and issuers. Support the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effect Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 (S. 2741/H.R. 4932), which would increase access to telehealth services. Support legislation to address drug shortages by providing additional authority to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a stable supply of medications (S. 2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act; H.R. 6080, Preventing Drug Shortages Act). Similar provisions to mitigate drug shortages included in CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Request resources to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) and supplies and relief from Medicare payment sequester and relief from penalties in Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) under MACRA in the CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Support the Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act (H.R. 7255) to help promote mental health wellness among physicians and other health care workers during the Public Health Emergency. Advocate for congressional action to hold health care professionals harmless from any cuts related to CMS Evaluation and Management Code proposals in any forthcoming legislative package (H.R. 8702/S. 5007, Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act; S. 8505, a bill to provide a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustment under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule; H.R. 133, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021). Support H.R. 7233, the KEEP Telehealth Options Act. Oppose H.R 884/S. 2772 the Medicare Mental Health Access Act

Client expense: $310,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Medical liability issues; continuing medical education; graduate medical education; Physician Due Process Rights; General practice issues. H.R. 1554. Corporate practice of medicine. H.R. 748. H.R. 6910, the ER Hero and Patient Safety Act. Restrictive Clauses. H.R. 6800. H.R. 133, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law No: 116-260. S. 4349 and H.R. 8094

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

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

H. Res. 480, Acknowledging the racial disparities in diagnosing and treating mental health among youth in communities of color H.R. 1554, the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act H.R. 1763 / S. 348, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 H.R. 2734 / S. 1448, the Safer Prescribing of Controlled Substances Act H.R. 3180/ S. 1770, the RISE from Trauma Act H.R. 3239/ S. 2135, the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in Customs and Border Protection Custody Act H.R. 3253, the Empowering Beneficiaries, Ensuring Access, and Strengthening Accountability Act H.R. 3417, BETTER Act of 2019 H.R. 4194/S. 2661, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019 H.R. 4309, the Barriers to Suicide Act H.R. 4327, the Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act H.R. 4861/ S. 3006, the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act H.R. 4932 / S. 2741, the CONNECT for Health Act H.R. 4995, the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019 H.R. 4996, the Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services Act of 2019 H.R. 5201, the Telemental Health Expansion Act of 2019 H.R. 5473, the Enhance Access to Support Essential Behavioral Health Services Act H.R.5469/ S.4388, the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act of 2019 H.R.5575, the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act of 2020 Out of network billing legislation S. 1227, the Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2019 S. 2443, the Investment in Tomorrow's Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act S. 824, the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act S.1659, the Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act of 2019 Title III Sec. 305 Timely Bills to Patients within the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 (S. 1895) Cures 2.0 Title X Family Planning Program Administration Rule Efforts related to psychiatric bed shortages. H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act H.R. 4996, the Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services (MOMS) Act, and Senate efforts. S. 311, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act S. 3275, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act H.R. 4056 and S. 2446, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019 H.R. 5575, the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act Telehealth provisions as related to Covid-19. H.R. 6644, the Health Care at Home Act Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015 and related Medicare and Medicaid payment updates. Emergency financial relief and stability funding for 501(c)(6) tax-exempt medical and dental trade associations impacted by the pandemic H.R. 7078, the Evaluating Disparities and Outcomes of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Emergency Act of 2020 (EDOT Act of 2020) H.R. 7255, the Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020 S. 3919, the Military Suicide Prevention in the 21st Century Act H.R. 7608, the Legislative Vehicle for the Fiscal 2021 Four-Bill Appropriations Package H.R. 7539, the Strengthening Behavioral Health Parity Act H.R. 4564, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2019 H.R. 5619/ S. 3198, the Suicide Prevention Act H.R. 4585, the Campaign to Prevent Suicide Act H.R. 1646/ S. 3244, the Helping Emergency Responders Overcome (HERO) Act of 2019 H.R. 2519/ S. 1334, the Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act of 2019 H.R. 7147, the Creating Resources to Improve Situations of Inherent Severity Act (CRISIS Act) H.R. 7159/S. 4282, the Crisis Care Improvement and Suicide Prevention Act of 2020 H.R. 7689, the Improving Data Collection for Adverse Childhood Experiences Act H.R. 8094/S. 4349, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act H.R. 6561/S. 4440, the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act H.R. 7511/ S. 4211, the Facilitating Reforms that Offer Necessary Telehealth in Every Rural (FRONTIER) Community Act H.R. 884 / S. 2772, the Medicare Mental Health Access Act H.R. 3935, the Protecting Patients Transportation to Care Act H.R. 4564, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2020 S. Res. 738, Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September as National Suicide Prevention Month S. 4113, the Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy Act of 2020 (BRIDGE Act) H.R. 7859, the Strengthening Behavioral Health Supports for Schools Act S. 4421, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act H.R. 8141, the Strengthening Mental Health Supports for BIPOC Communities Act HR 7510, the Assimilating Health and Equity Assessments into Decision-making Act of 2020 or AHEAD Act H.R. 5469/S.4388, the Mental Health Equity Act of 2020 H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, S. 3792, the Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act of 2020. HR 6810 to provide COBRA subsidies for unemployed and furloughed individuals during COVID H.R. 7593/S. 4103, the Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act H.R. 6645, the Mental Health Research Act H.R. 5201, the Telemental Health Expansion Act of 2019 H.R. 6561/S. 3595, the Ensuring Understanding for COVID-19 to Protect Public Health Act S. 4524, the Quit Because of COVID-19 Act S. 4486, the Achieving Thorough Transparency & Accessibility for Information Navigation (ATTAIN) on Mental Health Act H.R. 6800/H.R. 8406, the HEROES Act S. 4230, the Telehealth Expansion Act of 2020 H.R. 7391, the Protect Telehealth Access Act of 2020 H.R. 7760, To make a supplemental appropriation for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program of the Federal Communications Commission for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 H.R.8067, the Addressing COVID-19 Health Disparities Act H.R. 2862, the VACCINES Act of 2019 (G6 letter for internal purposes) Efforts related to Collaborative Care Model S. 3197, the Improving Access to Health Care in Rural and Underserved Areas Act H.R. 6139, the COVID-19 Health Care Worker Protection Act of 2020 H.Res. 908 (S.Res. 580) Condemning all forms of Anti-Asian Sentiment as related to COVID-19 H.R. 6585, the Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act H.R. 7078, the EDOT Act of 2020 HR 7077, the Community Solutions for COVID-19 Act H.R. 7780, the Virtual Community Support Act of 2020 H. R. 8016, the Peer Assisted Relief Through Empathetic Resources and Supports (PARTNERS) Act H. R. 8206, the Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare Act of 2020 (PEERS Medicare Act of 2020) 2021 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule, E/M (H.R. 8702; H.R. 8505; S. 4932) H.R. 9035, the Permanency for Audio Only Telehealth Act H.R. 7663, Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2020 H.R. 8283/S. 4421 TREAT Act H.R. 2482/S. 2074 Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2019 Misuse of race data within clinical algorithms.

