Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. H.R.9161/S.4773 - Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2024 Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. S.2333 - Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act H.R.4420 - Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act H.R.4421 - Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act H.R.4697 - Protecting PAHPA Act of 2023 Issues: Support the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act with increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program, restrict the use of contract pharmacies, define patient in the context of the program, and impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Oppose pharmaceutical industry efforts to transition 340B into a rebate model. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from imposing discriminatory reimbursement policies on 340B covered entities. H.R.7635 - 340B Pharmaceutical Access to Invest in Essential, Needed Treatments and Support (340B PATIENTS) Act Issue: Support amending the 340B statute to codify covered entities ability to use contract pharmacies. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Oppose efforts to impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Draft Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of 340B (SUSTAIN 340B) Act Issue: Support efforts to prohibit pharmaceutical and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) discrimination against covered entities. Oppose efforts to define patient in the context of the program. Oppose efforts to impose additional administrative and reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. H.R.8574 - 340B ACCESS Act Issue: Oppose efforts to restrict hospital eligibility for the 340B program. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support policies to improve maternal health outcomes through expanded Medicaid coverage, enhanced data collection, and improved access to behavioral health care during the perinatal period. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing FDA regulation of the development of LDTs at academic medical centers. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L.116-260). Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support policies to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models, advance mental health research, and ensure access to coverage and care. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. H.R.3887 - Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 H.R.3841 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs Issue: Support clean reauthorization of the Childrens Hospital GME program. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; diversity, equity, and inclusion; menopause management; health care for people with disabilities; and maternal health. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about resident physician practice decision making post Dobbs. Issue: Educate Congress on resident expectations related to clinical practice and oppose so-called physician service mandates. H.R.7855 - Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 Issue: Support codification of HRSAs rural residency planning and development program. Issue: Educate Congress on vaccine safety. Issue: Encourage changes to HRSA financial aid programs as a result of FAFSA updates. Issue: Educate Congress on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic medicine. S.4031 - Providing Resources and Opportunities for Health Education and Learning (PRO-HEAL) Act Issue: Support HRSA grants to expand provider pipeline programs to create pathways to health care careers. H.R.7258/S.3968 - Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act Issue: Support enhanced community-based training opportunities for medical students, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas, and fostering long-term sustainable physician practices in high-need communities. H.R.7153/S.3673 - Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act Issue: Support ability of HRSA to implement evidenced-based practices for preventing suicide and improving mental health and resiliency among health care professionals, and for training health care professionals in appropriate strategies to address substance use disorders. Issue: Provide input on Next Generation Cures initiative. Issue: Promote overdose prevention.

Client expense: $617,103 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 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), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Council on Disability, Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. H.R.9161/S.4773 - Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2024 Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. S.2333 - Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act H.R.4420 - Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act H.R.4421 - Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act H.R.4697 - Protecting PAHPA Act of 2023 Issues: Support the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act with increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program, restrict the use of contract pharmacies, define patient in the context of the program, and impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Oppose pharmaceutical industry efforts to transition 340B into a rebate model. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from imposing discriminatory reimbursement policies on 340B covered entities. H.R.7635 - 340B Pharmaceutical Access to Invest in Essential, Needed Treatments and Support (340B PATIENTS) Act Issue: Support amending the 340B statute to codify covered entities ability to use contract pharmacies. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Oppose efforts to impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Draft Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of 340B (SUSTAIN 340B) Act Issue: Support efforts to prohibit pharmaceutical and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) discrimination against covered entities. Oppose efforts to define patient in the context of the program. Oppose efforts to impose additional administrative and reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. H.R.8574 - 340B ACCESS Act Issue: Oppose efforts to restrict hospital eligibility for the 340B program. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support policies to improve maternal health outcomes through expanded Medicaid coverage, enhanced data collection, and improved access to behavioral health care during the perinatal period. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing FDA regulation of the development of LDTs at academic medical centers. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L.116-260). Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support policies to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models, advance mental health research, and ensure access to coverage and care. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. H.R.3887 - Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 H.R.3841 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs Issue: Support clean reauthorization of the Childrens Hospital GME program. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; diversity, equity, and inclusion; menopause management; health care for people with disabilities; and maternal health. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about resident physician practice decision making post Dobbs. Issue: Educate Congress on resident expectations related to clinical practice and oppose so-called physician service mandates. H.R.7855 - Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 Issue: Support codification of HRSAs rural residency planning and development program. Issue: Educate Congress on vaccine safety. Issue: Encourage changes to HRSA financial aid programs as a result of FAFSA updates. Issue: Educate Congress on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic medicine. S.4031 - Providing Resources and Opportunities for Health Education and Learning (PRO-HEAL) Act Issue: Support HRSA grants to expand provider pipeline programs to create pathways to health care careers. H.R.7258/S.3968 - Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act Issue: Support enhanced community-based training opportunities for medical students, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas, and fostering long-term sustainable physician practices in high-need communities. H.R.7153/S.3673 - Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act Issue: Support ability of HRSA to implement evidenced-based practices for preventing suicide and improving mental health and resiliency among health care professionals, and for training health care professionals in appropriate strategies to address substance use disorders. Issue: Provide input on Next Generation Cures initiative. Issue: Promote overdose prevention.

Client expense: $617,103 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 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), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Council on Disability, Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

Fair Access In Residency (FAIR) Act (H.R. 751) Rural Physician Workforce Production Act (S. 230/H.R. 834) Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 (S. 1302/H.R. 2389) Council on Graduate Medical Education Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Inpatient Prospective Payment System Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (PL 116-260) Community Training, Education and Access for Medical Students (Community TEAMS) Act (S. 3968, H.R. 7258) National Health Service Corps Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education NIH Osteopathic Funding and Representation 21st Century Cures Act and Cures 2.0 Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act of 2024 (H.R. 7050) Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 3679, H.R. 7153) Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act (H.R. 8235) Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 (H.R. 7855) Physician Preceptor Tax Credit Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PL 109-417) Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) Physician Fee Stabilization Act (S.4935) Rural Health Preceptor Tax Fairness Act (H.R.8738) Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024 (H.R.7623/S.3967)

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), SENATE

Issues related to lung disease treatment, prevention and research; Issues related to public health; Issues related asthma, COPD, influenza, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, tuberculosis and other lung diseases; Issues related to tobacco cessation; Issues related to the Affordable Care Act; Issues related to the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Issues related to Medicaid; Issues related to ERISA; Issues related to COVID-19 Response; Issues related to vaccines; Issues related to infrastructure; Issues related to supplemental oxygen; Issues related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act; Issues related to Medicare sequestration; Issues related to Cancer Moonshot; Issues related to short-term limited duration plans; Issues related to Healthy Future Taskforce; Issues related to regulatory reform; Issues relating to FY25 appropriations; Issues relating to the Presidents FY26 budget; HR 277 REINS Act; S 184 REINS Act; HR 1075 Medicaid Work Requirements Act; S. 1063 A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs; HR 1551 Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act; H.R. 2583 Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023; H.R. 1114 Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act; H.R. 1692 Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; HR 3073 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; S 1452 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; HR 2811 Limit Save Grow Act; HR 442 Regulatory Accountability Act; S 1615 Regulatory Accountability Act;; HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023; S 1411, Prove It Act of 2023; S 1995 Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act; HR 824 Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 2813 The Self-Insurance Protec􀆟on Act; HR 3799 CHOICE Arrangement Act; HR 2868 Association Health Plans Act; S 2213 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; HR 4363 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; S. 2016 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; HR 4189 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023;; HR 5749 Family Asthma Act; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 890 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 791 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 2245 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; HR 4534 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; S 2333 Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; HR 4420 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; S 1489 National Task Force on the COVID-19 Pandemic Act;; HR 6302 Health Share Transparency Act; HR 357 Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking;; S3821 Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act; HR7829 Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act; HR 485 Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023; HR 7867 Renewing Efficiency in Government by Budgeting Act; HR 115 Midnight Rules Relief Act, HR 1602, Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; S. 8 Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2023; HR 9029 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025; H.R. 8774 Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2025; S. 4942 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025; S 4921 Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2025; HR 890 Guidance out of Regulatory Darkness Act; HR 9747 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025; HR 9494 Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act 2025; H.R. 9774, Health Care Affordability Act of 2024; S. 5194 Health Care Affordability Act of 2024; S. 652 Safe Step Act; HR 2630 Safe Step Act

Client expense: $180,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office

Appropriations; H.R.3086; S.1995

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobbying Issues Description: Budget and appropriations for public health, disease and injury prevention, including obesity and related diseases; pandemics and emerging infectious diseases; physical activity; public health preparedness; nutrition programs; environmental health; health equity; community-based public health interventions; public health infrastructure and workforce; and substance misuse/behavioral health issues. Specific Legislation: 1.Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences Act (S. 3085) 2.Mental Health Services for Students Act (S. 1884/H.R. 3713) 3.Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) 4.Advancing Student Services in Schools Today Act (S. 1774/H.R. 3761) 5.Student Mental Health Rights Act (H.R. 3726) 6.Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (S. 1700/H.R. 3548) 7.RISE from Trauma Act (S. 1426) 8.Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act (S. 923) 9.Reentry Act (S. 1165/H.R. 2400) 10.FY 2024 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 11.FY 2025 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 12.Farm Bill 13.Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (H.R. 4781/S. 3847) 14.Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2024 (H.R. 9161/S.4773) 15.Social Determinants Accelerator Act (Not yet introduced) 16.The UNDERSTAND Act (S. 5182) 17.SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023 (S.2326/ H.R.4909) 18.SWEET Act (Not yet introduced) 19.OH SNAP, Close the Fruit and Vegetable Gap Act of 2023 (S. 2015/ H.R. 4149) 20.FY 2026 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 21.The TRUTH in Labeling Act (H.R.6766/ S.3512) 22.Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act (Not yet introduced) 23.Child Nutrition Reauthorization 24.Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 (H.R. 1147/ S. 1957) 25.Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S.397) 26.CDC Oral Health Reauthorization Act (Not yet introduced) 27.GusNIP Expansion Act of 2023 (H.R. 4856) 28.Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2023 (S. 1036/ H.R. 3474) 29.Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 3305/S. 1606) 30.Older Americans Act (Not yet introduced) 31.Protecting the Health of Americas Older Adults Act (Not yet introduced) 32.REAADI Act (S. 1049) 33.Improving Data in Public Health Act (H.R. 3791) 34.Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4420, H.R. 4421) 35.Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) 36.BIO Early Warning Act (Not yet introduced) 37.The Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4531) 38.The PEER Support Act (S. 2733/H.R. 7212) 39.The Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act (S. 1378) 40.The Barriers to Suicide Act (H.R. 3759) 41.The 9-8-8 Implementation Act (H.R. 4851) 42.Influenza Act (H.R. 5846) 43.Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act (S. 2840) 44.National Defense Authorization Act (S. 2226) 45.A resolution declaring racism a public health crisis (S. Res 319) 46.Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S. 2415) 47.Continuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act (H.R. 6928) 48.Local 988 Response Act (S. 3444) 49.Better Mental Health Care, Lower Drug Cost, and Extenders Act (S. 3430) 50.Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act (Not yet introduced) 51.The Medicaid Bump Act (S. 3921/H.R. 4892) 52.The Kid PROOF Act (S. 3364/H.R. 6663) 53.EARLY Minds Act (H.R. 7808) 54.Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act (H.R. 9214) 55.Stabilization to Prevent (STOP) Suicide Act (H.R. 9577) 56.FY 2025 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations 57.American Family Act (H.R. 3899) 58.H.Res.1375 - Recognizing the threat of extreme weather to children's health and well-being, and expressing the sense of Congress that solutions must be rapidly and equitably developed and deployed to address the unique vulnerabilities and needs of children. House(s) of Congress and Federal Agencies lobbied during the quarter: House, Senate, Exec Office of Pres, White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, CDC, FDA, CMS, OMB, NIH, USDA, HRSA, SAMHSA, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Client expense: $41,497 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), White House Office

