Steve Gleason Act of 2017

Preservation of Medicaid as an entitlement program and avoiding cuts, including per capita caps and block grants. Implementation of and improving the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, P.L. 113-295, provisions added in P.L. 115-97. Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148 and P.L. 111-192 HCBS Settings Rule ABLE Age Adjustment Act, S. 817 and H.R. 1874 Permanently repealing Medicare Therapy Caps (H.R. 807, S. 253) Independence At Home 2 year extension (S. 464). Steve Gleason Act (S. 1132) to make permanent changes protecting access to speech generating devices.

Client expense: $40,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA)

Discussed options for United Spinal to be a potential grantee of the agencys Paralysis Resource Center. The PRC provides comprehensive information for people living with spinal cord injury, paralysis and mobility-related disabilities and their families. Resources include information and referral by phone and email in multiple languages including English and Spanish; a peer and family support mentoring program; a military and veterans program; multicultural outreach services; free lending library; quality of life grants; and a national website. The grant components and requirements may differ in upcoming grant announcements. United Spinal signed onto a letter facilitated by The National Health Council (NHC) and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and submitted to Members of Congress. The letter, in part, reads, "The chronic and rare disease and disability patient communities rely on FDA to ensure that innovative, safe, and effective treatments reach those in need. We thank Congress for moving forward with these critical funding mechanisms, [FDA user fess] and look forward to their swift and unimpeded passage." United Spinal helped draft a Congressional statement on the issue of biopharmaceuticals to ensure consumer protections. United Spinal also submitted questions to the Congress for the nomination hearing for FDA Commissioner nominee and provided report language to the Agriculture Committee on sufficient funding needs for appropriations. United Spinal participated in this multi-coalition Hill Day, (CPR/ITEM/HAB) on June 27 to highlight to Congress the importance of rehabilitation and habilitation benefits to be included in any health reform legislation. United Spinal signed onto a letter, led by NMSS, on the need for improved patient engagement at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. United Spinal supports robust assistive technology funding for the Assistive Technology Act Programs; protecting Medicaid funds; supporting CRT (exempting CRT power and manual chairs and components from Medicares competitive bidding program - HR 1361/S. 486); the Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act of 2017, H.R. 2050 and support of Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act, H.R. 2465/S.1132 - protection of speech-generating devices under Medicare. United Spinal signed on to multiple letters to Congress in opposition to Republican efforts to reform the ACA regarding limiting pre-existing conditions, removing essential health benefits and cut Medicaid. Opposes HR. 1628, AHCA, opposes BCRA. United Spinal sent a letter to Congress joining over 80 other groups voicing our opposition to H.R. 1215 the Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017. This bill would limit the legal rights of injured patients and families of those killed by negligent health care. The bills sweeping scope covers not only cases involving medical malpractice, but also cases involving unsafe drugs and nursing home abuse and neglect.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $150,000

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Coverage. H.R. 508, Seniors Have Eyes, Ears and Teeth Act: Proposal to expand Medicare coverage to include comprehensive coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Medicare Hearing Coverage. (No bill) Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act: Proposal to provide Medicare coverage of hearing aids. Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids. S. 670/H.R. 1652, Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017: Proposal to provide access to more affordable hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. Medicare Observation Status. S. 568, H.R. 1421, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2017: Proposal to count days in the hospital in observation status toward meeting the three-day prior hospitalization requirement for skilled nursing facility care eligibility. Medicare Privatization. (No bill.) Proposals to transform traditional Medicare into a private insurance carrier program. Medicare Eligibility Age. (No bill.) Proposal to raise the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 67. Medicare Home Health. H.R. 1825, Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2017: Proposal to improve access to home health care services by expanding list of health professionals authorized to certify eligibility for Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare Speech Generating Devices. S. 1132/H.R. 2465, Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act of 2017: Proposal to make permanent the elimination of a specified payment cap under the Medicare program with respect to speech generating devices. Medicare Enrollment. H.R. 2575, Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act of 2017 or the BENES Act of 2017: Proposal to establish requirements for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to notify individuals of their potential eligibility for Medicare, require the Internal Revenue Service to disclose to CMS specified taxpayer information for the purpose of establishing individuals' potential Medicare eligibility, and restructure Medicare enrollment periods and coverage periods. Affordable Care Act (ACA) Repeal and Replace. H. R. 1628, The American Health Care Act (AHCA): Provisions affecting the solvency of the Medicare Part A Trust Fund, increasing the beneficiary Part B premiums, increasing the costs of private health insurance for older Americans under age 65, restructuring the Medicaid program and institutional and in-home long-term care services. Medicare Caregiving. (No bill.) Proposals to have the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services assist family caregivers. Medicare Drug Pricing. Draft Executive Order to address high drug prices in federal health care programs. Drug Pricing. S.1131, H.R. 2439, Fair Drug Pricing Act: Proposal to require drug manufactuers to submit price justifications when increasing the cost of drugs by 10 percent or more a year. Drug Pricing. S. 771, Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs Act: Provisions to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drugs; prohibit anti-competitive behavior between brand and generic drug makers; allow the importation of prescription drugs from licensed Canadian pharmacies. Drug Pricing. S. 469/H.R. 1245, the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act: Proposal to permit wholesalers, licensed pharmacists and individuals to import drugs from Canada. Drug Pricing. S. 348, the Prescription Drug and Health Improvement Act of 2017: Provisions directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prices for specialty drugs, drugs that account for high levels of spending, and those with dramatic price spikes. Drug Pricing. H.R. 2212, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2017: Proposal to creat a civil cause of action against manufacturers who abuse the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) process by limiting access to samples generic makers need to produce drugs and create competition. Civil Rights. National Survey of Older American Act Participants. (No Bill.) Administration for Community Livings proposal to erase lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults from the Survey.

Client expense: $270,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Administration on Aging, Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), President of the U.S., SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA), Treasury, Dept of, Vice President of the U.S.