Client expense: $238,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Vice President of the United States, SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 implementation, Medicare physician payment reform, MEDPAC, surgical global payments, ACA implementation, health care reform, health care quality improvement, physician workforce issues, comparative clinical effectiveness research, health information technology, EHR meaningful use, EHR data blocking, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, MEDCAC, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, registry access to Medicare claims data, lung cancer screenings, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, graduate medical education, electronic cigarette and cigar regulation, PTAC, meaningful use, congenital heart disease funding, unique device identifiers, medical liability reform, COVID-19 pandemic, tobacco riders in appropriations bills, tobacco regulation in the FDA, price transparency, ECMO coding, Prohibit Smoking in VA Facilities Act (S.2106/HR3700) Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S.348/HR1763), Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, surprise billing, prior authorization, Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act (S.1107/HR2222), T21 bills, Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Act (HR.3911), Smoke-Free Schools Act of 2019 (HR.4019/S.1832), Protection for Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Act (HR.4086), The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R.748), Coronavirus Provider Protection Act (H.R.7059), Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 (S. 348/H.R. 1763), Quit Because of COVID-19 Act (H.R.7286), Tobacco to 21 Act (S.1258/H.R.2411), The Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act (H.R.6697), Immediate Relief for Rural Facilities and Providers Act (S.3559/H.R.6365), Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019 (H.R.2339), Vaccines Act of 2019 (H.R.2862), Investment in Tomorrow's Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act (S.2443), Protecting People from Surprise Medical Bills Act (H.R.3502), Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act (H.R.1498), Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act (H.R.1554), Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (H.R.1682), Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2019 (H.R.1854), Women & Lung Cancer Research & Preventive Services Act (H.R.2222), Prevent BLEEDing Act of 2019 (H.R.2550), Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act (H.R.2781), PCORI Reauthorization (H.R.3030), Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act (H.R.3107), Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act (H.R.3302), Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act (S.655), Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (S.753), Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020 (H.R. 8702/S.5007), Medicare Reimbursement Equity Act of 2020 (S.4932), To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes (H.R. 8505)

Client expense: $86,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA)

The Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (HR 1554) FY2020 LHHS Appropriations bill-funding for NIH/NCI Access to radioactive isotopes Support to ensure that patient care advances in biomedical research impacting patient care are not compromised by any policies imposed on the medical use and research applications of cesium chloride. Support for NRC Commissioner nominee to have medical background. Support patient choice in treatment options by closing the in-office ancillary services exception to the Stark Law for radiation oncology services; Protecting Integrity in Medicare Act (H.R. 2143) Radiation Oncology reimbursement Radiation Oncology safety Cancer Moonshot Initiative Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief for Puerto Rico Legislation to increase transparency in the prior authorization process Efforts to educate legislators about un-intended consequences associated with rate setting for health care services HR 1966 Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act of 2019 HR3107 Improving Seniors timely access to care act Curb surprise billing for patients preserve current training and experience requirements for radiopharmaceuticals H.R.748 CARES Act S.3548 CARES Act H.R.6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act H.R.6074 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 Economic relief for 501c6 organizations HR 5924 - Encourages specialty medicine physicians to serve in rural communities experiencing shortages of specialists. H.R.7255 - Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020- To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to health care providers to establish or expand programs dedicated to promoting mental wellness among their health care workers, including contractors, on the front lines of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and for other purposes.

Client expense: $148,483 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE

Higher Education Act Reauthorization Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Program Interest Rate Caps Foreign Medical School Accountability Fairness Act of 2019 (H.R. 103/S. 3058) Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act (H.R. 1554) Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt (POST GRAD) Act (H.R. 3418) COVID-19 impact on health professions education COVID-19 impact on osteopathic medical education Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act (H.R. 6720) Opportunities for Heroes Act of 2020 (H.R. 6699) COVID-focused liability protections for colleges of osteopathic medicine in COVID-19 stimulus Extended suspension of student loan payments for frontline healthcare professionals