Lobbying Issues Description: Budget and appropriations for public health, disease and injury prevention, including obesity and related diseases; pandemics and emerging infectious diseases; physical activity; public health preparedness; nutrition programs; environmental health; health equity; community-based public health interventions; public health infrastructure and workforce; and substance misuse/behavioral health issues. Specific Legislation: 1.Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences Act (S. 3085) 2.Mental Health Services for Students Act (S. 1884/H.R. 3713) 3.Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) 4.Advancing Student Services in Schools Today Act (S. 1774/H.R. 3761) 5.Student Mental Health Rights Act (H.R. 3726) 6.Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (S. 1700/H.R. 3548) 7.RISE from Trauma Act (S. 1426) 8.Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act (S. 923) 9.Reentry Act (S. 1165/H.R. 2400) 10.FY 2024 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 11.FY 2025 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 12.Farm Bill 13.Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (H.R. 4781/S. 3847) 14.Social Determinants Accelerator Act (Not yet introduced) 15.SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023 (S.2326/ H.R.4909) 16.SWEET Act (Not yet introduced) 17.OH SNAP, Close the Fruit and Vegetable Gap Act of 2023 (S. 2015/ H.R. 4149) 18.Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act (Not yet introduced) 19.Child Nutrition Reauthorization 20.Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 (H.R. 1147/ S. 1957) 21.Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S.397) 22.CDC Oral Health Reauthorization Act (Not yet introduced) 23.GusNIP Expansion Act of 2023 (H.R. 4856) 24.Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2023 (S. 1036/ H.R. 3474) 25.Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 3305/S. 1606) 26.Older Americans Act (Not yet introduced) 27.Protecting the Health of Americas Older Adults Act (Not yet introduced) 28.REAADI Act (S. 1049) 29.Improving Data in Public Health Act (H.R. 3791) 30.Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4420, H.R. 4421) 31.Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) 32.BIO Early Warning Act (Not yet introduced) 33.The Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4531) 34.The PEER Support Act (S. 2733/H.R. 7212) 35.The Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act (S. 1378) 36.The Barriers to Suicide Act (H.R. 3759) 37.The 9-8-8 Implementation Act (H.R. 4851) 38.Influenza Act (H.R. 5846) 39.Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act (S. 2840) 40.National Defense Authorization Act (S. 2226) 41.A resolution declaring racism a public health crisis (S. Res 319) 42.Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S. 2415) 43.Continuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act (H.R. 6928) 44.Local 988 Response Act (S. 3444) 45.Better Mental Health Care, Lower Drug Cost, and Extenders Act (S. 3430) 46.Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act (Not yet introduced) 47.The Medicaid Bump Act (S. 3921/H.R. 4892) 48.The Kid PROOF Act (S. 3364/H.R. 6663) 49.FY 2025 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations 50.EARLY Minds Act (H.R. 7808) House(s) of Congress and Federal Agencies lobbied during the quarter: House, Senate, Exec Office of Pres, White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, CDC, FDA, CMS, OMB, NIH, USDA, HRSA, SAMHSA, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Client expense: $47,102 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), White House Office

Issues related to lung disease treatment, prevention and research; Issues related to public health; Issues related asthma, COPD, influenza, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, tuberculosis and other lung diseases; Issues related to tobacco cessation; Issues related to the Affordable Care Act; Issues related to the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Issues related to Medicaid; Issues related to ERISA; Issues related to COVID-19 Response; Issues related to vaccines; Issues related to infrastructure; Issues related to supplemental oxygen; Issues related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act; Issues related to Medicare sequestration; Issues related to Cancer Moonshot; Issues related to short-term limited duration plans; Issues related to Healthy Future Taskforce; Issues related to regulatory reform; Issues relating to FY25 appropriations; Issues relating to the Presidents FY26 budget; HR 277 REINS Act; S 184 REINS Act; HR 1075 Medicaid Work Requirements Act; S. 1063 A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs; HR 1551 Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act; H.R. 2583 Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023; H.R. 1114 Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act; H.R. 1692 Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; HR 3073 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; S 1452 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; HR 2811 Limit Save Grow Act; HR 442 Regulatory Accountability Act; S 1615 Regulatory Accountability Act;; HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023; S 1411, Prove It Act of 2023; S 1995 Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act; HR 824 Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 2813 The Self-Insurance Protec􀆟on Act; HR 3799 CHOICE Arrangement Act; HR 2868 Association Health Plans Act; S 2213 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; HR 4363 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; S. 2016 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; HR 4189 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023;; HR 5749 Family Asthma Act; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 890 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 791 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 2245 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; HR 4534 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; S 2333 Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; HR 4420 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; S 1489 National Task Force on the COVID-19 Pandemic Act;; HR 6302 Health Share Transparency Act; HR 357 Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking;; S3821 Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act; HR7829 Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act; HR 485 Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023; HR 7867 Renewing Efficiency in Government by Budgeting Act; HR 115 Midnight Rules Relief Act, HR 1602, Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; S. 8 Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2023; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025; H.R. 8774 Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2025

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

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. Draft Health Equity and Accountability Act Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. S.2333 - Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act H.R.4420 - Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act H.R.4421 - Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act H.R.4697 - Protecting PAHPA Act of 2023 Issues: Support the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act with increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program and oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program, restrict the use of contract pharmacies, define patient in the context of the program, and impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from imposing discriminatory reimbursement policies on 340B covered entities. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Oppose efforts to impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Draft Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of 340B (SUSTAIN 340B) Act Issue: Support efforts to prohibit pharmaceutical and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) discrimination against covered entities. Oppose efforts to define patient in the context of the program. Oppose efforts to impose additional administrative and reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. H.R.8574 - 340B ACCESS Act Issue: Oppose efforts to restrict hospital eligibility for the 340B program. Issue: Educate Congress about the impacts of drug shortages on academic medical centers and the patients they serve. Support measures to address drug shortages and strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain. Draft End Drug Shortages Act Issue: Support policies to increase visibility into the pharmaceutical supply chain. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support policies to improve maternal health outcomes through expanded Medicaid coverage, enhanced data collection, and improved access to behavioral health care during the perinatal period. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing FDA regulation of the development of LDTs at academic medical centers. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L.116-260). Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support policies to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models, advance mental health research, and ensure access to coverage and care. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. H.R.3887 - Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 H.R.3841 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs Issue: Support clean reauthorization of the Childrens Hospital GME program. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; diversity, equity, and inclusion; menopause management; health care for people with disabilities; and maternal health. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about resident physician practice decision making post Dobbs. Issue: Educate Congress on resident expectations related to clinical practice and oppose so-called physician service mandates. H.R.7855 - Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 Issue: Support codification of HRSAs rural residency planning and development program. Issue: Educate Congress on vaccine safety. Issue: Encourage changes to HRSA financial aid programs as a result of FAFSA updates. Issue: Educate Congress on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic medicine. S.4031 - Providing Resources and Opportunities for Health Education and Learning (PRO-HEAL) Act Issue: Support HRSA grants to expand provider pipeline programs to create pathways to health care careers. H.R.7258/S.3968 - Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act Issue: Support enhanced community-based training opportunities for medical students, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas, and fostering long-term sustainable physician practices in high-need communities. H.R.7153 - Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act Issue: Support ability of HRSA to implement evidenced-based practices for preventing suicide and improving mental health and resiliency among health care professionals, and for training health care professionals in appropriate strategies to address substance use disorders.

Client expense: $742,323 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 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), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Council on Disability, Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

Appropriations; H.R.3086; S.1995

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R.7266/S.3770 - Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act H.R.3768/S.1851 - Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Service (MOMS) Act of 2023 H.R.3305/S.1606 - Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act H.R.2713/S.2418 - Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act H.R.7002/S.2815 - Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act H.R.618/S.131 - Improving Access to Workers Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act H.R.7153/S.3679 - Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act H.R.3263 - Support Faculty and Expand Access to Nursing School Act of 2023 H.R.8330- Stop Nurse Shortages Act S.4169 - Primary Care Team Education Centers (PCTEC) Act S.Res.676/H.Res.1208 - A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, to be observed from May 6 through May 12, 2024. S.1995- Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Primary Care and Health Workforce Expansion Act S.2840- Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act Support for clinical education Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce and Strengthen Public Health System Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and Title VIII Reauthorization Nursing Education, Workforce, Research, and Public Health needs in all communities include rural, urban, and underserved areas Issues surrounding nursing shortages Addressing health care workforce shortage and supporting nursing education pathways, clinical education, and academic progression Support Mental Health Programs for Nursing Students and the Workforce Safety and health of nurse educators and nursing students Mitigating Nursing Workforce Challenges by Optimizing Learning Environments Ensure nursing students, educators, nurses, and nursing schools are included in future public health and disaster preparedness efforts Maternal and perinatal health Long-term care initiatives

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), SENATE

Fair Access In Residency (FAIR) Act (H.R. 751) Rural Physician Workforce Production Act (S. 230/H.R. 834) Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 (S. 1302/H.R. 2389) Council on Graduate Medical Education Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Inpatient Prospective Payment System (SCH/MDH Issue) Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (PL 116-260) Community Training, Education and Access for Medical Students (Community TEAMS) Act (S. 3968, H.R. 7258) National Health Service Corps Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education NIH Osteopathic Funding and Representation Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act of 2024 (H.R. 7050) Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 3679, H.R. 7153) Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act (S. 2133, H.R. 6780) Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act (H.R. 8235) Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 (H.R. 7855) Physician Preceptor Tax Credit Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PL 109-417) Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995)

Client expense: $140,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), SENATE

Lobbying Issues Description: Budget and appropriations for public health, disease and injury prevention, including obesity and related diseases; pandemics and emerging infectious diseases; physical activity; public health preparedness; nutrition programs; environmental health; health equity; community-based public health interventions; public health infrastructure and workforce; and substance misuse/behavioral health issues. Specific Legislation: 1.Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences Act (S. 3085) 2.Mental Health Services for Students Act (S. 1884/H.R. 3713) 3.Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) 4.Advancing Student Services in Schools Today Act (S. 1774/H.R. 3761) 5.Student Mental Health Rights Act (H.R. 3726) 6.Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (S. 1700/H.R. 3548) 7.RISE from Trauma Act (S. 1426) 8.Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act (S. 923) 9.Reentry Act (S. 1165/H.R. 2400) 10.FY 2024 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 11.FY 2025 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 12.2023 Farm Bill 13.Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (H.R. 4781/S. 3847) 14.Social Determinants Accelerator Act (Not yet introduced) 15.SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023 (S.2326/ H.R.4909) 16.SWEET Act (Not yet introduced) 17.OH SNAP, Close the Fruit and Vegetable Gap Act of 2023 (S. 2015/ H.R. 4149) 18.Child Nutrition Reauthorization 19.While Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 (H.R. 1147/ S. 1957) 20.Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S.397) 21.Halt Obesity in America Act (Not yet introduced) 22.CDC Oral Health Reauthorization Act (Not yet introduced) 23.GusNIP Expansion Act of 2023 (H.R. 4856) 24.Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2023 (S. 1036/ H.R. 3474) 25.Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 3305/S. 1606) 26.Older Americans Act (Not yet introduced) 27.Protecting the Health of Americas Older Adults Act (Not yet introduced) 28.REAADI Act (S. 1049) 29.Improving Data in Public Health Act (H.R. 3791) 30.Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4420, H.R. 4421) 31.Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) 32.BIO Early Warning Act (Not yet introduced) 33.The Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4531) 34.The PEER Support Act (S. 2733/H.R. 7212) 35.The Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act (S. 1378) 36.The Barriers to Suicide Act (H.R. 3759) 37.The 9-8-8 Implementation Act (H.R. 4851) 38.Influenza Act (H.R. 5846) 39.Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act (S. 2840) 40.National Defense Authorization Act (S. 2226) 41.Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2023 (S.2929/ H.R. 5715) 42.A resolution declaring racism a public health crisis (S. Res 319) 43.Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S. 2415) 44.Continuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act (H.R. 6928) 45.Local 988 Response Act (S. 3444) 46.Better Mental Health Care, Lower Drug Cost, and Extenders Act (S. 3430) 47.Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act (Not yet introduced) 48.The Medicaid Bump Act (S. 3921) 49.The Kid PROOF Act (S. 3364/H.R. 6663) 50.FY 2025 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations House(s) of Congress and Federal Agencies lobbied during the quarter: House, Senate, Exec Office of Pres, White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, CDC, FDA, CMS, OMB, NIH, USDA, HRSA, SAMHSA, and Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Client expense: $44,194 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), White House Office

Issues related to lung disease treatment, prevention and research; Issues related to public health; Issues related asthma, COPD, influenza, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, tuberculosis and other lung diseases; Issues related to tobacco cessation; Issues related to the Affordable Care Act; Issues related to the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Issues related to Medicaid; Issues related to ERISA; Issues related to COVID-19 Response; Issues related to vaccines; Issues related to infrastructure; Issues related to supplemental oxygen; Issues related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act; Issues related to Medicare sequestration; Issues related to Cancer Moonshot; Issues related to short-term limited duration plans; Issues related to Healthy Future Taskforce; Issues related to regulatory reform; Issues relating to the Presidents FY25 budget; Issues relating to FY25 appropriations; HR 277 REINS Act; S 184 REINS Act; HR 1075 Medicaid Work Requirements Act; S. 1063 A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs; HR 1551 Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act; H.R. 2583 Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023; H.R. 1114 Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act; H.R. 1692 Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; HR 3073 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; S 1452 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; HR 2811 Limit Save Grow Act; HR 442 Regulatory Accountability Act; S 1615 Regulatory Accountability Act;; HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023; Issues related to Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024; S 1411, Prove It Act of 2023; S 1995 Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act; HR 824 Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 2813 The Self-Insurance Protec􀆟on Act; HR 3799 CHOICE Arrangement Act; HR 2868 Association Health Plans Act; S 2213 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; HR 4363 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; S. 2016 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; HR 4189 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; S 2624 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024;; HR 5749 Family Asthma Act; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 890 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 791 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 2245 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; HR 4534 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; S 2333 Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; HR 4420 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; S 1489 National Task Force on the COVID-19 Pandemic Act; HR 5894 Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes; HR 6302 Health Share Transparency Act; HR 357 Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking; ; HR 7463 Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024; HR 2872 Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024; HR4366 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024; HR 2882 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024; S3821 Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act; HR7829 Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act; HR 485 Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023

Client expense: $220,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. Draft Health Equity and Accountability Act Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. S.2333 - Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act H.R.4420 - Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act H.R.4421 - Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act H.R.4697 - Protecting PAHPA Act of 2023 Issues: Support the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act with increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program and oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program, restrict the use of contract pharmacies, define patient in the context of the program, and impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from imposing discriminatory reimbursement policies on 340B covered entities. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Oppose efforts to impose additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Draft Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of 340B (SUSTAIN 340B) Act Issue: Support efforts to prohibit pharmaceutical and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) discrimination against covered entities. Oppose efforts to define patient in the context of the program. Oppose efforts to impose additional administrative and reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Issue: Educate Congress about the impacts of drug shortages on academic medical centers and the patients they serve. Support measures to address drug shortages and strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support policies to improve maternal health outcomes through expanded Medicaid coverage, enhanced data collection, and improved access to behavioral health care during the perinatal period. H.R.3838/S.2415 - Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act Issue: Support continued federal funding for state-based maternal mortality review committees. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing FDA regulation of the development of LDTs at academic medical centers. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L.116-260). Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support policies to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models, advance mental health research, and ensure access to coverage and care. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. H.R.3887 - Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 H.R.3841 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs Issue: Support clean reauthorization of the Childrens Hospital GME program. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; diversity, equity, and inclusion; menopause management; health care for people with disabilities; and maternal health. Issue: Educate Congress on resident expectations related to clinical practice and oppose so-called physician service mandates. H.R.7855 - Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2024 Issue: Support codification of HRSAs rural residency planning and development program. Issue: Educate Congress on vaccine safety.

Client expense: $660,005 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 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), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

Appropriations; H.R.3086; S.1995

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 2001 to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. Supported H.R. 6545, the Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill includes an important provision that would allocate 3 percent to the 2024 Medicare conversion factor, which would represent a 1.75 percent increase to the approved level. H.R. 6545 also includes several provisions from H.R. 6371, the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2023, that ACP supports. It would raise the budget neutrality threshold to $53 million and would use cumulative increases in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) to update the threshold every five years afterwards. Supported H.R. 6683, the Preserving Seniors Access to Physicians Act of 2023. That bill averts a 3.4 percent across-the-board cut to physician payment for 2024. ACP supported extending the work geographic practice costs index to improve the accuracy of geographic adjustment factors. Supported H.R. 6366 that would extend the work geographic practice costs index for another year to 1.00 for any locality where the index would be less than 1.00. G2211 Add on Code Implementation: Urged Congress to support the full implementation of a Medicare add-on code, known as G2211, in 2024. This code will improve Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality, continuous care and help sustain the physician practices beneficiaries rely on for comprehensive health care. G2211 would be billed alongside codes for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits to better account for the unique and inherent complexity of services provided through longitudinal patient care that is based on a clinicians ongoing relationship with a patient and is related to a patients single, serious condition or a complex condition. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. ACP supports extending incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models through 2026. This approach would help to maintain incentives that support physicians transition from a volume-based fee-for-service health care system to one that is based on the value and quality outcomes of health care delivered to the patient. Supported H.R. 6369 by Rep. Kim Schrier to extend incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models. ACP supports H.R. 5395, the SURS Extension Act, which would extend the Quality Payment Program-Small Practice, Underserved, and Rural Support (QPP-SURS) program for fiscal years 2024-2029. This program was established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) and has provided direct assistance to eligible clinicians required to participate in MIPS. ACP supports efforts to streamline the number of quality measures physicians must report on and enhance stakeholder engagement. Supported the Fewer Burdens for Better Care Act of 2023, which would emphasize multi-stakeholder input, with a 30-day comment period for stakeholders to comment on the removal of measures from the Medicare program. Pricing Transparency/Consolidation: Supported several provisions of H.R. 5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which are consistent with our policy and would improve access to and affordability of health care for patients. This bill brings together H.R. 4822, Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023, H.R. 3561, Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 and other related bills reported out of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees. Supported requiring disclosure of changes in hospital or health facility ownership to reveal when private equity firms acquire hospitals, larger physician practices or nursing homes, promote price transparency among hospitals, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers and promote site neutrality for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. We further supported the reauthorization and funding increases included for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program and National Health Service Corps. Supported Section 4 of H.R. 2880, the Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, which aims to increase PBM data reporting to enhance transparency for Medicare Part D. Specifically, it would set out new requirements for PBMs to report data on rebates and administrative fees to HHS. It would also require that HHS deidentify the data and make it publicly available so that policy makers and the public will have a better understanding of how rebates and administrative fees impact the costs of drug plans. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued 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. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S. 323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Supported H.R.4986/S. 2577, which would refinance the interest rate for all existing federal student loans to zero percent. Further, it would cap interest rates for future student loan borrowers, while considering their financial needs. Prescription Drug Reform: Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Supported H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, to expand the number of prescription drugs which Medicare can negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act from 20 to 50 starting in 2029. Supported H.R. 5385, the Medicare PBM Accountability Act. This legislation aims to lower the costs of prescription drugs for seniors covered by Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. It would require PBMs to submit annual reports to the Secretary of HHS on PBMs cost savings incurred from rebates, discounts, and price concessions. Supported H.R. 1352, the Increasing Access to Biosimilars Act of 2023. This legislation would encourage adoption of biosimilars in Medicare and improve biosimilar accessibility, by establishing a new pilot program - a voluntary, shared savings demonstration program - for providers of biosimilars in Medicare Part B. Supported H.R. 5386, the Cutting Copays Act. This legislation would eliminate cost-sharing for generic drugs for LIS beneficiaries, helping to incentivize the use of generic drugs. Supported H.R. 3009/S. 2362, the Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2023, to require that manufacturers of over-the-counter and prescription drugs notify Food & Drug Administration when they are unlikely to meet demand. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of 2I and be subject to a criminal background check. Urged Congress to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, H.R. 715, and the Background Check Expansion Act, S. 494 and Ethans Law, H.R. 660 and S. 173, requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. Supported the Keep Americans Safe Act, H.R. 625 and S. 298, which would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds. Supported the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, H.R. 768 and S. 247 empowering family members and law enforcement to prevent gun violence by petitioning a court to temporarily separate an at-risk individual from firearms. Supported the FY2024 funding gun violence prevention research contained in FY24 Senate Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill for inclusion in any final FY24 appropriations bills. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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 Mental and Behavioral Health: Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care or the COMPLETE Care Act, to improve the integration of behavioral health in primary care practices. Scope of Practice: Opposed the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, H.R. 1770/ S. 2477, which would expand Medicare coverage to permanently include select services provided by a pharmacist. Healthcare Worker Safety: Supported H.R. 6364, the Medicare Telehealth Privacy Act of 2023. This bill would ensure that HHS will not publicly post the addresses of participating telehealth practitioners to provide privacy protections for physicians so that they can effectively treat and care for patients via telehealth. Clinical Labs: Supported the provision in H.R. 6366 that would delay payment reductions and data reporting periods for the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA). Legislation could improve patient access to laboratory tests used to diagnose, monitor, prevent, and manage diseases for Medicare beneficiaries.

Client expense: $313,501 · 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)

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 2001 to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. Supported H.R. 6545, the Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill includes an important provision that would allocate 3 percent to the 2024 Medicare conversion factor, which would represent a 1.75 percent increase to the approved level. H.R. 6545 also includes several provisions from H.R. 6371, the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2023, that ACP supports. It would raise the budget neutrality threshold to $53 million and would use cumulative increases in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) to update the threshold every five years afterwards. Supported H.R. 6683, the Preserving Seniors Access to Physicians Act of 2023. That bill averts a 3.4 percent across-the-board cut to physician payment for 2024. ACP supported extending the work geographic practice costs index to improve the accuracy of geographic adjustment factors. Supported H.R. 6366 that would extend the work geographic practice costs index for another year to 1.00 for any locality where the index would be less than 1.00. G2211 Add on Code Implementation: Urged Congress to support the full implementation of a Medicare add-on code, known as G2211, in 2024. This code will improve Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality, continuous care and help sustain the physician practices beneficiaries rely on for comprehensive health care. G2211 would be billed alongside codes for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits to better account for the unique and inherent complexity of services provided through longitudinal patient care that is based on a clinicians ongoing relationship with a patient and is related to a patients single, serious condition or a complex condition. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. ACP supports extending incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models through 2026. This approach would help to maintain incentives that support physicians transition from a volume-based fee-for-service health care system to one that is based on the value and quality outcomes of health care delivered to the patient. Supported H.R. 6369 by Rep. Kim Schrier to extend incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models. ACP supports H.R. 5395, the SURS Extension Act, which would extend the Quality Payment Program-Small Practice, Underserved, and Rural Support (QPP-SURS) program for fiscal years 2024-2029. This program was established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) and has provided direct assistance to eligible clinicians required to participate in MIPS. ACP supports efforts to streamline the number of quality measures physicians must report on and enhance stakeholder engagement. Supported the Fewer Burdens for Better Care Act of 2023, which would emphasize multi-stakeholder input, with a 30-day comment period for stakeholders to comment on the removal of measures from the Medicare program. Pricing Transparency/Consolidation: Supported several provisions of H.R. 5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which are consistent with our policy and would improve access to and affordability of health care for patients. This bill brings together H.R. 4822, Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023, H.R. 3561, Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 and other related bills reported out of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees. Supported requiring disclosure of changes in hospital or health facility ownership to reveal when private equity firms acquire hospitals, larger physician practices or nursing homes, promote price transparency among hospitals, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers and promote site neutrality for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. We further supported the reauthorization and funding increases included for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program and National Health Service Corps. Supported Section 4 of H.R. 2880, the Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, which aims to increase PBM data reporting to enhance transparency for Medicare Part D. Specifically, it would set out new requirements for PBMs to report data on rebates and administrative fees to HHS. It would also require that HHS deidentify the data and make it publicly available so that policy makers and the public will have a better understanding of how rebates and administrative fees impact the costs of drug plans. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued 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. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S. 323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Supported H.R.4986/S. 2577, which would refinance the interest rate for all existing federal student loans to zero percent. Further, it would cap interest rates for future student loan borrowers, while considering their financial needs. Prescription Drug Reform: Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Supported H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, to expand the number of prescription drugs which Medicare can negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act from 20 to 50 starting in 2029. Supported H.R. 5385, the Medicare PBM Accountability Act. This legislation aims to lower the costs of prescription drugs for seniors covered by Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. It would require PBMs to submit annual reports to the Secretary of HHS on PBMs cost savings incurred from rebates, discounts, and price concessions. Supported H.R. 1352, the Increasing Access to Biosimilars Act of 2023. This legislation would encourage adoption of biosimilars in Medicare and improve biosimilar accessibility, by establishing a new pilot program - a voluntary, shared savings demonstration program - for providers of biosimilars in Medicare Part B. Supported H.R. 5386, the Cutting Copays Act. This legislation would eliminate cost-sharing for generic drugs for LIS beneficiaries, helping to incentivize the use of generic drugs. Supported H.R. 3009/S. 2362, the Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2023, to require that manufacturers of over-the-counter and prescription drugs notify Food & Drug Administration when they are unlikely to meet demand. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of 2I and be subject to a criminal background check. Urged Congress to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, H.R. 715, and the Background Check Expansion Act, S. 494 and Ethans Law, H.R. 660 and S. 173, requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. Supported the Keep Americans Safe Act, H.R. 625 and S. 298, which would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds. Supported the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, H.R. 768 and S. 247 empowering family members and law enforcement to prevent gun violence by petitioning a court to temporarily separate an at-risk individual from firearms. Supported the FY2024 funding gun violence prevention research contained in FY24 Senate Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill for inclusion in any final FY24 appropriations bills. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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 Mental and Behavioral Health: Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care or the COMPLETE Care Act, to improve the integration of behavioral health in primary care practices. Scope of Practice: Opposed the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, H.R. 1770/ S. 2477, which would expand Medicare coverage to permanently include select services provided by a pharmacist. Healthcare Worker Safety: Supported H.R. 6364, the Medicare Telehealth Privacy Act of 2023. This bill would ensure that HHS will not publicly post the addresses of participating telehealth practitioners to provide privacy protections for physicians so that they can effectively treat and care for patients via telehealth. Clinical Labs: Supported the provision in H.R. 6366 that would delay payment reductions and data reporting periods for the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA). Legislation could improve patient access to laboratory tests used to diagnose, monitor, prevent, and manage diseases for Medicare beneficiaries.

Client expense: $95,088 · 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)

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. Draft Health Equity and Accountability Act Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. S.2333 - Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act H.R.4420 - Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act H.R.4421 - Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act H.R.4697 - Protecting PAHPA Act of 2023 Issues: Support the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act with increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program and oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program, restrict use of contract pharmacies, and impose additional reporting requirements for 340B hospitals. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from imposing discriminatory reimbursement policies on 340B covered entities. H.R.3561 - Promoting Access to Treatments and Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 (PATIENT Act) Issue: Oppose requiring 340B covered entities to report their 340B savings for patients enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans. Oppose implementation of so-called site-neutral payment policies in the Medicare program. Oppose burdensome and duplicative reporting and transparency requirements. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Impose efforts to impose additional, onerous reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support policies to improve maternal health outcomes through expanded Medicaid coverage, enhanced data collection, and improved access to behavioral health care during the perinatal period. H.R.3838/S. 2415 Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act Issue: Support continued federal funding for state-based maternal mortality review committees. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing Food and Drug Administration regulation of the development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L. 116-260). Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support policies to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models, and ensure access to coverage and care. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. S.2840 - Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act Issue: Oppose cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund. Support workforce investments and extension of National Health Service Corps funding. H.R.3887 - Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 H.R.3841 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs Issue: Urge clean reauthorization of the Childrens Hospital GME program. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; diversity, equity, and inclusion; menopause management; and health care for people with disabilities. H.R.2670/S.2226 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 Issue: Support military health workforce.