Client expense: $50,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. Administrative Tasks on Physicians and Patients: Congress should accelerate its efforts to reduce administrative burdens on clinicians and patients, including: streamlining the prior authorization process, better integrating clinical data into clinicians electronic health records (EHRs), and working with CMS in their effort to overhaul clinical documentation guidelines; Urged Congress to cosponsor and pass the Safe Step Act (H.R. 2279), to require health insurers to provide an exceptions process for any medication step therapy protocol based on clinical decision-making, medical necessity, and other patient needs. Prescription Drug Costs: The College advocated for greater transparency in drug pricing, the elimination of anti-competitive industry practices that create barriers to generics coming to market, the importance of accounting for value in payment and coverage for prescriptions, and providing authority to the federal government to negotiate drug discounts under the Medicare Part D program. Specifically, the College urged Congress to pass the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2019 (H.R. 275/S. 62), which allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate covered Part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries, and the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2019, (H.R. 965/S. 340), which would improve patient access to alternative low-cost prescription drugs and biological products by preventing prescription drug manufacturers from misusing the FDAs Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) process to make it difficult for competing generics to be brought to the market. Also urged that Congress pass the Reforming Evergreening and Manipulation that Extends Drug Years, REMEDY Act (S. 1209), to aid in the approval of more generic drug applications by the FDA and therefore improve patient access to those medications. Also urged that Congress pass the Prescription Drug STAR Act (H.R. 2113), and the Fair Accountability and Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act (H.R. 2296/S. 1391), to promote greater drug pricing transparency; Expressed appreciation to the House speaker for introduction of H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, noting encouragement for its provisions to empower the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices and to cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors enrolled in the Medicare Part D program. Commented to the FDA on its prescription drug reimportation proposed rule noting that while the College is generally supportive of drug importation as laid out in the proposed rule as a means to control the cost of prescription drugs, the FDA must guarantee that the design and implementation of the rule includes numerous measures and safeguards to ensure patient safety. By limiting the origin of imported drugs to Canadian-certified and FDA-approved and registered drugs and entities, the College believes the proposed rule meets the required U.S. standards to assure high-quality drugs and patient safety. Any final drug importation system must also be one that is a closed system and has a tightly controlled and documented supply chain to assure authenticity and avoid degradation of the drug. Workforce, Medical and Health Services Research, Public Health Initiatives: Congress should ensure funding in FY 2021 for federal programs/initiatives designed to support primary care including Title VII Health Professions grants and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). Equally important is the need to fund essential health services and medical research by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and public health programs supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Firearms-Related Injury and Death: The College advocated for lawmakers to pass measures to strengthen the criminal background check system, ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, prevent the unlawful transfer of firearms to those who cannot legally purchase them, and remove restrictions on, and provide dedicated funding for, research by federal agencies on prevention of firearms-related injuries and death. Specifically, the College urged passage of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8), which would strengthen the accuracy and reporting of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as well as expand Brady background checks to cover all firearm sales, including unlicensed firearms sellers currently not required to use background checks, and the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act (H.R. 674/S. 184), which would authorize funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study firearms safety and gun violence prevention. Also urged Congress to pass the Violence Against Women (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R. 1585), to provide protections for domestic violence victims by restricting access to firearms by those deemed a threat to them. Also urged Congress to pass the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 (S. 66/H.R. 1296), to ban the sale of semi-automatic weapons and high capacity magazines. Immigration: The College advocated against family separation at the U.S. border. Specifically, the College urged support for H.R. 541 - the Keep Families Together Act, which would help ensure that children are not separated from their parents when families unlawfully cross over the border into the United States and would ensure that the Department of Homeland Security would not be able to implement the zero tolerance policy that separated families at the border last summer; urged congressional oversight of family separation policies. Also urged that Congress pass H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, which would provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship for undocumented children who came to the United States due to the action of their parents, also known as Dreamers. Expressed concern to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with the recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) policy change to no longer accept or adjudicate non-military deferred action requests including those for individuals with serious medical conditions; Urged USCIS to reverse this decision immediately and resume consideration of deferred action requests for medical reasons; Opposed the proposed rule, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media. This rule would change the process to extend the period of authorized stay in the United States for certain categories of nonimmigrants by eliminating the long-standing "duration of status and replacing it with a specific end date. The College urged the Department of Homeland Security to exclude physicians in the Department of States (DOS) Exchange Visitor Program in J-1 visa status from this rule change because it will otherwise disrupt the training of thousands of physicians - physicians who already have been thoroughly vetted, already are serving on our nations health care teams, and already are carefully monitored during their time in the U.S. Graduate Medical Education: Urged that Congress support medical education training and debt relief for primary care physicians and other specialties facing shortages by passing the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 (S. 348, H.R. 1763), to lift the GME caps as needed to permit training an adequate number of primary care physicians, including internal medicine specialists, and physicians in other specialties facing shortages; passing the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (H.R. 1554), to save physicians in residency programs thousands of dollars in interest on their loans and help incentivize the opening of practices in underserved areas; pass legislation to combine DGME and IME into a single, more functional payment program, and broaden the GME financing structure to include all payers; support funding for GME/IME and programs within the Veterans Health Administration that provide graduate medical education to ensure that physicians are adequately trained with the skills needed to treat an aging population. Urged Congress to pass the Opioid Workforce Act of 2019 (H.R. 3414), which would provide Medicare support for an additional 1,000 graduate medical education (GME) positions over five years in hospitals that have, or are in the process of establishing, accredited residency programs in addiction medicine, addiction psychiatry, or pain medicine. Urged Congress to pass S. 1203 and H.R. 2441, the What You Can Do For Your Country Act, which would improve and reform the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Vaccines: Urged Congress to pass the Vaccines Act (HR 2862), which would provide federal funding for vaccine hesitancy surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and outline a national public messaging campaign informed by this research to help improve vaccination rates; Supported H.R. 592, recognizing the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox and the importance of vaccination in the United States and worldwide; Urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reconsider its decision to not vaccinate families in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) against influenza (flu). Urged Congress to support payments for vaccines, as finalized by CMS, and set for implementation on Jan. 1, 2021. Surprise Medical Billing: Urged Congress to pass legislation that would protect patients from surprise out-of-network medical bills in both emergency and non-emergency settings that includes the following principles: hold patients harmless from surprise medical bills for out-of-network services, address narrow insurance networks, abandon efforts to establish an in-network median rate for services in these settings and instead opt for an independent dispute resolution process to determine payment. Appropriations: Urged Congress to fund Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million for fiscal year 2021; Fund the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) at $460 million for fiscal year 2021; Fund the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) at $830 million for fiscal year 2021; Fund the Title X Family Planning Program at $400 million for fiscal year 2021 and include language to remove barriers to care that interfere with the patient-physician relationship; Fund Research on Prevention of Firearms-related Injuries and Deaths at $50 million for Fiscal Year 2021; Fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at $44.7 billion for fiscal year 2021; Fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at $8.3 billion for fiscal year 2021; Urged the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to support provisions in any final FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act to prevent cuts to the Military Health Service and the military medical workforce without requiring appropriate congressional oversight and review. Physician Fee Schedule: Commented to CMS and to Congress to fully implement payment increases for all evaluation and management codes, as finalized by CMS, and as scheduled for implementation on Jan. 1, 2021. Reduce the documentation burden for E/M services by allowing choice of medical decision making or time, and work to develop additional clarity and guidance on acceptable documentation to operationalize these important proposals; examination room desktop computers should be counted as a direct medical equipment cost; care management should be promoted by increasing the values of services like Transitional Care Management (TCM) and Chronic Care Management and implementing Principle Care Management (PCM) codes; require additional survey and review for any requests to increase non-outpatient E/M or other services; work with the physician community prior to finalizing any policy affecting eligibility to participate in the Medicare program; Urged congressional committees of jurisdiction to support: Higher physician work relative value units (RVUs) for new and established office visit codes, leading to increased payments for them, Reduced documentation requirements for office visit codes, which enables physicians to select and document for each visit based on medical decision-making or total time, Expanded and improved payment for care management services. Urged Congress to support waiving budget neutrality, applicable to the calendar year 2021 physician fee schedule. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged HHS and Congress to make a targeted allocation out of the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to support primary care physicians and their practices, sufficient to keep their doors open, by offsetting lost revenue from the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to the targeted allocation for rural hospitals; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged Congress to support a targeted allocation from the Provider Relief Fund specifically for primary care services. Priorities for New Administration: Urged the incoming Biden Administration to identify and appoint physicians to health care leadership positions within your Administration. Implement approval, distribution, and funding of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Provide support to physicians and other frontline health care workers, including ensuring access and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to health care workers. Fund COVID-19 testing and contact tracing efforts. Reverse regulations that allow the sale of extended short-term, limited duration plans, association health plans. Take action to defend the Affordable Care Act from any litigation, including California v. Texas, that would undermine coverage and patient protections. Expand premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. Establish a federal public option to inject competition into the health insurance marketplace. Expand Medicaid eligibility and oppose expansion waivers that limit benefits and apply high cost sharing. Permanently increase payment for Medicaid primary care services to the level of Medicare. Restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, consistent with a recent ruling from a federal judge, and identify executive actions that can be taken to ensure that it is not vulnerable to being eliminated in the future. Pursue executive actions to preserve the principles of patient autonomy regarding reproductive decision-making rights. Reverse the Title X gag rule and restore funding to family planning clinics. Establish universal access to at least six weeks of paid family and medical leave that is flexible to accommodate care for a diverse array of family structures, including updating the Family Medical and Leave Act to include grandparents or in-laws. Re-introduce and pass the George Floyd Act and other legislation focused on eliminating racism and police violence. Rejoin the Paris Agreement.