Client expense: $641,145 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

Lobbying Issues Description: Budget and appropriations for public health, disease and injury prevention, including obesity and related diseases; pandemics and emerging infectious diseases; physical activity; public health preparedness; nutrition programs; environmental health; health equity; community-based public health interventions; public health infrastructure and workforce; and substance misuse/behavioral health issues. Specific Legislation: 1.Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences Act (S. 3085) 2.Mental Health Services for Students Act (S. 1884/H.R. 3713) 3.Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) 4.Advancing Student Services in Schools Today Act (S. 1774/H.R. 3761) 5.Student Mental Health Rights Act (H.R. 3726) 6.Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (S. 1700/H.R. 3548) 7.RISE from Trauma Act (S. 1426) 8.Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act (S. 923) 9.Reentry Act (S. 1165/H.R. 2400) 10.FY 2023 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 11.FY 2024 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 12.Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 2617) 13.2023 Farm Bill 14.Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (Not yet introduced) 15.Social Determinants Accelerator Act (Not yet introduced) 16.SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023 (S.2326/ H.R.4909) 17.SWEET Act (Not yet introduced) 18.OH SNAP, Close the Fruit and Vegetable Gap Act of 2023 (S. 2015/ H.R. 4149) 19.Child Nutrition Reauthorization 20.While Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 (H.R. 1147/ S. 1957) 21.Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S.397) 22.Halt Obesity in America Act (Not yet introduced) 23.CDC Oral Health Reauthorization Act (Not yet introduced) 24.GusNIP Expansion Act of 2023 (H.R. 4856) 25.Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2023 (S. 1036/ H.R. 3474) 26.Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 3305/S. 1606) 27.Older Americans Act (Not yet introduced) 28.Protecting the Health of Americas Older Adults Act (Not yet introduced) 29.REAADI Act (S. 1049) 30.Improving Data in Public Health Act (H.R. 3791) 31.Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4420, H.R. 4421) 32.Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) 33.BIO Early Warning Act (Not yet introduced) 34.The Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4531) 35.The Peer Support Act (S. 2733) 36.The Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act (S. 1378) 37.The Barriers to Suicide Act (H.R. 3759) 38.The 9-8-8 Implementation Act (H.R. 4851) 39.Influenza Act (H.R. 5846) 40.Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act (S. 2840) 41.National Defense Authorization Act (S. 2226) 42.Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2023 (S.2929/ H.R. 5715) 43.A resolution declaring racism a public health crisis (S. Res 319) 44.Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S. 2415) 45.Continuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act (introduced but bill number not available yet) 46.Local 988 Response Act (S. 3444) 47.Better Mental Health Care, Lower Drug Cost, and Extenders Act (S. 3430) 48.Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act (Not yet introduced) House(s) of Congress and Federal Agencies lobbied during the quarter: House, Senate, Exec Office of Pres, White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, CDC, FDA, CMS, OMB, NIH, USDA, HRSA, and SAMHSA.

Client expense: $43,027 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), White House Office

Issues related to lung disease treatment, prevention and research; Issues related to public health; Issues related asthma, COPD, influenza, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, tuberculosis and other lung diseases; Issues related to tobacco cessation; Issues related to the Affordable Care Act; Issues related to the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Issues related to Medicaid; Issues related to COVID-19 Response; Issues related to vaccines; Issues related to infrastructure; Issues related to supplemental oxygen; Issues related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act; Issues related to Medicare sequestration; Issues related to Cancer Moonshot; Issues related to short-term limited duration plans; Issues related to Healthy Future Taskforce; Issues related to regulatory reform; Issues relating to the Presidents FY24 budget; Issues relating to FY24 appropriations; HR 277 REINS Act; S 184 REINS Act; HR 1075 Medicaid Work Requirements Act; S. 1063 A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs; HR 1551 Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act; H.R. 2583 Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023; H.R. 1114 Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act; H.R. 1692 Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; HR 3073 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; S 1452 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; HR 2811 Limit Save Grow Act; HR 442 Regulatory Accountability Act; S 1615 Regulatory Accountability Act;; HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023; Issues related to Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024; S 1411, Prove It Act of 2023; S 1995 Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act; HR 824 Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 2813 The Self-Insurance Protec􀆟on Act; HR 3799 CHOICE Arrangement Act; HR 2868 Association Health Plans Act; S 2213 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; HR 4363 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; S. 2016 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; HR 4189 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; S 2624 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024;; HR 5749 Family Asthma Act; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 890 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 791 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 2245 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; HR 4534 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; S 2333 Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; HR 4420 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; S 1489 National Task Force on the COVID-19 Pandemic Act; HR 5894 Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes; HR 6302 Health Share Transparency Act; HR 357 Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking; HR 6363 Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024

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

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. Draft Health Equity and Accountability Act Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. S.2333 - Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act H.R.4420 - Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act H.R.4421 - Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act H.R.4697 - Protecting PAHPA Act of 2023 Issues: Support the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act with increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. Issue: Responded to request for information on CDC modernization. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program and oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program, restrict use of contract pharmacies, and impose additional reporting requirements for 340B hospitals. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from imposing discriminatory reimbursement policies on 340B covered entities. H.R.3561 - Promoting Access to Treatments and Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 (PATIENT Act) Issue: Oppose requiring 340B covered entities to report their 340B savings for patients enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans. Oppose implementation of so-called site-neutral payment policies in the Medicare program. Oppose burdensome and duplicative reporting and transparency requirements. Issue: Educate Congress about the impacts of drug shortages on academic medical centers and the patients they serve. Support measures to address drug shortages and strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Oppose efforts to impose additional, onerous reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support policies to improve maternal health outcomes through expanded Medicaid coverage, enhanced data collection, and improved access to behavioral health care during the perinatal period. H.R.3838/S.2415 - Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act Issue: Support continued federal funding for state-based maternal mortality review committees. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing FDA regulation of the development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L.116-260). Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support policies to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models, advance mental health research, and ensure access to coverage and care. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. S.2840 - Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act Issue: Oppose cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund. Support workforce investments and extension of National Health Service Corps funding. H.R.3887 - Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 H.R.3841 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs Issue: Urge clean reauthorization of the Childrens Hospital GME program. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; diversity, equity, and inclusion; menopause management; and health care for people with disabilities. P.L.118-31 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 Issue: Support military health workforce.

Client expense: $492,940 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to support several bills to expand patient access to medical coverage. ACP supports H.R. 1114, the Long COVID Response is Care Optimized and Vitally Essential Resources that Yield New Opportunities for Wellness Act or the Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act, which would optimize care by enhancing a coordinated federal government response, public education and insurance reimbursement guidance for Long COVID. H.R. 1114 would also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to primary care practices to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based Long COVID clinical practices that have been demonstrated to improve the wellness of individuals with Long COVJD and submission of data to HHS on the characteristics, diagnoses, and health care service utilization of Long COVID patients. Urged Congress to pass H.R. 952, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, which ensures that Medicaid payment rates for primary care services are equal to Medicare rates. The ACA included a provision that required states to raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services equal to Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 but this provision expired after those two years and was not renewed by Congress. Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported H.R. 2829, the Chronic Care Management Improvement Act of 2023, that would remove the co-pay charged to patients who utilize chronic care management services. It would waive the beneficiary coinsurance to manage chronic care conditions and improve patients health. Supported Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, H.R. 3305 and S. 1606, to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments would address the social determinants of maternal health, which include childcare, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must 1) award specified grants; 2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and 3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Supporting those provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, the 5-year reauthorization legislation, related to food and nutrition - namely food security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. We support the nutrition assistance and food distribution programs for nearly 40 million people with low-income, e.g. ((SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and preserving the current SNAP entitlement and funding structure to ensure benefit adequacy without work requirements. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 2001 to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. Supported H.R. 6545, the Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill includes an important provision that would allocate 3 percent to the 2024 Medicare conversion factor, which would represent a 1.75 percent increase to the approved level. H.R. 6545 also includes several provisions from H.R. 6371, the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2023, that ACP supports. It would raise the budget neutrality threshold to $53 million and would use cumulative increases in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) to update the threshold every five years afterwards. Supported H.R. 6683, the Preserving Seniors Access to Physicians Act of 2023. That bill averts a 3.4 percent across-the-board cut to physician payment for 2024. ACP supported extending the work geographic practice costs index to improve the accuracy of geographic adjustment factors. Supported H.R. 6366 that would extend the work geographic practice costs index for another year to 1.00 for any locality where the index would be less than 1.00. G2211 Add on Code Implementation: Urged Congress to support the full implementation of a Medicare add-on code, known as G2211, in 2024. This code will improve Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality, continuous care and help sustain the physician practices beneficiaries rely on for comprehensive health care. G2211 would be billed alongside codes for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits to better account for the unique and inherent complexity of services provided through longitudinal patient care that is based on a clinicians ongoing relationship with a patient and is related to a patients single, serious condition or a complex condition. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. ACP supports extending incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models through 2026. This approach would help to maintain incentives that support physicians transition from a volume-based fee-for-service health care system to one that is based on the value and quality outcomes of health care delivered to the patient. Supported H.R. 6369 by Rep. Kim Schrier to extend incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models. ACP supports H.R. 5395, the SURS Extension Act, which would extend the Quality Payment Program-Small Practice, Underserved, and Rural Support (QPP-SURS) program for fiscal years 2024-2029. This program was established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) and has provided direct assistance to eligible clinicians required to participate in MIPS. ACP supports efforts to streamline the number of quality measures physicians must report on and enhance stakeholder engagement. Supported the Fewer Burdens for Better Care Act of 2023, which would emphasize multi-stakeholder input, with a 30-day comment period for stakeholders to comment on the removal of measures from the Medicare program. MACRA Reform Hearings: We requested Congressional hearings on The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to focus upon whether the current system achieves the Congressional intent to move towards value- based care and to consider the long-term viability of the current Medicare physician payment system. These hearings should focus on the characteristics of a rational Medicare payment system. This should include: 1) positive consistent and stable annual payment updates that offer the financial stability needed for our physicians to transition their practices to value-based payment models; 2) meaningful and actionable quality reporting initiatives that adequately measure the quality of care our physicians provide to their patients; and 3) a sufficient number of Advanced APMs for our physicians to join to provide high quality value-based care to their patients. Pricing Transparency/Consolidation: Supported several provisions of H.R. 5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which are consistent with our policy and would improve access to and affordability of health care for patients. This bill brings together H.R. 4822, Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023, H.R. 3561, Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 and other related bills reported out of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees. Supported requiring disclosure of changes in hospital or health facility ownership to reveal when private equity firms acquire hospitals, larger physician practices or nursing homes, promote price transparency among hospitals, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers and promote site neutrality for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. We further supported the reauthorization and funding increases included for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program and National Health Service Corps. Supported Section 4 of H.R. 2880, the Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, which aims to increase PBM data reporting to enhance transparency for Medicare Part D. Specifically, it would set out new requirements for PBMs to report data on rebates and administrative fees to HHS. It would also require that HHS deidentify the data and make it publicly available so that policy makers and the public will have a better understanding of how rebates and administrative fees impact the costs of drug plans. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued advocacy with Congress in support of 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; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; 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 March 2023 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the ACA's requirements for coverage for preventive services will harm the health of Americans. Previously, under the ACA, health insurance plans have been required to include coverage at no cost to patients for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These preventive services include cancer screenings, mental health screenings, heart disease and hypertension screenings, among other services. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S. 323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Supported H.R.4986/S. 2577, which would refinance the interest rate for all existing federal student loans to zero percent. Further, it would cap interest rates for future student loan borrowers, while considering their financial needs. Prescription Drug Reform: Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Supported H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, to expand the number of prescription drugs which Medicare can negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act from 20 to 50 starting in 2029. Supported H.R. 5385, the Medicare PBM Accountability Act. This legislation aims to lower the costs of prescription drugs for seniors covered by Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. It would require PBMs to submit annual reports to the Secretary of HHS on PBMs cost savings incurred from rebates, discounts, and price concessions. Supported H.R. 1352, the Increasing Access to Biosimilars Act of 2023. This legislation would encourage adoption of biosimilars in Medicare and improve biosimilar accessibility, by establishing a new pilot program - a voluntary, shared savings demonstration program - for providers of biosimilars in Medicare Part B. Supported H.R. 5386, the Cutting Copays Act. This legislation would eliminate cost-sharing for generic drugs for LIS beneficiaries, helping to incentivize the use of generic drugs. Supported H.R. 3009/S. 2362, the Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2023, to require that manufacturers of over-the-counter and prescription drugs notify Food & Drug Administration when they are unlikely to meet demand. Social Determinants of Healthcare: Urged Congress to support legislation to expand utilization of social determinants of healthcare to expand governments capabilities to provide healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Supported the Improving the Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023 that would: award grants to state, local, territorial, and Tribal health agencies and organizations to address SDOHs in target communities; award grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices; provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation assistance to target community grantees; and disseminate best practices; and collect and analyze data related to SDOH activities. Supported Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 1705 and S. 1606. The bill contains environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of 2I and be subject to a criminal background check. Urged Congress to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, H.R. 715, and the Background Check Expansion Act, S. 494 and Ethans Law, H.R. 660 and S. 173, requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. Supported the Keep Americans Safe Act, H.R. 625 and S. 298, which would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds. Supported the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, H.R. 768 and S. 247 empowering family members and law enforcement to prevent gun violence by petitioning a court to temporarily separate an at-risk individual from firearms. Supported the FY2024 funding gun violence prevention research contained in FY24 Senate Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill for inclusion in any final FY24 appropriations bills. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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 Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and reintroduces H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act, to provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians who choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborate Care Model (CoCM); Support enhanced reimbursement for CoCM payment codes under Medicare to more appropriately reflect the value of services provided to patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs. Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medic