Client expense: $241,204 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS)

-In support of the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (HR 1554) - would allow interest free deferment for medical and dental interns and residents -In support of extending deferment on student loan payments and interest accrual during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Client expense: $50,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), Treasury, Dept of

The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Expanding coverage and improving Medicare benefits; Providing needed protections to guard against insurance practices that unfairly limit, deny or rescind coverage based on health status; public and private health insurers should encourage preventive health care by providing full coverage, with no cost-sharing, for preventive services recommended by an expert advisory group, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; Ensuring access to primary care physicians; and beginning to bend the cost curve; Prohibiting insurers from excluding or charging excessive rates to children based on pre-existing conditions, which later will be expanded to all persons; Covering young adults on their parents' plans; Eliminating lifetime and annual limits on health insurance coverage; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; support enactment of S. 248, the Empowering States to Innovate Act, which amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to: (1) allow states to apply for waivers of certain health insurance coverage requirements in such Act (including requirements for the establishment of qualified health plans and health insurance exchanges) for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014 (currently, January 1, 2017), and (2) require the waiver application process to begin not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act; Phasing out the Medicare Part D doughnut hole; Eliminating patient cost-sharing for preventive services offered by Medicare or private insurers; Increasing Medicare and Medicaid payments to primary care physicians; Supporting the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to help physicians and patients make care decisions based on the best available evidence; Supporting the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to fund pilots of delivery models to improve outcomes and reduce costs, including patient-centered medical homes; Advocated against a December 2018 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. Access to Primary Care in the Context of Comprehensive Healthcare Reform Legislation (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3590/H.R. 4872): Provide sliding scale subsidies based on income to buy coverage from qualified plans; Qualified plans should: provide evidence-based benefits, including preventive services; and be prohibited from excluding persons with pre-existing conditions, charging them more, cherry-picking enrollees, or cancelling or failing to renew coverage; Expand Medicaid to cover all persons below the Federal Poverty Level and ensure fair payments to participating physicians; As coverage becomes affordable, all persons should participate and coverage should be guaranteed; Responsibility for financing should be shared by individuals, employers and government. Medicare payment models that re-align incentives to support effective, efficient, patient-centered, coordinated care. Priority should be given to models designed to support the value of services provided by primary care physicians as well as to models that would create incentives, across physician specialties and sites of services, to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of care provided. Policy criteria for selecting the most promising models for pilot testing should be developed, in consultation with outside experts; The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), which has shown great promise in meeting the policy objectives suggested above, should be among the models selected for broader testing on a national pilot basis; the use of the medical home model for treatment or services under private health plans, the requirement of health plans to provide incentives to promote and report on medical home services provided, the establishment of community health teams and a primary care extension program to educate and support primary care practices in the delivery of medical home services, and the establishment of a demonstration project to educate physicians and other clinicians in training in the competencies required to deliver care consistent with the medical home care model. Medicare Payments to Physicians: Urged that Congress provide incentives to physicians who transform their practices into Advanced Alternative Payment Models and continue to provide stability for physicians in the MIPS program. Specifically, Congress should extend the five percent Qualified Alternative Payment Model participant bonus beyond the 2022 performance year, replace the zero percent baseline payment updates under Medicare with positive updates. Urged congressional committees with jurisdiction over Medicare to exercise their oversight authority and urge CMS to expedite approval of more Advanced APMS, particularly those that work for small and specialty practices and to simplify the scoring structure and reporting requirements under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in order to fulfill Congress intent of a more streamlined program that reduces burdens on physicians; Supported S.2648, the Rural ACO Improvement Act, amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to ensure that all ACOs have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location; Provided recommendations to CMS on the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway (MVP), which aims to reduce reporting burden and complexity within MIPS while improving the accuracy and effectiveness of performance measurement. The College noted specifically that a robust, multi-year transition period will be critical to the success of the MVP, that it does not support making the MVP mandatory, that CMS should continue to support numerous reporting mechanisms, including qualified registries and clinical data registries, which have been instrumental in developing specialty-specific performance measures, among other things. Urged support for H.R. 8505, a bill to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Urged that any legislation to hold some Medicare physician payment codes harmless from budget neutrality do so for just one year and to allow evaluation and management increases, along with GPC1X codes to go into effect. Administrative Tasks on Physicians and Patients: Congress should accelerate its efforts to reduce administrative burdens on clinicians and patients, including: streamlining the prior authorization process, better integrating clinical data into clinicians electronic health records (EHRs), and working with CMS in their effort to overhaul clinical documentation guidelines; Urged Congress to cosponsor and pass the Safe Step Act (H.R. 2279), to require health insurers to provide an exceptions process for any medication step therapy protocol based on clinical decision-making, medical necessity, and other patient needs. Prescription Drug Costs: The College advocated for greater transparency in drug pricing, the elimination of anti-competitive industry practices that create barriers to generics coming to market, the importance of accounting for value in payment and coverage for prescriptions, and providing authority to the federal government to negotiate drug discounts under the Medicare Part D program. Specifically, the College urged Congress to pass the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2019 (H.R. 275/S. 62), which allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate covered Part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries, and the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2019, (H.R. 965/S. 340), which would improve patient access to alternative low-cost prescription drugs and biological products by preventing prescription drug manufacturers from misusing the FDAs Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) process to make it difficult for competing generics to be brought to the market. Also urged that Congress pass the Reforming Evergreening and Manipulation that Extends Drug Years, REMEDY Act (S. 1209), to aid in the approval of more generic drug applications by the FDA and therefore improve patient access to those medications. Also urged that Congress pass the Prescription Drug STAR Act (H.R. 2113), and the Fair Accountability and Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act (H.R. 2296/S. 1391), to promote greater drug pricing transparency; Expressed appreciation to the House speaker for introduction of H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, noting encouragement for its provisions to empower the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices and to cap out-of-pocket costs for seniors enrolled in the Medicare Part D program. Commented to the FDA on its prescription drug reimportation proposed rule noting that while the College is generally supportive of drug importation as laid out in the proposed rule as a means to control the cost of prescription drugs, the FDA must guarantee that the design and implementation of the rule includes numerous measures and safeguards to ensure patient safety. By limiting the origin of imported drugs to Canadian-certified and FDA-approved and registered drugs and entities, the College believes the proposed rule meets the required U.S. standards to assure high-quality drugs and patient safety. Any final drug importation system must also be one that is a closed system and has a tightly controlled and documented supply chain to assure authenticity and avoid degradation of the drug. Workforce, Medical and Health Services Research, Public Health Initiatives: Congress should ensure funding in FY 2021 for federal programs/initiatives designed to support primary care including Title VII Health Professions grants and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). Equally important is the need to fund essential health services and medical research by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and public health programs supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Firearms-Related Injury and Death: The College advocated for lawmakers to pass measures to strengthen the criminal background check system, ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, prevent the unlawful transfer of firearms to those who cannot legally purchase them, and remove restrictions on, and provide dedicated funding for, research by federal agencies on prevention of firearms-related injuries and death. Specifically, the College urged passage of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8), which would strengthen the accuracy and reporting of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as well as expand Brady background checks to cover all firearm sales, including unlicensed firearms sellers currently not required to use background checks, and the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act (H.R. 674/S. 184), which would authorize funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study firearms safety and gun violence prevention. Also urged Congress to pass the Violence Against Women (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R. 1585), to provide protections for domestic violence victims by restricting access to firearms by those deemed a threat to them. Also urged Congress to pass the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 (S. 66/H.R. 1296), to ban the sale of semi-automatic weapons and high capacity magazines. Immigration: The College advocated against family separation at the U.S. border. Specifically, the College urged support for H.R. 541 - the Keep Families Together Act, which would help ensure that children are not separated from their parents when families unlawfully cross over the border into the United States and would ensure that the Department of Homeland Security would not be able to implement the zero tolerance policy that separated families at the border last summer; urged congressional oversight of family separation policies. Also urged that Congress pass H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, which would provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship for undocumented children who came to the United States due to the action of their parents, also known as Dreamers. Expressed concern to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with the recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) policy change to no longer accept or adjudicate non-military deferred action requests including those for individuals with serious medical conditions; Urged USCIS to reverse this decision immediately and resume consideration of deferred action requests for medical reasons; Opposed the proposed rule, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media. This rule would change the process to extend the period of authorized stay in the United States for certain categories of nonimmigrants by eliminating the long-standing "duration of status and replacing it with a specific end date. The College urged the Department of Homeland Security to exclude physicians in the Department of States (DOS) Exchange Visitor Program in J-1 visa status from this rule change because it will otherwise disrupt the training of thousands of physicians - physicians who already have been thoroughly vetted, already are serving on our nations health care teams, and already are carefully monitored during their time in the U.S. Graduate Medical Education: Urged that Congress support medical education training and debt relief for primary care physicians and other specialties facing shortages by passing the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 (S. 348, H.R. 1763), to lift the GME caps as needed to permit training an adequate number of primary care physicians, including internal medicine specialists, and physicians in other specialties facing shortages; passing the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (H.R. 1554), to save physicians in residency programs thousands of dollars in interest on their loans and help incentivize the opening of practices in underserved areas; pass legislation to combine DGME and IME into a single, more functional payment program, and broaden the GME financing structure to include all payers; support funding for GME/IME and programs within the Veterans Health Administration that provide graduate medical education to ensure that physicians are adequately trained with the skills needed to treat an aging population. Urged Congress to pass the Opioid Workforce Act of 2019 (H.R. 3414), which would provide Medicare support for an additional 1,000 graduate medical education (GME) positions over five years in hospitals that have, or are in the process of establishing, accredited residency programs in addiction medicine, addiction psychiatry, or pain medicine. Urged Congress to pass S. 1203 and H.R. 2441, the What You Can Do For Your Country Act, which would improve and reform the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Vaccines: Urged Congress to pass the Vaccines Act (HR 2862), which would provide federal funding for vaccine hesitancy surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and outline a national public messaging campaign informed by this research to help improve vaccination rates; Supported H.R. 592, recognizing the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox and the importance of vaccination in the United States and worldwide; Urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reconsider its decision to not vaccinate families in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) against influenza (flu). Urged Congress to support payments for vaccines, as finalized by CMS, and set for implementation on Jan. 1, 2021. Surprise Medical Billing: Urged Congress to pass legislation that would protect patients from surprise out-of-network medical bills in both emergency and non-emergency settings that includes the following principles: hold patients harmless from surprise medical bills for out-of-network services, address narrow insurance networks, abandon efforts to establish an in-network median rate for services in these settings and instead opt for an independent dispute resolution process to determine payment. Appropriations: Urged Congress to fund Title VII, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million for fiscal year 2021; Fund the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) at $460 million for fiscal year 2021; Fund the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) at $830 million for fiscal year 2021; Fund the Title X Family Planning Program at $400 million for fiscal year 2021 and include language to remove barriers to care that interfere with the patient-physician relationship; Fund Research on Prevention of Firearms-related Injuries and Deaths at $50 million for Fiscal Year 2021; Fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at $44.7 billion for fiscal year 2021; Fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at $8.3 billion for fiscal year 2021; Urged the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to support provisions in any final FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act to prevent cuts to the Military Health Service and the military medical workforce without requiring appropriate congressional oversight and review. Physician Fee Schedule: Commented to CMS and to Congress to fully implement payment increases for all evaluation and management codes, as finalized by CMS, and as scheduled for implementation on Jan. 1, 2021. Reduce the documentation burden for E/M services by allowing choice of medical decision making or time, and work to develop additional clarity and guidance on acceptable documentation to operationalize these important proposals; examination room desktop computers should be counted as a direct medical equipment cost; care management should be promoted by increasing the values of services like Transitional Care Management (TCM) and Chronic Care Management and implementing Principle Care Management (PCM) codes; require additional survey and review for any requests to increase non-outpatient E/M or other services; work with the physician community prior to finalizing any policy affecting eligibility to participate in the Medicare program; Urged congressional committees of jurisdiction to support: Higher physician work relative value units (RVUs) for new and established office visit codes, leading to increased payments for them, Reduced documentation requirements for office visit codes, which enables physicians to select and document for each visit based on medical decision-making or total time, Expanded and improved payment for care management services. Urged Congress to support waiving budget neutrality, applicable to the calendar year 2021 physician fee schedule. COVID-19: Urged congressional appropriators to provide the highest possible funding level for research, prevention, control, and treatment of illnesses associated with the virus that is commensurate with the public health emergency that the virus represents. Urged the administration to explore regulatory and other actions that would make COVID-19 testing free-of-charge to patients covered by both public and private insurance plans, including ACA-compliant plans offered through the insurance exchanges, and to waive co-pays and deductibles for patients seeing physicians for symptoms that may be indicative of COVID-19 or who are hospitalized for treatment. Urged CMS to utilize a national disaster recovery program that would pay doctors 110% of Medicare rates for caring for uninsured patients who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Expressed support to Congress and the administration for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, H.R. 6201, and other stimulus reforms related to COVID-19 including: Emergency paid leave benefits, paid sick days for public health emergencies, coverage of testing for COVID-19, waiving of cost sharing under Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and CHIP, increasing the federal FMAP under Medicaid, providing reimbursement for CPT codes 99441 - 99443, which are telephone evaluation and management services, expediting entrance of international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations (non-US IMGs) into the country and ensuring that lawfully present non-U.S. IMGs are not negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for physician practices under the Public Health and Social Service Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), providing tax relief, grants, and loans to small and medium size practices impacted by COVID-19, increasing funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring Medicaid pay parity with Medicare for primary care services; Urged HHS and Congress to make a targeted allocation out of the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to support primary care physicians and their practices, sufficient to keep their doors open, by offsetting lost revenue from the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to the targeted allocation for rural hospitals; Urged support for the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, H.R. 6720, introduced May 5, 2020 by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) which would eliminate graduate school debt for healthcare workers, including physicians and medical students, who are providing direct patient care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; Urged support for H.R. 7059, the Coronavirus Provider Protection Act, which extend liability protections to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The College also urged that pay parity between telephone claims and in-person visits and between all telehealth and in-person visits be maintained after the PHE is lifted. This extension-either continued by CMS or mandated by Congress-should last at least through the end of 2021, or until such a time when effective vaccines and treatments are widely available, with an option to extend it even further, or consider making permanent, based on the experience and learnings of patients and physicians who are utilizing these visits. Urged Congress to support a targeted allocation from the Provider Relief Fund specifically for primary care services. Priorities for New Administration: Urged the incoming Biden Administration to identify and appoint physicians to health care leadership positions within your Administration. Implement approval, distribution, and funding of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Provide support to physicians and other frontline health care workers, including ensuring access and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to health care workers. Fund COVID-19 testing and contact tracing efforts. Reverse regulations that allow the sale of extended short-term, limited duration plans, association health plans. Take action to defend the Affordable Care Act from any litigation, including California v. Texas, that would undermine coverage and patient protections. Expand premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. Establish a federal public option to inject competition into the health insurance marketplace. Expand Medicaid eligibility and oppose expansion waivers that limit benefits and apply high cost sharing. Permanently increase payment for Medicaid primary care services to the level of Medicare. Restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, consistent with a recent ruling from a federal judge, and identify executive actions that can be taken to ensure that it is not vulnerable to being eliminated in the future. Pursue executive actions to preserve the principles of patient autonomy regarding reproductive decision-making rights. Reverse the Title X gag rule and restore funding to family planning clinics. Establish universal access to at least six weeks of paid family and medical leave that is flexible to accommodate care for a diverse array of family structures, including updating the Family Medical and Leave Act to include grandparents or in-laws. Re-introduce and pass the George Floyd Act and other legislation focused on eliminating racism and police violence. Rejoin the Paris Agreement.