Client expense: $309,245 · 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)

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to support several bills to expand patient access to medical coverage. ACP supports H.R. 1114, the Long COVID Response is Care Optimized and Vitally Essential Resources that Yield New Opportunities for Wellness Act or the Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act, which would optimize care by enhancing a coordinated federal government response, public education and insurance reimbursement guidance for Long COVID. H.R. 1114 would also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to primary care practices to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based Long COVID clinical practices that have been demonstrated to improve the wellness of individuals with Long COVJD and submission of data to HHS on the characteristics, diagnoses, and health care service utilization of Long COVID patients. Urged Congress to pass H.R. 952, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, which ensures that Medicaid payment rates for primary care services are equal to Medicare rates. The ACA included a provision that required states to raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services equal to Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 but this provision expired after those two years and was not renewed by Congress. Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported H.R. 2829, the Chronic Care Management Improvement Act of 2023, that would remove the co-pay charged to patients who utilize chronic care management services. It would waive the beneficiary coinsurance to manage chronic care conditions and improve patients health. Supported Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, H.R. 3305 and S. 1606, to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments would address the social determinants of maternal health, which include childcare, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must 1) award specified grants; 2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and 3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Supporting those provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, the 5-year reauthorization legislation, related to food and nutrition - namely food security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. We support the nutrition assistance and food distribution programs for nearly 40 million people with low-income, e.g. ((SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and preserving the current SNAP entitlement and funding structure to ensure benefit adequacy without work requirements. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 2001 to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. Supported H.R. 6545, the Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill includes an important provision that would allocate 3 percent to the 2024 Medicare conversion factor, which would represent a 1.75 percent increase to the approved level. H.R. 6545 also includes several provisions from H.R. 6371, the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2023, that ACP supports. It would raise the budget neutrality threshold to $53 million and would use cumulative increases in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) to update the threshold every five years afterwards. Supported H.R. 6683, the Preserving Seniors Access to Physicians Act of 2023. That bill averts a 3.4 percent across-the-board cut to physician payment for 2024. ACP supported extending the work geographic practice costs index to improve the accuracy of geographic adjustment factors. Supported H.R. 6366 that would extend the work geographic practice costs index for another year to 1.00 for any locality where the index would be less than 1.00. G2211 Add on Code Implementation: Urged Congress to support the full implementation of a Medicare add-on code, known as G2211, in 2024. This code will improve Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality, continuous care and help sustain the physician practices beneficiaries rely on for comprehensive health care. G2211 would be billed alongside codes for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits to better account for the unique and inherent complexity of services provided through longitudinal patient care that is based on a clinicians ongoing relationship with a patient and is related to a patients single, serious condition or a complex condition. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. ACP supports extending incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models through 2026. This approach would help to maintain incentives that support physicians transition from a volume-based fee-for-service health care system to one that is based on the value and quality outcomes of health care delivered to the patient. Supported H.R. 6369 by Rep. Kim Schrier to extend incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models. ACP supports H.R. 5395, the SURS Extension Act, which would extend the Quality Payment Program-Small Practice, Underserved, and Rural Support (QPP-SURS) program for fiscal years 2024-2029. This program was established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) and has provided direct assistance to eligible clinicians required to participate in MIPS. ACP supports efforts to streamline the number of quality measures physicians must report on and enhance stakeholder engagement. Supported the Fewer Burdens for Better Care Act of 2023, which would emphasize multi-stakeholder input, with a 30-day comment period for stakeholders to comment on the removal of measures from the Medicare program. MACRA Reform Hearings: We requested Congressional hearings on The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to focus upon whether the current system achieves the Congressional intent to move towards value- based care and to consider the long-term viability of the current Medicare physician payment system. These hearings should focus on the characteristics of a rational Medicare payment system. This should include: 1) positive consistent and stable annual payment updates that offer the financial stability needed for our physicians to transition their practices to value-based payment models; 2) meaningful and actionable quality reporting initiatives that adequately measure the quality of care our physicians provide to their patients; and 3) a sufficient number of Advanced APMs for our physicians to join to provide high quality value-based care to their patients. Pricing Transparency/Consolidation: Supported several provisions of H.R. 5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which are consistent with our policy and would improve access to and affordability of health care for patients. This bill brings together H.R. 4822, Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023, H.R. 3561, Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 and other related bills reported out of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees. Supported requiring disclosure of changes in hospital or health facility ownership to reveal when private equity firms acquire hospitals, larger physician practices or nursing homes, promote price transparency among hospitals, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers and promote site neutrality for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. We further supported the reauthorization and funding increases included for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program and National Health Service Corps. Supported Section 4 of H.R. 2880, the Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, which aims to increase PBM data reporting to enhance transparency for Medicare Part D. Specifically, it would set out new requirements for PBMs to report data on rebates and administrative fees to HHS. It would also require that HHS deidentify the data and make it publicly available so that policy makers and the public will have a better understanding of how rebates and administrative fees impact the costs of drug plans. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued advocacy with Congress in support of 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; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; 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 March 2023 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the ACA's requirements for coverage for preventive services will harm the health of Americans. Previously, under the ACA, health insurance plans have been required to include coverage at no cost to patients for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These preventive services include cancer screenings, mental health screenings, heart disease and hypertension screenings, among other services. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S. 323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Supported H.R.4986/S. 2577, which would refinance the interest rate for all existing federal student loans to zero percent. Further, it would cap interest rates for future student loan borrowers, while considering their financial needs. Prescription Drug Reform: Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Supported H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, to expand the number of prescription drugs which Medicare can negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act from 20 to 50 starting in 2029. Supported H.R. 5385, the Medicare PBM Accountability Act. This legislation aims to lower the costs of prescription drugs for seniors covered by Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. It would require PBMs to submit annual reports to the Secretary of HHS on PBMs cost savings incurred from rebates, discounts, and price concessions. Supported H.R. 1352, the Increasing Access to Biosimilars Act of 2023. This legislation would encourage adoption of biosimilars in Medicare and improve biosimilar accessibility, by establishing a new pilot program - a voluntary, shared savings demonstration program - for providers of biosimilars in Medicare Part B. Supported H.R. 5386, the Cutting Copays Act. This legislation would eliminate cost-sharing for generic drugs for LIS beneficiaries, helping to incentivize the use of generic drugs. Supported H.R. 3009/S. 2362, the Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2023, to require that manufacturers of over-the-counter and prescription drugs notify Food & Drug Administration when they are unlikely to meet demand. Social Determinants of Healthcare: Urged Congress to support legislation to expand utilization of social determinants of healthcare to expand governments capabilities to provide healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Supported the Improving the Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023 that would: award grants to state, local, territorial, and Tribal health agencies and organizations to address SDOHs in target communities; award grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices; provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation assistance to target community grantees; and disseminate best practices; and collect and analyze data related to SDOH activities. Supported Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 1705 and S. 1606. The bill contains environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of 2I and be subject to a criminal background check. Urged Congress to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, H.R. 715, and the Background Check Expansion Act, S. 494 and Ethans Law, H.R. 660 and S. 173, requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. Supported the Keep Americans Safe Act, H.R. 625 and S. 298, which would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds. Supported the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, H.R. 768 and S. 247 empowering family members and law enforcement to prevent gun violence by petitioning a court to temporarily separate an at-risk individual from firearms. Supported the FY2024 funding gun violence prevention research contained in FY24 Senate Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill for inclusion in any final FY24 appropriations bills. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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 Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and reintroduces H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act, to provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians who choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborate Care Model (CoCM); Support enhanced reimbursement for CoCM payment codes under Medicare to more appropriately reflect the value of services provided to patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs. Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medic

Client expense: $97,125 · 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)

Appropriations; H.R.3086; S.1995

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobbying Issues Description: Budget and appropriations for public health, disease and injury prevention, including obesity and related diseases; pandemics and emerging infectious diseases; physical activity; public health preparedness; nutrition programs; environmental health; health equity; community-based public health interventions; public health infrastructure and workforce; and substance misuse/behavioral health issues. Specific Legislation: 1.Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences Act (Not yet introduced) 2.Mental Health Services for Students Act (S. 1884/H.R. 3713) 3.Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) 4.Advancing Student Services in Schools Today Act (S. 1774/H.R. 3761) 5.Student Mental Health Rights Act (H.R. 3726) 6.Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (S. 1700/H.R. 3548) 7.RISE from Trauma Act (S. 1426) 8.Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act (S. 923) 9.Reentry Act (S. 1165/H.R. 2400) 10.FY 2023 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 11.FY 2024 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 12.Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 2617) 13.2023 Farm Bill 14.Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (Not yet introduced) 15.Social Determinants Accelerator Act (Not yet introduced) 16.SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023 (Not yet introduced) 17.SWEET Act (Not yet introduced) 18.Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S.397) 19.Halt Obesity in America Act (Not yet introduced) 20.Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2023 (S. 1036/ H.R. 3474) 21.Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 3305/S. 1606) 22.Older Americans Act (Not yet introduced) 23.Protecting the Health of Americas Older Adults Act (Not yet introduced) 24.REAADI Act (S. 1049) 25.Improving Data in Public Health Act (H.R. 3791) 26.Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4420, H.R. 4421) 27.Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) 28.BIO Early Warning Act (Not yet introduced) 29.The Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4531) 30.The Peer Support Act (S. 2733) 31.The Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act (S. 1378) 32.The Barriers to Suicide Act (H.R. 3759) 33.The 9-8-8 Implementation Act (H.R. 4851) 34.Influenza Act (H.R. 5846) 35.Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act (S. 2840) 36.National Defense Authorization Act (S. 2226) 37.Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2023 (S.2929/ H.R. 5715) 38.A resolution declaring racism a public health crisis (S. Res 319) 39.Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S. 2415) House(s) of Congress and Federal Agencies lobbied during the quarter: House, Senate, Exec Office of Pres, White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, CDC, FDA, CMS, OMB, NIH, USDA, HRSA, and SAMHSA.

Client expense: $44,930 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), White House Office

Issues related to lung disease treatment, prevention and research; Issues related to public health; Issues related asthma, COPD, influenza, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, tuberculosis and other lung diseases; Issues related to tobacco cessation; Issues related to the Affordable Care Act; Issues related to the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Issues related to Medicaid; Issues related to COVID-19 Response; Issues related to vaccines; Issues related to infrastructure; Issues related to supplemental oxygen; Issues related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act; Issues related to Medicare sequestration; Issues related to Cancer Moonshot; Issues related to short-term limited duration plans; Issues related to Healthy Future Taskforce; Issues related to regulatory reform; Issues relating to the Presidents FY24 budget; Issues relating to FY24 appropriations; HR 277 REINS Act; S 184 REINS Act; HR 1075 Medicaid Work Requirements Act; S. 1063 A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs; HR 1551 Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act; H.R. 2583 Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023; H.R. 1114 Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act; H.R. 1692 Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; HR 3073 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; S 1452 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; HR 2811 Limit Save Grow Act; HR 442 Regulatory Accountability Act; S 1615 Regulatory Accountability Act;; HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023; Issues related to Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024; S 1411, Prove It Act of 2023; S 1995 Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act; HR 824 Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 2813 The Self-Insurance Protec􀆟on Act; HR 3799 CHOICE Arrangement Act; HR 2868 Association Health Plans Act; S 2213 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; HR 4363 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; S. 2016 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; HR 4189 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; S 2624 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024; HR 5525 Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024; HR 2860 Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act; HR 5749 Family Asthma Act; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 890 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 791 The Guidance Out of Darkness Act; S 2245 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; HR 4534 Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; S 2333 Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Response Act; HR 4420 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act

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

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office

Appropriations; H.R.3086; S.1995

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. Draft Health Equity and Accountability Act Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. S.2333 - Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Response Act H.R.4420 - Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act H.R.4421 - Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act H.R.4697 - Protecting PAHPA Act of 2023 Issues: Support the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act with increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program and oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program, restrict use of contract pharmacies, and impose additional reporting requirements for 340B hospitals. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from imposing discriminatory reimbursement policies on 340B covered entities. H.R.3561 - Promoting Access to Treatments and Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 (PATIENT Act) Issue: Oppose requiring 340B covered entities to report their 340B savings for patients enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans. Oppose implementation of so-called site-neutral payment policies in the Medicare program. Oppose burdensome and duplicative reporting and transparency requirements. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Impose efforts to impose additional, onerous reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support policies to improve maternal health outcomes through expanded Medicaid coverage, enhanced data collection, and improved access to behavioral health care during the perinatal period. H.R.3838/S. 2415 Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act Issue: Support continued federal funding for state-based maternal mortality review committees. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing Food and Drug Administration regulation of the development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L. 116-260). Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support policies to strengthen the behavioral health workforce, promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models, and ensure access to coverage and care. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. S.2840 - Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act Issue: Oppose cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund. Support workforce investments and extension of National Health Service Corps funding. H.R.3887 - Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 H.R.3841 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs Issue: Urge clean reauthorization of the Childrens Hospital GME program. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; diversity, equity, and inclusion; menopause management; and health care for people with disabilities. H.R.2670/S.2226 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 Issue: Support military health workforce.

Client expense: $641,145 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to support several bills to expand patient access to medical coverage. ACP supports H.R. 1114, the Long COVID Response is Care Optimized and Vitally Essential Resources that Yield New Opportunities for Wellness Act or the Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act, which would optimize care by enhancing a coordinated federal government response, public education and insurance reimbursement guidance for Long COVID. H.R. 1114 would also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to primary care practices to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based Long COVID clinical practices that have been demonstrated to improve the wellness of individuals with Long COVJD and submission of data to HHS on the characteristics, diagnoses, and health care service utilization of Long COVID patients. Urged Congress to pass H.R. 952, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, which ensures that Medicaid payment rates for primary care services are equal to Medicare rates. The ACA included a provision that required states to raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services equal to Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 but this provision expired after those two years and was not renewed by Congress. Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported H.R. 2829, the Chronic Care Management Improvement Act of 2023, that would remove the co-pay charged to patients who utilize chronic care management services. It would waive the beneficiary coinsurance to manage chronic care conditions and improve patients health. Supported Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, H.R. 3305 and S. 1606, to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments would address the social determinants of maternal health, which include childcare, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must 1) award specified grants; 2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and 3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Supporting those provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, the 5-year reauthorization legislation, related to food and nutrition - namely food security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. We support the nutrition assistance and food distribution programs for nearly 40 million people with low-income, e.g. ((SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and preserving the current SNAP entitlement and funding structure to ensure benefit adequacy without work requirements. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 200 I to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. G2211 Add on Code Implementation: ACP urged Congress to support the full implementation of a Medicare add-on code, known as G2211, in 2024. This code will improve Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality, continuous care and help sustain the physician practices beneficiaries rely on for comprehensive health care. G2211 would be billed alongside codes for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits to better account for the unique and inherent complexity of services provided through longitudinal patient care that is based on a clinicians ongoing relationship with a patient and is related to a patients single, serious condition or a complex condition. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. MACRA Reform Hearings: We requested Congressional hearings on The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to focus upon whether the current system achieves the Congressional intent to move towards value- based care and to consider the long-term viability of the current Medicare physician payment system. These hearings should focus on the characteristics of a rational Medicare payment system. This should include: 1) Positive consistent and stable annual payment updates that offer the financial stability needed for our physicians to transition their practices to value-based payment models; 2) Meaningful and actionable quality reporting initiatives that adequately measure the quality of care our physicians provide to their patients; AND 3) A sufficient number of Advanced APMs for our physicians to join to provide high quality value-based care to their patients. Pricing Transparency/Consolidation: Supported several provisions of H.R. 5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which are consistent with our policy and would improve access to and affordability of health care for patients. This bill brings together H.R. 4822, Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023, H.R. 3561, Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 and other related bills reported out of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees. Supported requiring disclosure of changes in hospital or health facility ownership to reveal when private equity firms acquire hospitals, larger physician practices or nursing homes, promote price transparency among hospitals, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers and promote site neutrality for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. We further supported the reauthorization and funding increases included for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program and National Health Service Corps. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued advocacy with Congress in support of 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; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; 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 March 2023 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the ACA's requirements for coverage for preventive services will harm the health of Americans. Previously, under the ACA, health insurance plans have been required to include coverage at no cost to patients for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These preventive services include cancer screenings, mental health screenings, heart disease and hypertension screenings, among other services. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S. 323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Prescription Drug Reform: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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. Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Supported H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, to expand the number of prescription drugs which Medicare can negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act from 20 to 50 starting in 2029. Social Determinants of Healthcare: Urged Congress to support legislation to expand utilization of social determinants of healthcare to expand governments capabilities to provide healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Supported the Improving the Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023 that would: award grants to state, local, territorial, and Tribal health agencies and organizations to address SDOHs in target communities; award grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices; provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation assistance to target community grantees; and disseminate best practices; and collect and analyze data related to SDOH activities. Supported Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 1705 and S. 1606. The bill contains environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of 2I and be subject to a criminal background check. Urged Congress to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, H.R. 715, and the Background Check Expansion Act, S. 494 and Ethans Law, H.R. 660 and S. 173, requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. Supported the Keep Americans Safe Act, H.R. 625 and S. 298, which would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds. Supported the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, H.R. 768 and S. 247 empowering family members and law enforcement to prevent gun violence by petitioning a court to temporarily separate an at-risk individual from firearms. We supported the FY2024 funding gun violence prevention research contained in FY24 Senate Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill for inclusion in any final FY24 appropriations bills. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and reintroduces H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act, to provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians who choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborate Care Model (CoCM); Support enhanced reimbursement for CoCM payment codes under Medicare to more appropriately reflect the value of services provided to patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs. Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care or the COMPLETE Care Act, to improve the integration of behavioral health in primary care practices.

Client expense: $329,342 · 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)

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to support several bills to expand patient access to medical coverage. ACP supports H.R. 1114, the Long COVID Response is Care Optimized and Vitally Essential Resources that Yield New Opportunities for Wellness Act or the Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act, which would optimize care by enhancing a coordinated federal government response, public education and insurance reimbursement guidance for Long COVID. H.R. 1114 would also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to primary care practices to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based Long COVID clinical practices that have been demonstrated to improve the wellness of individuals with Long COVJD and submission of data to HHS on the characteristics, diagnoses, and health care service utilization of Long COVID patients. Urged Congress to pass H.R. 952, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, which ensures that Medicaid payment rates for primary care services are equal to Medicare rates. The ACA included a provision that required states to raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services equal to Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 but this provision expired after those two years and was not renewed by Congress. Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported H.R. 2829, the Chronic Care Management Improvement Act of 2023, that would remove the co-pay charged to patients who utilize chronic care management services. It would waive the beneficiary coinsurance to manage chronic care conditions and improve patients health. Supported Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, H.R. 3305 and S. 1606, to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments would address the social determinants of maternal health, which include childcare, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must 1) award specified grants; 2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and 3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Supporting those provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, the 5-year reauthorization legislation, related to food and nutrition - namely food security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. We support the nutrition assistance and food distribution programs for nearly 40 million people with low-income, e.g. ((SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and preserving the current SNAP entitlement and funding structure to ensure benefit adequacy without work requirements. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 200 I to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. G2211 Add on Code Implementation: ACP urged Congress to support the full implementation of a Medicare add-on code, known as G2211, in 2024. This code will improve Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality, continuous care and help sustain the physician practices beneficiaries rely on for comprehensive health care. G2211 would be billed alongside codes for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits to better account for the unique and inherent complexity of services provided through longitudinal patient care that is based on a clinicians ongoing relationship with a patient and is related to a patients single, serious condition or a complex condition. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. MACRA Reform Hearings: We requested Congressional hearings on The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to focus upon whether the current system achieves the Congressional intent to move towards value- based care and to consider the long-term viability of the current Medicare physician payment system. These hearings should focus on the characteristics of a rational Medicare payment system. This should include: 1) Positive consistent and stable annual payment updates that offer the financial stability needed for our physicians to transition their practices to value-based payment models; 2) Meaningful and actionable quality reporting initiatives that adequately measure the quality of care our physicians provide to their patients; AND 3) A sufficient number of Advanced APMs for our physicians to join to provide high quality value-based care to their patients. Pricing Transparency/Consolidation: Supported several provisions of H.R. 5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which are consistent with our policy and would improve access to and affordability of health care for patients. This bill brings together H.R. 4822, Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023, H.R. 3561, Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 and other related bills reported out of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees. Supported requiring disclosure of changes in hospital or health facility ownership to reveal when private equity firms acquire hospitals, larger physician practices or nursing homes, promote price transparency among hospitals, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers and promote site neutrality for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. We further supported the reauthorization and funding increases included for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program and National Health Service Corps. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued advocacy with Congress in support of 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; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; 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 March 2023 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the ACA's requirements for coverage for preventive services will harm the health of Americans. Previously, under the ACA, health insurance plans have been required to include coverage at no cost to patients for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These preventive services include cancer screenings, mental health screenings, heart disease and hypertension screenings, among other services. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S. 323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Prescription Drug Reform: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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. Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Supported H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, to expand the number of prescription drugs which Medicare can negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act from 20 to 50 starting in 2029. Social Determinants of Healthcare: Urged Congress to support legislation to expand utilization of social determinants of healthcare to expand governments capabilities to provide healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Supported the Improving the Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023 that would: award grants to state, local, territorial, and Tribal health agencies and organizations to address SDOHs in target communities; award grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices; provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation assistance to target community grantees; and disseminate best practices; and collect and analyze data related to SDOH activities. Supported Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 1705 and S. 1606. The bill contains environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of 2I and be subject to a criminal background check. Urged Congress to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, H.R. 715, and the Background Check Expansion Act, S. 494 and Ethans Law, H.R. 660 and S. 173, requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. Supported the Keep Americans Safe Act, H.R. 625 and S. 298, which would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds. Supported the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, H.R. 768 and S. 247 empowering family members and law enforcement to prevent gun violence by petitioning a court to temporarily separate an at-risk individual from firearms. We supported the FY2024 funding gun violence prevention research contained in FY24 Senate Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill for inclusion in any final FY24 appropriations bills. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and reintroduces H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act, to provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians who choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborate Care Model (CoCM); Support enhanced reimbursement for CoCM payment codes under Medicare to more appropriately reflect the value of services provided to patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs. Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care or the COMPLETE Care Act, to improve the integration of behavioral health in primary care practices.

Client expense: $107,071 · 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)

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to support several bills to expand patient access to medical coverage. ACP supports H.R. 1114, the Long COVID Response is Care Optimized and Vitally Essential Resources that Yield New Opportunities for Wellness Act or the Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act, which would optimize care by enhancing a coordinated federal government response, public education and insurance reimbursement guidance for Long COVID. H.R. 1114 would also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to primary care practices to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based Long COVID clinical practices that have been demonstrated to improve the wellness of individuals with Long COVJD and submission of data to HHS on the characteristics, diagnoses, and health care service utilization of Long COVID patients. Urged Congress to pass H.R. 952, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, which ensures that Medicaid payment rates for primary care services are equal to Medicare rates. The ACA included a provision that required states to raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services equal to Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 but this provision expired after those two years and was not renewed by Congress. Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported H.R. 2829, the Chronic Care Management Improvement Act of 2023, that would remove the co-pay charged to patients who utilize chronic care management services. It would waive the beneficiary coinsurance to manage chronic care conditions and improve patients health. Supported Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, H.R. 3305 and S. 1606, to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments would address the social determinants of maternal health, which include childcare, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must 1) award specified grants; 2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and 3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Supporting those provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, the 5-year reauthorization legislation, related to food and nutrition - namely food security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. We support the nutrition assistance and food distribution programs for nearly 40 million people with low-income, e.g. ((SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and preserving the current SNAP entitlement and funding structure to ensure benefit adequacy without work requirements. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 200 I to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. G2211 Add on Code Implementation: ACP urged Congress to support the full implementation of a Medicare add-on code, known as G2211, in 2024. This code will improve Medicare beneficiaries access to high-quality, continuous care and help sustain the physician practices beneficiaries rely on for comprehensive health care. G2211 would be billed alongside codes for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits to better account for the unique and inherent complexity of services provided through longitudinal patient care that is based on a clinicians ongoing relationship with a patient and is related to a patients single, serious condition or a complex condition. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. MACRA Reform Hearings: We requested Congressional hearings on The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) to focus upon whether the current system achieves the Congressional intent to move towards value- based care and to consider the long-term viability of the current Medicare physician payment system. These hearings should focus on the characteristics of a rational Medicare payment system. This should include: 1) Positive consistent and stable annual payment updates that offer the financial stability needed for our physicians to transition their practices to value-based payment models; 2) Meaningful and actionable quality reporting initiatives that adequately measure the quality of care our physicians provide to their patients; AND 3) A sufficient number of Advanced APMs for our physicians to join to provide high quality value-based care to their patients. Pricing Transparency/Consolidation: Supported several provisions of H.R. 5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which are consistent with our policy and would improve access to and affordability of health care for patients. This bill brings together H.R. 4822, Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2023, H.R. 3561, Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023 and other related bills reported out of Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees. Supported requiring disclosure of changes in hospital or health facility ownership to reveal when private equity firms acquire hospitals, larger physician practices or nursing homes, promote price transparency among hospitals, health plans and pharmacy benefit managers and promote site neutrality for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. We further supported the reauthorization and funding increases included for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, Community Health Center program and National Health Service Corps. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued advocacy with Congress in support of 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; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; 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 March 2023 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the ACA's requirements for coverage for preventive services will harm the health of Americans. Previously, under the ACA, health insurance plans have been required to include coverage at no cost to patients for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These preventive services include cancer screenings, mental health screenings, heart disease and hypertension screenings, among other services. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S. 323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Prescription Drug Reform: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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. Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Supported H.R. 4895, the Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act, to expand the number of prescription drugs which Medicare can negotiate under the Inflation Reduction Act from 20 to 50 starting in 2029. Social Determinants of Healthcare: Urged Congress to support legislation to expand utilization of social determinants of healthcare to expand governments capabilities to provide healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Supported the Improving the Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023 that would: award grants to state, local, territorial, and Tribal health agencies and organizations to address SDOHs in target communities; award grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices; provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation assistance to target community grantees; and disseminate best practices; and collect and analyze data related to SDOH activities. Supported Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 1705 and S. 1606. The bill contains environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of 2I and be subject to a criminal background check. Urged Congress to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, H.R. 715, and the Background Check Expansion Act, S. 494 and Ethans Law, H.R. 660 and S. 173, requiring gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms. Supported the Keep Americans Safe Act, H.R. 625 and S. 298, which would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds. Supported the Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act, H.R. 768 and S. 247 empowering family members and law enforcement to prevent gun violence by petitioning a court to temporarily separate an at-risk individual from firearms. We supported the FY2024 funding gun violence prevention research contained in FY24 Senate Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations bill for inclusion in any final FY24 appropriations bills. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and reintroduces H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act, to provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians who choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborate Care Model (CoCM); Support enhanced reimbursement for CoCM payment codes under Medicare to more appropriately reflect the value of services provided to patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs. Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care or the COMPLETE Care Act, to improve the integration of behavioral health in primary care practices.

Client expense: $419,047 · 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)

Reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act LABEL Opioids of 2023 Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) Extending Care to Compacts of Free Association Veterans Act of 2023 (S. 1913) Biosecurity Infrastructure for Operational Early Warning Act PREVENT Community Violence Act Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023.

Client expense: $63,217 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobbying Report: April 1st - June 30th, 2023 (Campaign) Federal (under tobacco issue code) Legislation: Helping Tobacco Users Quit Act S. 2131 / H.R. 4368 -- FY 24 Senate/House Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill FY 24 Senate/House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill FY 24 Senate/House State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill S. 2321 - FY 24 Senate/House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill H.R. 901 - Disposable ENDS Product Enforcement Act of 2023 Health Equity and Accountability Act Legislation related to the environmental impact of tobacco products Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness (MOMMAs) Act S. 1921 / H.R. 4020 - Children Dont Belong on Tobacco Farms Act Preventing Opportunities for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction (PROTECT) Act S. 1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Improving Social Determinants of Health Act S. 107 / H.R. 1486 - Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act S. 1395 - Legislation to temporarily suspend the debt limit through December 31, 2024 Issues FDA proposed rule on menthol cigarettes FDA proposed rule on flavored cigars FDA regulation of e-cigarettes FDA regulation of tobacco, including premarket review and enforcement Tobacco taxes Tobacco product user fees FDA nicotine standard Youth vaping Tobacco cessation Ending the Youth Vaping Epidemic Caucus Harm Reduction Caucus Unwinding of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision CDC Reform Cancer Moonshot FDA Product standards/Equity Nicotine Pouches FTC and Tobacco Products

Client expense: $210,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobbying Report: April 1st - June 30th, 2023 (Action Fund) Federal (under tobacco issue code) Legislation: Helping Tobacco Users Quit Act S. 2131 / H.R. 4368 -- FY 24 Senate/House Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill FY 24 Senate/House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill FY 24 Senate/House State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill S. 2321 - FY 24 Senate/House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill H.R. 901 - Disposable ENDS Product Enforcement Act of 2023 Health Equity and Accountability Act Legislation related to the environmental impact of tobacco products Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness (MOMMAs) Act S. 1921 / H.R. 4020 - Children Dont Belong on Tobacco Farms Act Preventing Opportunities for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction (PROTECT) Act S. 1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Improving Social Determinants of Health Act S. 107 / H.R. 1486 - Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act S. 1395 - Legislation to temporarily suspend the debt limit through December 31, 2024 Issues FDA proposed rule on menthol cigarettes FDA proposed rule on flavored cigars FDA regulation of e-cigarettes FDA regulation of tobacco, including premarket review and enforcement Tobacco taxes Tobacco product user fees FDA nicotine standard Youth vaping Tobacco cessation Ending the Youth Vaping Epidemic Caucus Harm Reduction Caucus Unwinding of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision CDC Reform Cancer Moonshot FDA Product standards/Equity Nicotine Pouches FTC and Tobacco Products

Client expense: $300,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Issues related to lung disease treatment, prevention and research; Issues related to public health; Issues related asthma, COPD, influenza, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, tuberculosis and other lung diseases; Issues related to tobacco cessation; Issues related to the Affordable Care Act; Issues related to the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Issues related to Medicaid; Issues related to COVID-19 Response; Issues related to vaccines; Issues related to infrastructure; Issues related to supplemental oxygen; Issues related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act; Issues related to Medicare sequestration; Issues related to Cancer Moonshot; Issues related to short-term limited duration plans; Issues related to Healthy Future Taskforce; Issues related to regulatory reform; Issues relating to the Presidents FY24 budget; Issues relating to FY24 appropriations; HR 277 REINS Act; S 184 REINS Act; HR 1075 Medicaid Work Requirements Act; S. 1063 A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs; HR 1551 Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act; H.R. 2583 Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023; H.R. 1114 Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act; H.R. 1692 Health Care Affordability Act of 2023; HR 3073 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; S 1452 Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act; HR 2811 Limit Save Grow Act; HR 442 Regulatory Accountability Act; S 1615 Regulatory Accountability Act; HR 3746 Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023; HR 288 Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023; Issues related to Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024; S 1411, Prove It Act of 2023; S 1995 Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act; HR 824 Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023; HR 4286 Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act; HR 2813 The Self-Insurance Protec􀆟on Act; HR 3799 CHOICE Arrangement Act; HR 2868 Association Health Plans Act; S 2213 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; HR 4363 Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act; S. 2016 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023; HR 4189 CONNECT for Health Act of 2023

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

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office

H.R.3046/S.1403 - Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023 Issue: Support grants for primary care training in medically under-resourced communities. Draft Social Determinants Accelerator Act Issue: Support grants to address social determinants of health. Draft Health Equity and Accountability Act Issue: Support programs to improve health equity and address social determinants of health. P.L.117-105 - Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act Issue: Implementation of grants directed at improving clinician burnout and well-being. Draft Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act and related draft bills Issues: Support the Hospital Preparedness Program and the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. Support increased funding authorization levels. Issue: Support authorities to strengthen CDCs and ASPRs ability to prevent and respond to existing and emerging threats. S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Issue: Support investments in core public health infrastructure. Issue: Educate Congress on how the 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net providers to fulfill their missions and care for patients and communities. Support measures to preserve and strengthen the 340B Drug Pricing Program and oppose efforts to reduce the scope of the program. Oppose restrictions on covered entities use of contract pharmacy arrangements and the differential treatment of covered entities with respect to reimbursement, participation in standard or preferred networks, and inventory management. Oppose the imposition of additional reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. H.R.2534 - Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 (PROTECT 340B Act) Issue: Support measures to prevent pharmacy benefit managers and commercial insurers from discriminating against 340B covered entities. H.R.3561 - Promoting Access to Treatments and Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 (PATIENT Act) Issue: Oppose requiring 340B covered entities to report their 340B savings for patients enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans. Oppose implementation of so-called site-neutral payment policies in the Medicare program. Oppose burdensome and duplicative reporting and transparency requirements. H.R.3290 - To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program. Issue: Impose efforts to impose additional, onerous reporting requirements on 340B hospitals. Issue: Oppose insurance plans that do not meet Affordable Care Act requirements. Issue: Support legislation to advance maternal health equity by providing comprehensive coverage during the post-partum period. Support initiatives to ensure robust data collection on maternal health outcomes. Support policies to provide comprehensive and integrated mental health services during the perinatal period. H.R.2369 - Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development (VALID) Act of 2023 Issue: Educate Congress on development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers and oppose policies that would increase burdensome regulations and negatively impact patients access to care by allowing Food and Drug Administration regulation of the development of Laboratory Developed Tests at academic medical centers. Issue: Discuss authorization of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program. Issue: Educate Congress on the medical education and training continuum, the annual residency Match, and the role of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in medical education and residency. Issue: Provide guidance on the implementation of the No Surprises Act (P.L. 116-260). Issue: Provide feedback on efforts of the academic medicine community to address climate change and decarbonization. Issue: Support the nomination of Mandy Cohen to be the CDC Director. Issue: Express concern regarding actions to inappropriately undermine FDA regulatory authority. Issue: Seek clarification regarding implementation of the MATE Act within P.L. 117-328. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on the role of academic medicine in the provision of mental and behavioral health care, including initiatives to respond to the opioid epidemic. Support measures to expand access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment, including increased funding for training on pain management, safe prescribing practices, and substance use disorders, financial incentives to promote the uptake of integrated behavioral health models; and the provision of additional Medicare-supported GME positions for psychiatry and psychiatry sub-specialties. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration on academic medicines missions, including education, research, patient care, community collaborations, as well as efforts related to GME, workforce, and physician shortages in rural and urban communities, sustainability within the health care sector, and health equity. Issue: Educate Congress about the financial challenges facing academic medical centers, including reimbursement challenges, workforce challenges, inflation, and others. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about the impact of the unwinding of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the academic medicine community and the patients they serve. Issue: Educate Congress and the administration about medical education on nutrition, hunger, and health; reproductive health; substance use disorders; trans health; preventing fraud and abuse; and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Client expense: $722,513 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Natl Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Vice President of the U.S., White House Office

Pandemic All Hazards Preparedness Act reauthorization CDC Funding in FY2024 Labor, Health and Human Services bill, including immunization, smoking and health, social determinants of health, violence prevention, public health preparedness, epi and lab capacity, Data Modernization Initiative, Center for Forecasting Outbreak and Analytics, climate and health, overdose prevention, public health workforce, capacity and infrastructure, infectious diseases HHS Funding for Title X and Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program HHS Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Overdose prevention, Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act (HR 1359/S 644) Stop Fentanyl Overdoses Act (HR 3375/S 1785) Regulation of Tobacco/Nicotine and flavors Funding for Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (HRSA) Oppose rescinding COVID public health funding in Limit, Save, Grow Act (HR 2811) Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (HR 3305/ S 1606) Improving DATA in Public Health Act (HR 3791) Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S 1995) Disease X Act (HR 3832/S 2093) Right to Contraception Act (HR 4121/ S 1999)

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Lobbying Issues Description: Budget and appropriations for public health, disease and injury prevention, including obesity and related diseases; pandemics and emerging infectious diseases; physical activity; public health preparedness; nutrition programs; environmental health; health equity; community-based public health interventions; public health infrastructure and workforce; and substance misuse/behavioral health issues. Specific Legislation: 1.Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences Act (Not yet introduced) 2.Mental Health Services for Students Act (S. 1884/H.R. 3713) 3.Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) 4.Advancing Student Services in Schools Today Act (S. 1774/H.R. 3761) 5.Student Mental Health Rights Act (H.R. 3726) 6.Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (S. 1700/H.R. 3548) 7.RISE from Trauma Act (S. 1426) 8.Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act (S. 923) 9.Reentry Act (S. 1165/H.R. 2400) 10.FY 2023 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 11.FY 2024 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations 12.Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 2617) 13.2023 Farm Bill 14.Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (Not yet introduced) 15.Social Determinants Accelerator Act (Not yet introduced) 16.SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023 (Not yet introduced) 17.SWEET Act (Not yet introduced) 18.Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act (S.397) 19.Halt Obesity in America Act (Not yet introduced) 20.Senior Hunger Prevention Act of 2023 (S. 1036/ H.R. 3474) 21.Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 3305/S. 1606) 22.Older Americans Act (Not yet introduced) 23.Protecting the Health of Americas Older Adults Act (Not yet introduced) 24.REAADI Act (S. 1049) 25.Improving Data in Public Health Act (H.R. 3791) 26.Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4420, H.R. 4421) 27.Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act (S. 1995) 28.BIO Early Warning Act (Not yet introduced) House(s) of Congress and Federal Agencies lobbied during the quarter: House, Senate, Exec Office of Pres, White House Domestic Policy Council, HHS, CDC, FDA, CMS, OMB, NIH, USDA, HRSA, and SAMHSA.

Client expense: $47,337 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), White House Office

Health and Human Services Appropriations - In support of funding for the National Institutes of Health, Area Health Education Centers Program, and Health Resources and Services Administration Title VII programs. In support of funding for Regional Response Health Collaboration Program. In support of funding to implement the National Alzheimer's Plan research, development, program and service. In support of extension for 340B program and opposition to proposal to reduce Medicare Part B payments for drugs acquired through 340B program. In support of protection of 340B eligibility in future supplemental funding bills In support of legislative remedy for USCIS visa retrogression in healthcare categories. In support of Disproportionate Share Hospital extension and opposition to site-neutral payments for physician-administered drugs. In support of S.1995, the Public Healthcare Infrastructure Saves Lives Act.

Client expense: $130,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Support for the reintroduction of the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act S.Res.201 and H.Res.375 - Resolutions honoring and recognizing May 6 through 12, 2023 as National Nurses Week H.Con.Res.42 - Resolution honoring Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first professionally trained Black nurse H.R. 3263 - Support Faculty and Expand Access to Nursing School Act of 2023 H.R.3768/ S.1851 - Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Service (MOMS) Act of 2023 H.R.3305/ S.1606- Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act H.R.2663/S.1176 - Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act H.R.2411/S.1150 - National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023 H.R.618/ S.131 - Improving Access to Workers Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2023 H.R.4328 - National Nursing Shortage Task Force Act of 2023 H.R.2713 - Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act H.R.3791 - Improving DATA in Public Health Act S.1995 - Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce Rulemaking on section 2706(a) of the Public Health Service Act Nursing Education, Workforce, Research, and Public Health Infrastructure Needs Addressing health care workforce shortage and supporting nursing education pathways Support Mental Health Programs for Nursing Students and the Workforce Safety and health of nurse educators and nursing students Ensure nursing students, educators, nurses, and nursing schools are included in future public health and disaster preparedness efforts Maternal and perinatal health Public Health Emergency Waivers

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

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, Treasury, Dept of

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to support several bills to expand patient access to medical coverage. ACP supports H.R. 1114, the Long COVID Response is Care Optimized and Vitally Essential Resources that Yield New Opportunities for Wellness Act or the Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act, which would optimize care by enhancing a coordinated federal government response, public education and insurance reimbursement guidance for Long COVID. H.R. 1114 would also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to primary care practices to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based Long COVID clinical practices that have been demonstrated to improve the wellness of individuals with Long COVJD and submission of data to HHS on the characteristics, diagnoses, and health care service utilization of Long COVID patients. Urged Congress to pass H.R. 952, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, which ensures that Medicaid payment rates for primary care services are equal to Medicare rates. The ACA included a provision that required states to raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services equal to Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 but this provision expired after those two years and was not renewed by Congress. Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported Chronic Care Management Act that would remove the co-pay charged to patients who utilize chronic care management services. It would waive the beneficiary coinsurance to manage chronic care conditions and improve patients health. Supported Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, H.R. 3305 and S. 1606, to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments would address the social determinants of maternal health, which include childcare, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must 1) award specified grants; 2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and 3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Supports those provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, the 5-year reauthorization legislation, related to food and nutrition - namely food security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. We support the nutrition assistance and food distribution programs for nearly 40 million people with low-income, e.g. ((SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and preserving the current SNAP entitlement and funding structure to ensure benefit adequacy without work requirements. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 200 I to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued advocacy with Congress in support of 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; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; 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 March 2023 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the ACA's requirements for coverage for preventive services will harm the health of Americans. Previously, under the ACA, health insurance plans have been required to include coverage at no cost to patients for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These preventive services include cancer screenings, mental health screenings, heart disease and hypertension screenings, among other services. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S.323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Prescription Drug Reform: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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. Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Social Determinants of Healthcare: Urged Congress to support legislation to expand utilization of social determinants of healthcare to expand governments capabilities to provide healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Supported the Improving the Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023 that would: award grants to state, local, territorial, and Tribal health agencies and organizations to address SDOHs in target communities; award grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices; provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation assistance to target community grantees; and disseminate best practices; and collect and analyze data related to SDOH activities. Supported Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 1705 and S. 1606. The bill contains environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of2 I and be subject to a criminal background check. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and reintroduces H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act, to provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians who choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborate Care Model (CoCM); Support enhanced reimbursement for CoCM payment codes under Medicare to more appropriately reflect the value of services provided to patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs. Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care or the COMPLETE Care Act, to improve the integration of behavioral health in primary care practices.

Client expense: $511,077 · 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)

Expand Patient Access and Telehealth: Urged Congress to support several bills to expand patient access to medical coverage. ACP supports H.R. 1114, the Long COVID Response is Care Optimized and Vitally Essential Resources that Yield New Opportunities for Wellness Act or the Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act, which would optimize care by enhancing a coordinated federal government response, public education and insurance reimbursement guidance for Long COVID. H.R. 1114 would also authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to primary care practices to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based Long COVID clinical practices that have been demonstrated to improve the wellness of individuals with Long COVJD and submission of data to HHS on the characteristics, diagnoses, and health care service utilization of Long COVID patients. Urged Congress to pass H.R. 952, the Kids Access to Primary Care Act, which ensures that Medicaid payment rates for primary care services are equal to Medicare rates. The ACA included a provision that required states to raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services equal to Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 but this provision expired after those two years and was not renewed by Congress. Urged Congress to pass H.R.2630/S. 652, the Safe Step Act, which requires insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol. The bill lays out five exceptions to fail first protocols and requires that a group health plan grant an exemption. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and group health insurers have developed a series of price management tools to curb the rising cost of prescription drugs. Supported Chronic Care Management Act that would remove the co-pay charged to patients who utilize chronic care management services. It would waive the beneficiary coinsurance to manage chronic care conditions and improve patients health. Supported Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, H.R. 3305 and S. 1606, to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. It also addresses maternal health issues related to COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other specified departments would address the social determinants of maternal health, which include childcare, housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions. The bill also extends to 24 months postpartum eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants, and Children. Additionally, HHS and other agencies must take actions to grow and diversify the maternal health workforce. To increase access to maternity care, HHS and other agencies must 1) award specified grants; 2) test an alternative payment model for perinatal care under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and 3) support training, technology, and telehealth initiatives. Supported the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, S. 1995, that provides annual funding for the CDC to strengthen core public health infrastructure. Core public health infrastructure includes the elements and workforce capabilities that enable health departments to perform critical functions such as disease surveillance and emergency response. Specifically, the CDC must award grants to health departments for their core infrastructure needs. In addition, the CDC must support the development of accreditation standards for health departments that emphasize core public health infrastructure. Supported the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, H.R. 3440 and S. 1636. This bipartisan legislation would ensure rural and underserved community healthcare providers can permanently offer telehealth services, including audio-only telehealth appointments, that are set to expire in December 2024. The legislation would: 1) allow payment parity for audio-only health services for clinically appropriate appointments; 2) permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing patients to be treated from their homes; 3) permanently allow rural health clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distance sites for providing telehealth services; 4) lift the restrictions on store and forward technologies for telehealth; and 5) allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services. Supported CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, H.R. 4189 and S. 2016, to permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites. That legislation would: 1) help providers transition to the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) through using telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) without most of the 42 U.S.C. Section 1834(m) telehealth restrictions; 2) allow telehealth and RPM to be used by qualifying participants in alternative payment models, without most of the 1834(m) restrictions; 3) permit the use of remote patient monitoring for certain patients with chronic conditions; 4) allow, as originating sites, telestroke evaluation and management sites, Native American health service facilities, and dialysis facilities for home dialysis patients in certain cases; and 5) permit further telehealth and RPM in community health centers and rural health clinics. Supports those provisions in the 2023 Farm Bill, the 5-year reauthorization legislation, related to food and nutrition - namely food security and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions. We support the nutrition assistance and food distribution programs for nearly 40 million people with low-income, e.g. ((SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and preserving the current SNAP entitlement and funding structure to ensure benefit adequacy without work requirements. Medicare Payments to Physicians (H.R. 2474): Urged Congress to pass H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which preserves access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by providing an annual inflation update equal to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for Medicare physician payments. Unlike other health care sectors, Medicare payment rates for physicians have not been updated based on the MEI. As a result, from 200 I to 2021, Medicare physician payments have decreased by 20 percent when adjusted for inflation. Support Value-Based Care: Urged support of the Value in Health Care Act of 2023. The bill provides a multi-year commitment to reforming care delivery by extending MACRAs 5 percent advanced alternative payment models (APM) incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year. It also gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to adjust APM qualifying thresholds so that the current one-size-fits-all approach does not serve as a disincentive to including rural, underserved, primary care or specialty practices in APMs. The bill removes revenue-based distinctions that disadvantage rural and safety net providers, which is critical to improving access to care and improving health equity. The bill also improves financial benchmarks so that APM participants are not penalized for their own success. To allow more clinicians to continue the transition to value, the bill establishes a voluntary track for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program to take on higher levels of risk and provides technical assistance for clinicians new to APMs. Lastly, the bill seeks to provide parity between APMs and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by studying ways to increase alignment that will ease burdens on physicians and ensure that both APMs and MA are attractive and sustainable options. The Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-152): Continued advocacy with Congress in support of 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; Requiring that health insurers spend more on patient care and less on administration; 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 March 2023 ruling by a federal judge in Texas that the ACA's requirements for coverage for preventive services will harm the health of Americans. Previously, under the ACA, health insurance plans have been required to include coverage at no cost to patients for preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. These preventive services include cancer screenings, mental health screenings, heart disease and hypertension screenings, among other services. Urged legislation to extend permanently the premium tax subsidies afforded under the ACA. Supported H.R. 1692, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2023, to permanently extend the premium tax credit subsidies under the ACA. The law provides consumers with subsidies (premium tax credits) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). It expands the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138 percent of the FPL. Supportive of S. 8, Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act to expand the eligibility of taxpayers for the refundable tax credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and increase cost-sharing subsidies under the ACA. FY2024 Appropriations: Urged Congress to support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as well as 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 funding for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA); Title Vil, Section 747, Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); National Health Service Corps (NHSC); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH). Urged Congress to include at least $11.581 billion for the CDC's programs in the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Submitted FY2024 report language to Congress regarding the overestimation of utilization of new codes. Supported $60 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, $400 million for Title X Family Service Grants, and $35 million for CDC Firearm Injury Prevention and Control. Women's Health: Urged HHS to support Title X funding and ensure unencumbered access to affordable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive health care; eliminate medically unnecessary restrictions and inappropriate political interference in the patient-physician relationship; and protect funding for and ensures consistent treatment of qualified service sites. Supported H.R. 459 and S.323, the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act. This legislation would strengthen current health privacy laws to ensure that abortion-related health data cannot be shared without patient consent. It prohibits health care providers and insurance plans from disclosing in legal proceedings an individual's personal health information related to an abortion or pregnancy without the individual's valid authorization. The prohibition applies to federal, state, local, and tribal proceedings, including civil, criminal, administrative, and legislative proceedings. The bill provides limited exceptions such as if the information is necessary to investigate physical harm to the individual. Primary Care and the Physician Workforce: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R. 2389, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, which increases the number of Medicare supported direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) positions by 14,000 over seven years; Cosponsor and pass S. 665, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, to allow states to sponsor foreign-trained physicians to work in medically underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of the physicians' two-year foreign residence requirement; Cosponsor and pass H.R. 1202/S. 704, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, to make it possible for residents to defer interest on their loans; Support inclusion in FY2024 appropriations legislation funding for Title VII Primary Care and Training Enhancement (PCTE) at $71 million to support and expand the pipeline for individuals training in primary care. Prescription Drug Reform: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and pass H.R.2630/S. 652, 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. Reviewed proposals to implement guidance by HHS for implementation of Inflation Reduction Act's prescription drug negotiation provisions. Social Determinants of Healthcare: Urged Congress to support legislation to expand utilization of social determinants of healthcare to expand governments capabilities to provide healthcare to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Supported the Improving the Social Determinants of Health Act of 2023 that would: award grants to state, local, territorial, and Tribal health agencies and organizations to address SDOHs in target communities; award grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to conduct research on SDOH best practices; provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation assistance to target community grantees; and disseminate best practices; and collect and analyze data related to SDOH activities. Supported Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 1705 and S. 1606. The bill contains environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. Firearm Safety: (S.117): Urged Congress to support the Handgun Permit to Purchase Act (S. 117), legislation that would authorize grants to states to support handgun purchaser licensing programs. To qualify for the grants, states must require gun purchasers to be at least the age of2 I and be subject to a criminal background check. Administrative Burden: Urged Congress to codify many of these proposed improvements to the prior authorization process by reintroducing and passing the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation was passed by the House in the last Congress and would reduce burdens associated with prior authorization in Medicare Advantage (MA) by: l) protecting beneficiaries from any disruptions in care due to prior authorization requirements as they transition between MA plans; 2) requiring all MA plans adopt electronic prior authorization capabilities to streamline the process for prior authorization approval; and 3) standardizing the process and procedures for reporting electronic prior authorization criteria to MA plans. Mental and Behavioral Health: Urged members of Congress to cosponsor and reintroduces H.R. 5218, the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner Act, to provide grants through the Department of Health and Human Services to primary care physicians who choose to deliver behavioral health care through the Collaborate Care Model (CoCM); Support enhanced reimbursement for CoCM payment codes under Medicare to more appropriately reflect the value of services provided to patients with mental health and substance use disorder needs. Supported S. 1378, the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care or the COMPLETE Care Act, to improve the integration of behavioral health in primary care practices.

Client expense: $93,542 · 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)