Client expense: $91,236 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS)

S.3548, CARES Act: To provide emergency assistance and health care response for individuals, families, and businesses affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic; Practice Support/Grants to Practice S.3599, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act: Foreign physician immigration status H.R. 7059, Coronavirus Provider Protection Act: Liability protection for healthcare providers Public Law No: 116-142, Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 S.3201, Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act: Letter to Congressional Leadership regarding Fentanyl S.2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act: reducing drug shortages H.R. 3502, Protecting People From Surprise Medical Bills Act: Surprise Medical Bills H.R. 2500, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020: Krishnamoorthi amdt on drug shortages H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019: pre-authorization S. 1895, Lower Health Care Costs Act H.R. 3692, Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act of 2017: Medically assisted treatment; opioids H.R. 5761, Ending Maternal Mortality Act of 2018: Maternal mortality H.R. 5718, Perioperative Reduction of Opioids Act: Opioids H.R. 5197, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S. 2516, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S.2680, Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S.2456, CARA 2.0 Act of 2018: Medically assisted treatment; opioids H.R. 1565, Saving Lives, Saving Costs S.1475, Saving Lives, Saving Costs S.4349, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act: physician health Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (PL 114-198) FY 2021 LHHS Appropriations: Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations for Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services Outside Witness Testimony Affordable Care Act reform efforts H.R. 1628, American Health Care Act of 2017 S. Amdt. 1030 to H.R. 1628, "Graham-Cassidy" Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 H.R. 1492, Medical Controlled Substances Transportation Act of 2017 H.R. 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 H.R. 3545, Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act H.R. 3446, Restoring Board Immunity Act of 2017: Professional Licensing S.2260, Opioids and STOP Pain Initiative ACT:opioids 42 CFR Part 2, Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records: appropriate access to patient information essential for providing whole-person care H.R.3928, Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act of 2017 H.R. 1554, REDI Act: student loan debt repayment for residents 21st Century Cures Initiative Drug Shortages - FDA, DEA, HHS, CMS, GAO, House Energy and Commerce Committee, Senate HELP Committee DEA Scheduling Propofol Comparative Effectiveness Research - PCORI HITECH Implementation, Electronic Health Records, Final and Proposed Rules, HIT Meaningful Use HHS/OIG Anesthesia Practice Arrangements, Company Model FDA Safe Use Initiative Pain Management FTC Letters to States re: Interventional Pain Medicine & Advanced Practice Nurses & Competition in Healthcare Anesthesia Research Funding (Pediatric and others) Scope of Practice FDA Operating Room Fires Naloxone FDA Opioids Prescription Drug Abuse FDA Network of Experts NIH Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee FDA SMART TOTS - pediatric anesthesia research USP - US Pharmacopeia National Pain Strategy Nondiscrimination Compounding FDA Nominations to Advisory Committees (Anesthesia Drugs, Anesthesia Devices, Compounding) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) funding Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Sequestration Opioids and opioid abuse; Brain health Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants Blood management COVID-19: Increased supply of PPE and ventilators, Funding for physician practices impacted by the cancellation of elective surgeries, unique role of anesthesiologists in responding to COVID-19 pandemic, medical liability, Scope of Practice (Waiver of federal supervision requirement under the Emergency Declaration), insurance moratorium; COVID Update Memorandum 4/21/20 Centre for Clinical and Applied Services Provision Research

Client expense: $410,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

Educational debt, student loans, loan repayment programs, dental school accreditation Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (student loans, accreditation) H.R. 996, Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (REDI Act) H.R. 1899, Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act H.R. 2186, Student Loan Refinancing Act S. 359, Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act H.R. 3418, Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt Act (POST Grad Act) S. 2871/H.R. 6448 Indian Health Service Health Professions Tax Fairness Act H.R. 4674, College Affordability Act Student loan relief during COVID-19 pandemic Open Access Publishing H.R. 7032, Skills Renewal Act

Client expense: $640,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Indian Health Service, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Small Business Administration (SBA), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

Legislation related to student debt policy. H.R.2186 - Student Loan Refinancing Act H.R.1554 - REDI Act S.359 & H.R.996 - Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act H.R.4678 - Oral Health Literacy & Awareness Act of 2019 H.R.4674 - College Affordability Act

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), SENATE, Treasury, Dept of

Monitor federal issues and legislation associated with health care policy. Monitor federal and legislative activity related to Medicare Reimbursement. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal governments response to the outbreak. CARES Act and other legislation related to the policies in reaction to the national health crisis. H.R. 7010, The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. House Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. Senate Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. H.R. 3, Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. Monitor implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). Monitor implementation of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10). Monitor implementation of 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Defense, CJS, FSGG, Homeland Security). H.R. 1554, REDI Act. H.R. 2087, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain manufacturers to report drug pricing information with respect to drugs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. H.R. 2279, Safe Step Act. H.R. 2693, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to, and utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits under part B of the Medicare program by establishing a minimum payment amount under such part for bone mass measurement. H.R. 2781, Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019. H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019. H.R. 4378, FY2020 Continuing Appropriations Resolution (P.L. 116-59). S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. S. 283, Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019. S. 1391, Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2019. S. 2543, Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. S. 2546, Safe Step Act. H.R. 1763, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. S. 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. H.R. 6788, Workforce Resilience Act. S. 3599, Workforce Resilience Act. H.R. 5741, Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act. H.R.8505, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes H.R. 6644/S. 3741, Health Care at Home Act H.R. 4932/S. 2741, The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

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

Monitor federal issues and legislation associated with health care policy. Monitor federal and legislative activity related to Medicare Reimbursement. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal governments response to the outbreak. CARES Act and other legislation related to the policies in reaction to the national health crisis. H.R. 7010, The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. House Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. Senate Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. H.R. 3, Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. Monitor implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). Monitor implementation of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10). Monitor implementation of 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Defense, CJS, FSGG, Homeland Security). H.R. 1554, REDI Act. H.R. 2087, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain manufacturers to report drug pricing information with respect to drugs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. H.R. 2279, Safe Step Act. H.R. 2693, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to, and utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits under part B of the Medicare program by establishing a minimum payment amount under such part for bone mass measurement. H.R. 2781, Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019. H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019. H.R. 4378, FY2020 Continuing Appropriations Resolution (P.L. 116-59). S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. S. 283, Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019. S. 1391, Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2019. S. 2543, Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. S. 2546, Safe Step Act. H.R. 1763, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. S. 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. H.R. 6788, Workforce Resilience Act. S. 3599, Workforce Resilience Act. H.R. 5741, Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act. H.R.8505, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes H.R. 6644/S. 3741, Health Care at Home Act H.R. 4932/S. 2741, The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

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

Monitor federal issues and legislation associated with health care policy. Monitor federal and legislative activity related to Medicare Reimbursement. Monitoring and outreach on legislative activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal governments response to the outbreak. CARES Act and other legislation related to the policies in reaction to the national health crisis. H.R. 7010, The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. House Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. Senate Draft, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, FY 2021. H.R. 3, Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. Monitor implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). Monitor implementation of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10). Monitor implementation of 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). H.R. 1158, FY2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Defense, CJS, FSGG, Homeland Security). H.R. 1554, REDI Act. H.R. 2087, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain manufacturers to report drug pricing information with respect to drugs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. H.R. 2279, Safe Step Act. H.R. 2693, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to, and utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits under part B of the Medicare program by establishing a minimum payment amount under such part for bone mass measurement. H.R. 2781, Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019. H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019. H.R. 4378, FY2020 Continuing Appropriations Resolution (P.L. 116-59). S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. S. 283, Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019. S. 1391, Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2019. S. 2543, Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. S. 2546, Safe Step Act. H.R. 1763, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. S. 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act. H.R. 6788, Workforce Resilience Act. S. 3599, Workforce Resilience Act. H.R. 5741, Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act. H.R.8505, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a one-year waiver of budget neutrality adjustments under the Medicare physician fee schedule, and for other purposes H.R. 6644/S. 3741, Health Care at Home Act H.R. 4932/S. 2741, The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

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

Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 implementation, Medicare physician payment reform, MEDPAC, surgical global payments, ACA implementation, health care reform, health care quality improvement, physician workforce issues, comparative clinical effectiveness research, health information technology, EHR meaningful use, EHR data blocking, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, MEDCAC, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, registry access to Medicare claims data, lung cancer screenings, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, graduate medical education, electronic cigarette and cigar regulation, PTAC, meaningful use, congenital heart disease funding, unique device identifiers, medical liability reform, COVID-19 pandemic, tobacco riders in appropriations bills, tobacco regulation in the FDA, price transparency, ECMO coding, Prohibit Smoking in VA Facilities Act (S.2106/HR3700) Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S.348/HR1763), Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, surprise billing, prior authorization, Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act (S.1107/HR2222), T21 bills, Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Act (HR.3911), Smoke-Free Schools Act of 2019 (HR.4019/S.1832), Protection for Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Act (HR.4086), The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R.748), Coronavirus Provider Protection Act (H.R.7059), Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 (S. 348/H.R. 1763), Quit Because of COVID-19 Act (H.R.7286), Tobacco to 21 Act (S.1258/H.R.2411), The Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act (H.R.6697), Immediate Relief for Rural Facilities and Providers Act (S.3559/H.R.6365), Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019 (H.R.2339), Vaccines Act of 2019 (H.R.2862), Investment in Tomorrow's Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act (S.2443), Protecting People from Surprise Medical Bills Act (H.R.3502), Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act (H.R.1498), Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act (H.R.1554), Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (H.R.1682), Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2019 (H.R.1854), Women & Lung Cancer Research & Preventive Services Act (H.R.2222), Prevent BLEEDing Act of 2019 (H.R.2550), Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act (H.R.2781), PCORI Reauthorization (H.R.3030), Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act (H.R.3107), Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act (H.R.3302), Stopping Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act (S.655), Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act (S.753)

Client expense: $143,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA)

Higher Education Act Reauthorization Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Program Interest Rate Caps Foreign Medical School Accountability Fairness Act of 2019 (H.R. 103/S. 3058) Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act (H.R. 1554) Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt (POST GRAD) Act (H.R. 3418) COVID-19 impact on health professions education COVID-19 impact on osteopathic medical education CARES Act implementation and osteopathic medical education Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act (H.R. 6720) Opportunities for Heroes Act of 2020 (H.R. 6699) COVID-focused liability protections for colleges of osteopathic medicine in COVID-19 stimulus

Client expense: $50,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobby members of Congress to conduct oversight of implementation of Public Law 113-54, the Drug Quality and Security Act and to protect and preserve the use of compounded pharmaceuticals in the physician office prior to receipt of a patient prescription. Lobby members of Congress to direct the FDA to issue rulemaking pertaining to physicians access to compounded medications for use in the physician office setting. Lobby members of Congress regarding issues related to telemedicine. Advocate for increased transparency regarding drug pricing. Lobby members of the House to join the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus. Advocate for adequate and accurate network coverage for dermatologic care within health insurance exchange networks. Support H.R. 1959, Preserving Patient Access to Compounded Medications Act. Support H.R. 2077/S. 2546, Safe Step Act. Support H.R. 1035, Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act. Support H.R. 985, Fair Access for Safe and Timely Generics Act. Support S. 476, C-THRU Act. Support S. 989, Ensuring Childrens Access to Specialty Care Act. Support H.R. 1034/S. 640, Phair Pricing Act. Support S. 657, Drug Price Transparency Act Support H.R. 938, BLOCKING Act Support H.R. 2375/S. 64, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics & Biosimilars Act Support H.R. 1499, Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act Support H.R. 2296/S. 1391, Fair Accountability & Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act Support H.R. 2069, Stopping the Pharmaceutical Industry from Keeping drugs Expensive (SPIKE) Act. Support H.R. 2115, Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act Support H.R. 2376/S. 1227, Prescription Pricing for the People Act Support H.R. 1379/S. 560, Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. Advocate for relief from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans. Support H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act Support pediatric subspecialty loan repayment in any reauthorization of the Title VII programs. Support S. 2443 Investment in Tomorrows Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act Support H.R. 1554, Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act. Advocate for the continued and increased funding of Community Health Centers. Lobby members of Congress to cosponsor H. Res. 323, which would support state, local, and community initiatives to encourage parents, teachers, camp counselors, and childcare professionals to take measures to prevent sunburns in the minors they care for, and would express the sense of the House of Representatives that state, local, and community entities should continue to support efforts to curb the incidences of skin cancer beginning with childhood skin protection. In the context of legislation to address surprise medical bills, advocate for an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process to resolve disputes between payers and physicians and against provisions that would set out-of-network reimbursement rates at a benchmark level. (H.R. 2328, H.R. 3502, S. 1531, S. 1895) Support H.R. 4575, Improving Provider Directories Act, which would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to establish a process to address inaccurate information listed in publicly accessible provider directories of such plans and issuers. Support the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effect Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 (S. 2741/H.R. 4932), which would increase access to telehealth services. Support legislation to address drug shortages by providing additional authority to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a stable supply of medications (S. 2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act; H.R. 6080, Preventing Drug Shortages Act). Similar provisions to mitigate drug shortages included in CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Request resources to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) and supplies and relief from Medicare payment sequester and relief from penalties in Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) under MACRA in the CARES Act (H.R. 748, S. 3548). Support the Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act (H.R. 7255) to help promote mental health wellness among physicians and other health care workers during the Public Health Emergency. Advocate for congressional action to hold health care professionals harmless from any cuts related to CMS Evaluation and Management Code proposals in any forthcoming legislative package. Support H.R. 7233, the KEEP Telehealth Options Act. Oppose H.R 884/S. 2772 the Medicare Mental Health Access Act.

Client expense: $340,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Medical liability issues; continuing medical education; graduate medical education; Physician Due Process Rights; General practice issues. H.R. 1554. Corporate practice of medicine. H.R. 748. H.R. 6910, the ER Hero and Patient Safety Act. Restrictive Clauses. H.R. 6800.

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

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

Administration proposals relating to biomedical research, health care reform and Medicaid funding. H.R. 1763 and S. 348: Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions, and for other purposes (ALL). H.R. 1554: Resident Education Deferred Interest Act To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for interest-free deferment on student loans for borrowers serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program (ALL). H.R. 748: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Vehicle for the third coronavirus supplemental relief package (provisions relating to relief for medical providers). H.R. 266: Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act Vehicle for COVID-19 Small Business, Hospital and Testing Funds (provisions relating to relief for medical providers and COVID-19 testing). H.R. 8283 and S. 4421: Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act A bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment (ALL). S. 4322: Safely Back to School and Back to Work Act A bill to help Americans safely get back to school and back to work, and for other purposes (provisions relating to COVID-19 diagnostic testing).

Client expense: $60,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

S.3548, CARES Act: To provide emergency assistance and health care response for individuals, families, and businesses affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic; Practice Support/Grants to Practice S.3599, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act: Foreign physician immigration status H.R. 7059, Coronavirus Provider Protection Act: Liability protection for healthcare providers Public Law No: 116-142, Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 S.3201, Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act: Letter to Congressional Leadership regarding Fentanyl S.2723, Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act: reducing drug shortages H.R. 3502, Protecting People From Surprise Medical Bills Act: Surprise Medical Bills H.R. 2500, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020: Krishnamoorthi amdt on drug shortages H.R. 3107, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019: pre-authorization S. 1895, Lower Health Care Costs Act H.R. 3692, Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act of 2017: Medically assisted treatment; opioids H.R. 5761, Ending Maternal Mortality Act of 2018: Maternal mortality H.R. 5718, Perioperative Reduction of Opioids Act: Opioids H.R. 5197, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S. 2516, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S.2680, Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018: Medically assisted treatment; opioids S.2456, CARA 2.0 Act of 2018: Medically assisted treatment; opioids H.R. 1565, Saving Lives, Saving Costs S.1475, Saving Lives, Saving Costs Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (PL 114-198) FY 2021 LHHS Appropriations: Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations for Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services Outside Witness Testimony Affordable Care Act reform efforts H.R. 1628, American Health Care Act of 2017 S. Amdt. 1030 to H.R. 1628, "Graham-Cassidy" Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 H.R. 1492, Medical Controlled Substances Transportation Act of 2017 H.R. 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 H.R. 3545, Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act H.R. 3446, Restoring Board Immunity Act of 2017: Professional Licensing S.2260, Opioids and STOP Pain Initiative ACT:opioids 42 CFR Part 2, Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records: appropriate access to patient information essential for providing whole-person care H.R.3928, Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act of 2017 H.R. 1554, REDI Act: student loan debt repayment for residents 21st Century Cures Initiative Drug Shortages - FDA, DEA, HHS, CMS, GAO, House Energy and Commerce Committee, Senate HELP Committee DEA Scheduling Propofol Comparative Effectiveness Research - PCORI HITECH Implementation, Electronic Health Records, Final and Proposed Rules, HIT Meaningful Use HHS/OIG Anesthesia Practice Arrangements, Company Model FDA Safe Use Initiative Pain Management FTC Letters to States re: Interventional Pain Medicine & Advanced Practice Nurses & Competition in Healthcare Anesthesia Research Funding (Pediatric and others) Scope of Practice FDA Operating Room Fires Naloxone FDA Opioids Prescription Drug Abuse FDA Network of Experts NIH Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee FDA SMART TOTS - pediatric anesthesia research USP - US Pharmacopeia National Pain Strategy Nondiscrimination Compounding FDA Nominations to Advisory Committees (Anesthesia Drugs, Anesthesia Devices, Compounding) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) funding Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Sequestration Opioids and opioid abuse; Brain health Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants Blood management COVID-19: Increased supply of PPE and ventilators, Funding for physician practices impacted by the cancellation of elective surgeries, unique role of anesthesiologists in responding to COVID-19 pandemic, medical liability, Scope of Practice (Waiver of federal supervision requirement under the Emergency Declaration), insurance moratorium; COVID Update Memorandum 4/21/20

Client expense: $330,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office

The Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (HR 1554) FY2020 LHHS Appropriations bill-funding for NIH/NCI Access to radioactive isotopes Support to ensure that patient care advances in biomedical research impacting patient care are not compromised by any policies imposed on the medical use and research applications of cesium chloride. Support for NRC Commissioner nominee to have medical background. Support patient choice in treatment options by closing the in-office ancillary services exception to the Stark Law for radiation oncology services; Protecting Integrity in Medicare Act (H.R. 2143) Radiation Oncology reimbursement Radiation Oncology safety Cancer Moonshot Initiative Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief for Puerto Rico Legislation to increase transparency in the prior authorization process Efforts to educate legislators about un-intended consequences associated with rate setting for health care services HR 1966 Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act of 2019 HR3107 Improving Seniors timely access to care act Curb surprise billing for patients preserve current training and experience requirements for radiopharmaceuticals H.R.748 CARES Act S.3548 CARES Act H.R.6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act H.R.6074 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 Economic relief for 501c6 organizations HR 5924 - Encourages specialty medicine physicians to serve in rural communities experiencing shortages of specialists. H.R.7255 - Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act of 2020- To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to health care providers to establish or expand programs dedicated to promoting mental wellness among their health care workers, including contractors, on the front lines of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and for other purposes.

Client expense: $71,882 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE