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Reported covered position: Legislative Assistant/Legislative Director, Rep. Ben Cardin
How to read the money
Income and expense are whole-filing amounts associated with this lobbyist, not personal compensation or an allocated share.
No topic inference: each bill number appears in source LDA issue text assigned to this lobbyist.
An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Specific issues are shown only where the LDA source assigned them to this lobbyist. Targets apply to the associated filing.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2026 · third_quarter · Q3
H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining H-1B visa program; U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Comments pertaining to the proposed fee for H-1B petitions and impact to health care workforce; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce.
H.R. 9504, Tax Exempt Hospital Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; U.S. Trade Representative, Issues pertaining to proposed duties on certain economies under the Trade Act including medications, medical devices, equipment, PPE and other essential supplies; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Tariffs, Issues pertaining to impact of tariffs on hospitals and health systems.
Source: Senate LDA
An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
H.R. 9504, Tax Exempt Hospital Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; U.S. Trade Representative, Issues pertaining to proposed duties on certain economies under the Trade Act including medications, medical devices, equipment, PPE and other essential supplies; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Tariffs, Issues pertaining to impact of tariffs on hospitals and health systems.
FCHIP Extension Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Save Healthcare Workers Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Save Healthcare Workers Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
Save Healthcare Workers Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 4393, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2025, all provisions; Immigration, Issues pertaining to H1-B Visa Program and other immigration changes, impact to health care workforce.
Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
340B PATIENTS Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
340B PATIENTS Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
340B PATIENTS Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Patients Deserve Price Tags Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Patients Deserve Price Tags Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
Patients Deserve Price Tags Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled "Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder", except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled "Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder", except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled "Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder", except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect.
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Professional Student Degree Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Professional Student Degree Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7148, The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, Division B - Title II (Dept. of Health & Human Services), Division J, Health Care Extenders.
Defend Rural Health Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Patient Debt Relief Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
Take Back Our Hospitals Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 4393, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2025, all provisions; Immigration, Issues pertaining to H1-B Visa Program and other immigration changes, impact to health care workforce.
H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining H-1B visa program; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce.
H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining H-1B visa program; U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Comments pertaining to the proposed fee for H-1B petitions and impact to health care workforce; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce.
H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Chronic Care Management Improvement Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Chronic Care Management Improvement Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
CLEAR LABELS Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment System Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Nursing is a Professional Degree Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Nursing is a Professional Degree Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
PARTNERS Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
PARTNERS Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Rural MOMS Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Rural MOMS Act of 2026
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act
Client: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION · Firm: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3108 / S. 1535, Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (RPM Access Act), all provisions; S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; H.R. 9642, Medicare Access to Rural Anesthesiology Act, all provisions; H.R. 9644, Medicare Advantage MLR Transparency Act, all provisions; H.R. 9693, Patients First Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 8622, Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment system, all provisions; DRAFT, Medicare Provider Reimbursement Step to Stabilization Act of 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule reforms; H.R.10666, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act, all provisions; H.R. 1775, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues regarding proposed rule on Medicaid managed care state-directed payments and Medicaid fee-for-service targeted practitioner payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program and how it is distributed to hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the physician fee schedule and updates for the CY2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Comments pertaining to the proposed rule regarding the indirect hold harmless threshold of healthcare-related taxes. "; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to interim final rule on community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical center payment system proposed rule for calendar year 2027; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the CMS proposed rule implementing and codifying the Medicare Drug Benefit Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Essential Health Benefits framework and Affordable Care Act requirements; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies; Expiring Health Care Programs, Issues pertaining to expiring health care programs such as GPCI, Physician reimbursement, Medicare Dependent Hospital Program, and Low-Volume Adjustment program.
Office of Management & Budget, Federal Financial Assistance Rule, Issues pertaining to changes to federal grant funding and impact to hospitals and health systems; OMB's Proposed Federal Financial Assistance Rule, Issues pertaining to changes to federal grant funding and impact to hospitals and health systems.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; DRAFT, 340B Drug Pricing Integrity and Affordability for Patients Act, all provisions; H.R. 9599, Strengthening the Exercise of Controls and Upgrading Requirements for Efficiency in 340B Act (SECURE 340B Act), all provisions; S. 5244, Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency Accountability and Integrity Now (SUSTAIN) Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169 / H.R. 9908, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; H.R. 9393, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; H.R. 9390, Prices on the Wall Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 9645, Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act, all provisions; S. 380 / H.R. 1254, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, all provisions; H.R. 9996, No Surprise Bills for New Moms Act, all provisions; H.R. 9862, The Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Veterans Act of 2026, all provisions; S. 5462, Frontier Community Health Integration Project Extension Act (FCHIP Extension Act), all provisions; H.R. 10440, REACH Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Graduate Medical Education (GME), Issues pertaining to graduate medical education (GME) reforms; H.R. 2936 / S. 1974, The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act, all provisions; H. Res 1519, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day Resolution, Supporting the designation of September 17, 2026, as "National Physician Suicide Awareness Day" to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; H.R. 5439 / S. 2834, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions S. 4927, Rural Hospital Emergency Room Guarantee Act, all provisions; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Issues pertaining to the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program and information collection request; Consumer Product Safety Commission, Issues pertaining to hospital and health system priorities for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years; Food & Drug Administration, Issues pertaining to regulation of non-device software such as digital health technology, AI, wellness applications and wearable devices; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare and cybersecurity needs; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program; Hospital Mergers & Acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital mergers and acquisitions; No Surprises Act, Issues pertaining to No Suprises Act reforms; Health Outcomes, Issues pertaining to prevention, nutrition, and improving health outcomes.
Filing targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2026 · second_quarter · Q2
H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining H-1B visa program; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce.
Funding Priorities for Fiscal Year 2027 Labor, Health & Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Request Letter, LHHS, House/Senate, Strengthening the health care workforce, maternal and child health, rural health, disaster preparedness, behavioral health and medical research.
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 8375/ S. 4384, Medicare Advantage Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 8967 / S. 4460, Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization, all provisions; H.R. 9468, Saving Today's Acute Care Resources (STAR) Act, all provisions; H.R. 8261, Chronic Care Management Improvement Act, all provisions; DRAFT, HCA Mission Act, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of certain information in Medicare Advantage Encounter Data, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the compensation that may be paid to agents and brokers by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 8891, Rural Maternity Options for Medial Support (Rural MOMS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to Medicare Part C & D Reporting Requirements; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Expanded Model (CJR-X); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) & Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to the interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for the long-term care hospital prospective payment system; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to hospital food and nutrition; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the FY2027 proposed rule for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation and mitigation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments, provider taxes and community engagement requirements; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts and facility fees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding, reducing administrative burdens; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospital at home, and home health agencies.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; S. 4637, Physician Workforce Optimization Act, all provisions; S.3788 / H.R. 8269, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to post-market surveillance of devices; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to medical debt; S. 4568 / H.R. 8691, Nursing is a Professional Degree Act, all provisions; S.J. Res 196, A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations", all provisions; H.R. 6718, Professional Student Degree Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2026, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to post prices on the walls, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurer accountability through publishing of overhead costs and claim payments, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require the displaying of claim denial rates, all provisions; DRAFT, To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require mandatory reporting with respect to certain health-related ownership information, all provisions; S. 1482, National Nursing Workforce Center, all provisions; S. 4027, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; all provisions; H.R. 8726, the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026 PARTNERS Act, all provisions; S.3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; S.4252, WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 4470, Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Issue pertaining to standardized set of data elements intended to support nationwide, interoperable electronic data exchange to help ensure consistent health information exchange throughout a patient's health care journey; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining a revised version of a 340B rebate model pilot program; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Issue pertaining to Eli Lilly 340B program decisions; Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice, Issues pertaining to the effectiveness of the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification form and implications for hospital field; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization; Healthcare Price Transparency, Issues related to health care price transparency; Affordability, Issues and policy solutions pertaining to health care affordability and rising costs of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Professional Degree Program Changes, Issues pertaining to new student loan borrowing limits and professional degree programs changes; Drug Prices, Issues pertaining to lowering drug prices, securing drug supply chain, and transparency; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation of the Rural Health Transformation program.
DRAFT, Issues pertaining to reporting requirements for nonprofit hospitals; H.R. 9504, Tax Exempt Hospital Transparency Act, all provisions; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Tariffs, Issues pertaining to impact of tariffs on hospitals and health systems.
Filing targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), SENATE
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2026 · first_quarter · Q1
Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Tariffs, Issues pertaining to impact of tariffs on hospitals and health systems.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 2169, Rural, Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 7920 / S. 4085, Take Back Our Hospitals Act, all provisions; S. 4208, A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, all provisions; DRAFT, Conrad 30 Enhancement Bill, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Maternity Bill, all provisions; S.3788, Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings Act, all provisions; S.3822, Break Up Big Medicine Act, all provisions; H.R.7727, Sustaining Rural Healthcare Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Preserving Patient Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5629, Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), all provisions; S. 4141, Rural Hospital Revitalization Act of 2026, all provisions; H.R. 7478, Patient Debt Relief Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Issue pertaining to the remarks at the forge Mason Law Review 29th Annual Antitrust Symposium; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to Health Data, Technology and Interoperability; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Eli Lilly and Company policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to Novo Nordisk policy and impact to 340B hospitals; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Comments pertaining to the request for information on a new 340B rebate model program; Department of Health & Human Services / Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Issues pertaining to diagnostic imaging interoperability; U.S. Department of Education, Issues pertaining to proposed rule implementing borrowing limits for federal student loans and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Issues pertaining to accelerating the adoption and use of AI as part of clinical care; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development programs, supporting health care workforce and physician shortages, definitions of professional degree programs and borrowing limits, loan repayment programs for providers in rural and underserved areas, Graduate Medical Education program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, white-bagging and brown-bagging policies; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, strengthen health care cybersecurity, cybersecurity workforce, and securing drug supply chains, hospital preparedness program, PAHPA reauthorization, outstanding FEMA COVID payments to hospitals; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Affordability, Issues pertaining to the cost of health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare.
H.R. 7961, Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 4393, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2025, all provisions; Immigration, Issues pertaining to H1-B Visa Program and other immigration changes, impact to health care workforce.
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act , all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514 , Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502 / H.R. 6240 , Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Blood Pressure MATTERS Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Rural Teaching Hospital Relief, all provisions; S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 10136, Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, all provisions; H.R. 7409, Defend Rural Health Act, all provisions; H.R. 7830, Women Expansion of Learning and Labor Safety (WELLS) Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining completing the CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System Drug Acquisition Cost Survey; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to written guidance on acceptable signage and other materials that hospitals can use in their emergency departments to discourage violent behavior; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rule on the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Comments pertaining to proposed rule on the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing model; The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Issues related to proposed payment updates and Medicare Advantage program; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Issue pertaining to proposed rule for policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs in contract year 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the upcoming rulemaking implementing requirements related to hospital off-campus provider-based departments; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH), which includes efforts to combat fraud waste and abuse in federal health care programs; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to the proposed rulemaking on potential options to foster a more resilient supply chain for American-made personal protective equipment and essential medicines; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issue pertaining to expanding the use of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to the proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Issues pertaining to implementation of unique national provider (NPI) for hospital off-campus provider-based departments as outlined in Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program, rural reclassification policy; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts, Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) Reforms; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, transparency in plan denial signatures, inappropriate downcoding; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts, oversight; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding and protecting patients access to services provided by long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
H.R. 7148, The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, Division B - Title II (Dept. of Health & Human Services), Division J, Health Care Extenders.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), SENATE, White House Office
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2025 · fourth_quarter · Q4
S. 2761 / H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5142, The Home Health Stabilization Act, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; S.2011/ HR 3884, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; S. 2279, Protect Medicaid and Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4619, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; S. S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 6240, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues related to prior-authorization and employer-sponsored plans; HR 5467, Patient Access to Autoimmune Treatments Act, all provisions; H.R. 6148, Patients Over Paperwork Act, all provisions; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Letter to Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Comments on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commissions (MedPACs) preliminary analysis of the association between Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment changes and hospital finances; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model, Issues pertaining to the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicaid state-directed payments, Comments on implementation of changes to state directed payment provisions; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Provider Tax Preliminary Implementation Guidance, Comments pertaining to preliminary guidance on the implementation of sections 71115 and 71117 of H.R. 1 and impact on hospitals and health systems; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility, and implementation of H.R. 1 provisions related to state directed payments and provider taxes; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts for 2025; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage, Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Expired Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by Long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project, Issues related to ending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Project.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1784 / H.R. 4191, The Mapping America's Pharmaceutical Supply (MAPS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 2062, The Rolling Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and Drug Reserve (RAPID Reserve) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5256, 340B Access Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; S. 2355 / H.R. 5582, Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, all provisions; S. 1868, the Critical Access for Veterans Care Act, all provisions; S. 3435 / H.R. 6607, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing, all provisions; DRAFT, Right to Re-Enroll Act of 2026, Issues related to the right of patients to use a special enrollment period if their providers are no longer in-network during the plan year; DRAFT, Issues related to how the Rural Health Transformation Fund allocates funding; S. 3097, Health Information Privacy Reform Act, all provisions; S. 2834 / H.R. 5439, Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to nursing school faculty workforce development; DRAFT, WELLS Act, Issues pertaining to maternal health; S. 3033, Improving Access to Care for Rural Veterans Act , all provisions; H.R. 6445/S. 3364, Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act, all provisions; H.R. 6010, The Fix it Act, all provisions; H.R. 6538 / S. 3264, The More Affordable Care Act, all provisions; Federal Trade Commission, Employer noncompete agreements- RFI, Comments on employer noncompete agreements; Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) [White House], RFI regarding regulatory reform on artificial intelligence, Comments on regulatory reform on artificial intelligence; U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA), RFI on artificial intelligence-enabled medical devices, Comments on artificial intelligence - enabled medical devices; U.S. Department of Education, Forthcoming Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Acts (OBBBA) Definition of Professional Degree Programs, Comments pertaining to the changing definition of professional degree programs and impact to health care workforce; U.S. Department of Commerce, Section 232, Investigation on Medical Devices, Comments on impact of future tariffs on medical devices, PPE and other medical goods and impact to hospitals and health systems; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development grants, supporting health care workforce, changing definitions of professional degree programs; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay, No Surprises Act Independent Dispute Resolution process; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, cyberattacks, cybersecurity workforce, and securing supply chains; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; AI in Healthcare, Issues pertaining to the use of AI in healthcare; Organ procurement and transplantation, Issues pertaining to organ procurement hearings; Veterans affairs issues, Issue pertaining to sterile processing in VA clinics.
H.R. 5371, The Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act of 2026, Section 2, Division F - Health Extenders; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Impact of various expired health care waivers during government shutdown; Medicare Sequestration, Statutory PAYGO Requirements.
DRAFT,Issues pertaining to FICA tax exemption for F-1 students; U.S. Department of Commerce, Section 232 Investigation on Medical Devices, Comments on impact of future tariffs on medical devices, PPE and other medical goods and impact to hospitals and health systems; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Tariffs, Issues pertaining to impact of tariffs on hospitals and health systems.
H.R. 4393, The Dignity Act, all provisions; S. 2941, Visa Cap Enforcement Act, all provisions; Department of Homeland Security (DHS), H-1B Visa Selection Process, Issues pertaining to H-1B visa weighted selection process and impact on health care workforce; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Proposed Rule for Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility, Comments pertaining to proposed rule regarding the Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility and impact to hospitals and health systems; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce.
Filing targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Education, Dept of, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), SENATE
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2025 · third_quarter · Q3
H.R. 1, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)Title VII - Committee on Finance; Subtitle B - Health Care: Issues pertaining to Medicaid, Medicare, Health tax, and Protecting Rural Hospitals and Providers; S. Amdt. 2554 to S. Amdt. 2360 to H.R.1, Scott, Crapo, Johnson, Lee, Lummis Amendment, all provisions; H.R. 4313 / S. 2237, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; S. 2439 / H.R. 4731, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 4002, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; S.2011/ HR 3884, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; S. 2279, Protect Medicaid and Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4619, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, all provisions; H.R. 786/ S. 1460, Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 5120, Hospitals As Naloxone Distribution Sites (HANDS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5454/S. 2879, The Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act, all provisions; S. S. 2793, Ensuring Access to Essential Providers, all provisions; H.R. 4470, The Removing Burdens from Organ Donations Act, all provisions; DRAFT, Issues pertaining to compounding of drugs; DRAFT, Legislation to provide relief for Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs); DRAFT, Comments pertaining to legislative relief for independent rural hospitals; H.R.5081, Telehealth Modernization Act, all provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), RFI: Hospital Price Transparency Accuracy and Completeness Request for Information, Issues pertaining to the accuracy and completeness of hospitals machine-readable files; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Rural Health Transformation Fund implementation/revisions, Comments on the Rural Health Transformation Program application and award process; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2026), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), "Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update", Issues pertaining to the CY26 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2026, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Insurer Commitment Prior Auth Process, Issues pertaining to insurer commitment to improved prior authorization processes; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's, implementation of Rural Health Transformation Program; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts for 2025; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Rural Health Transformation Fund, Issues pertaining to implementation and impact on rural hospitals.
H.R. 4581 / S.2372, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1874Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 1784 / H.R. 4191, The Mapping America's Pharmaceutical Supply (MAPS) Act, all provisions; H.R. 5283 / S. 2759, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; H.R. 5428, Medical Student Education Authorization Act, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; H.R. 2483, SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 2062, Rolling Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and Drug Reserve (RAPID) Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 921, Tyler's Law, all provisions; H.R. 3482, Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement Act, all provisions; HR 3483, Forcing Real Accountability for Unlawful Distributions Act (FRAUD) Act of 2025, all provisions; HR 3494, VA Hospital Inventory Management System Authorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 3413, Physician and Patient Safety Act, all provisions; H.R. 2936, Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department, all provisions; Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), AHRQ 2025-001 Request for Information; Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation to Make America Healthy Again, Comments on easing administrative burdens and encouraging innovation in health care; Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA); Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program, Comments pertaining to 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program, including 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Issues pertaining to workforce development grants and supporting health care workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, cyberattacks, cybersecurity workforce, and securing supply chains; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Post Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access and easy regulatory burdens to crucial services provided by Long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Immigration, Proposed H1-B Visa Program changes and impact to health care workforce; Organ Procurement, Issues pertaining to organ procurement and transplantation.
H.R. 1, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)Title VII - Committee on Finance; Subtitle B - Health Care: Issues pertaining to Medicaid, Medicare, Health tax, and Protecting Rural Hospitals and Providers; Funding Priorities for Fiscal Year 2026, FY26 Appropriations Process, Strengthening the health care workforce, maternal and child health, rural health, disaster preparedness, behavioral health and medical research.
Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Tariffs, Issues pertaining to impact of tariffs on hospitals and health systems.
Department of Homeland Security, H1-B Visa Program Changes, Issues pertaining to H1-B visa program changes; Department of Homeland Security, Duration of Status Proposed Rule, Issues pertaining to Duration of Status proposed rule for J-1 visas; Immigration, Issues pertaining to changes in immigration policy and impact on health care workforce.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2025 · second_quarter · Q2
S.1834Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act , all provisions; S. 1261 / H.R. 4206, CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, all provisions; DRAFT, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 1683, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, all provisions; H.R. 1924, Securing Access to Care for Seniors in Critical Condition Act of 2025, all provisions; S.1816 / H.R.3514, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act, all provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, all provisions; DRAFT Bill, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.R. 771, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2025, all provisions; Draft Bill, Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; S. Amdt. 2554 to S. Amdt. 2360 to H.R.1, Scott, Crapo, Johnson, Lee, Lummis Amendment, all provisions; H.R. 538, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R.2232, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance; Medical Services Act of 2025, all provisions; H.R. 2191/ S. 1390, the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 1, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Title VII - Committee on Finance; Subtitle B - Health Care: Issues pertaining to Medicaid, Medicare, Health tax, and Protecting Rural Hospitals and Providers; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Comments on physician fee schedule payments; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Marketplace Integrity and Affordability, Inappropriate enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace and provider impact; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Request for Information: Deregulation, Comments on how to eliminate burdensome and wasteful administrative requirements for hospitals and health systems; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem, Comments on ways to reduce barriers for data interoperability and fostering innovation for better health outcomes; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, LTCH Fy26 Proposed Payment Rule, Issues pertaining to the Long-Term Care Hospitals prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, SNF FY26 Proposed Payment Rule, Issues pertaining to the skilled nursing facilities prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, IRF FY26 Proposed Payment Rule, Issues pertaining to the inpatient rehabilitation facilities prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, IPPS Fy26 Proposed Payment Rule, Issues pertaining to the inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, IPF FY26 Propose Payment Rule, Issues pertaining to the inpatient psychiatric facilities prospective payment system proposed rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, TEAM Payment Model in FY26 IPPS rule, Issues pertaining to the TEAM payment model included within the inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program and how states finance programs, reimburse providers, and determine beneficiary eligibility; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts for 2025; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2025 · first_quarter · Q1
S. 1261, CONNECT for Health Act, All provisions; H.R. 2191, To amend title XVII of the Social Security Act to revise certain physician self-referral exemptions relating to physician-owned hospitals, All provisions; DRAFT Bill, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 335, Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 1683, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, All provisions; DRAFT Bill, Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; DRAFT Bill, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, All provisions; H.R. 1805, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, All provisions; H.R. 1924, Securing Access to Care for Seniors in Critical Condition Act of 2025, All provisions; H.R. 771, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2025, All provisions; DRAFT Bill, Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act, All provisions; S. 502, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2025, All provisions; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D CY 2026 proposed rule, Insights on proposed policies that would increase oversight of Medicare Advantage plans and better align coverage and access under MA with Traditional Medicare; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) January meeting, Inpatient and outpatient prospective payment systems (PPS), inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), hospital-based skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and home health (HH) agencies, and physician reimbursement; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Medicare beneficiary cost-sharing in rural facilities; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Expiring Health Care Provisions, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, MDH/LVA, Medicaid DSH Program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, physician reimbursement cuts for 2025; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; Medicaid Program, Issues pertaining to Medicaid program.
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2024 · fourth_quarter · Q4
H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions, S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions, Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, all provisions, H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, all provisions; DRAFT Senate / H.R. 5804, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; S. 5368, End Drug Shortages Act, all provisions, H.R. 10362 / S. 5493, To prohibit pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies from being under common ownership, and for other purposes, all provisions, H.R. 7379, Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024, all provisions; Health & Human Services (HHS), Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2), Interoperability, improve transparency and electronic access and exchange of electronic health records; Health & Human Services (HHS) & Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Telemedicine Waivers for Controlled Substances, Waiver flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care IV Fluid Shortage Impact on Sepsis and Infection Care; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition; Physician Owned Hospitals Physician-owned hospitals; Supply Chain Issues, Baxter Plant / Hurricane Recovery, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues, IV Fluid Shortages, Baxter Plant, Hurricane Recovery, defense production act, national emergency declaration, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cyber Security & Resiliency, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field.
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2024 · third_quarter · Q3
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; S.4338, the Pay PCPs Act , Feedback to improve physician reimbursement and value-based primary care; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act,all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust long-term care hospital payment rates under the Medicare program, Issues related to LTCH payment policy reforms; S. 5236, A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to enhance financial support for rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services to vulnerable populations, and for other purposes, Reimbursements to rural and safety net hospitals providing maternity, labor, and delivery services; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Obstetric care in Critical Access Hospitals (CAH); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Draft Guidance, Issues pertaining to the implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care and feedback on proposed IOTA model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments, Issues pertaining to the FY2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems Rule and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments Changes in FY25 IPPS Rule; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), 2025 Priorities, Issues pertaining to 340B Drug Pricing Program, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payments, the physician fee schedule (PFS) and telehealth in the new cycle; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective; Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update, Issues pertaining to the CY25 Home Health Proposed Rule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Physician fee schedule (PFS) proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2025, Issues pertaining to physician fee schedule; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Proposed rule for Calendar Year (CY2025), Issues pertaining to outpatient and ambulatory surgery center prospective payment system, conditions of participation for maternal health; Health & Human Services (HHS), Letter to HHS, Medicare Advantage Organizations' Use of Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Significant, Anomalous and Highly Suspect (SAHS) billing in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in Calendar Year 2023, Issues pertaining to proposed rule to mitigate the impact of significant, anomalous and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in calendar year (CY) 2023; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, SFC / W&M Meeting / CMS Meeting , Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Included in E&C markup statement in September , Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Access to inpatient rehabilitation care, Letter to CMS / Supported Hill Led Effort, Access to inpatient rehabilitation care for MA enrollees; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · second_quarter · 2A
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · second_quarter · Q2
Draft Bill, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, FY25 Appropriations priorities pertaining to CHGME, Behavioral Health, maternal/child health, workforce and loan repayment programs, public health, unique patient identifier; Cyber Security, FY25 President's Budget Proposal, Issues pertaining to health care cyber mandates in President's FY25 Budget.
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2024 · first_quarter · Q1
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the December 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: Hospital payment update recommendation to Congress, Post acute care facilities update recommendation to Congress, Physician reimbursement update recommendation to Congress; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Monitor H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purpose; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024, The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans; A request letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to permanently remove the regulatory waivers which ensure hospitals and health systems could leverage telehealth services to respond to a wave of unprecedented need efficiently and effectively; Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, A letter to comment on the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act; A letter to express concerns regarding CMS proposed restrictions on states use of provider-based funding sources, such as provider taxes, to finance Medicaid payments; A letter to CMS requesting that the agency correct an error in its CY 2024 final rule reimbursement rate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (HCPCS code G0277)
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Letter to House and Senate Labor/ HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Americas hospitals are facing many challenges and we appreciate you considering the effect your decisions have on hospitals ability to provide care to their patients and communities. We ask you to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America.
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the March 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: the hospital wage index, alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings and Medicare Part B drug payments. Agrees that the current wage index system is flawed, but continues to have concerns about the use of non-hospital data in an alternative wage index system; recommends that the commission reject modifications to the current average sales price (ASP)-plus-6% methodology; and urges the commission not to recommend additional site-neutral payment cuts; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024, The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans; A request letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to permanently remove the regulatory waivers which ensure hospitals and health systems could leverage telehealth services to respond to a wave of unprecedented need efficiently and effectively; Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, A letter to comment on the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act; A letter to express concerns regarding CMS proposed restrictions on states use of provider-based funding sources, such as provider taxes, to finance Medicaid payments; A letter to CMS requesting that the agency correct an error in its CY 2024 final rule reimbursement rate for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) (HCPCS code G0277)
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · third_quarter · Q3
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Support HR 2584/S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purpose; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, we encourage you to consider policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Hill briefing, Site-neutral Payment Proposals Would Jeopardize Access to Care for Patients and Communities; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; Drug Shortage Prevention Act Letter to express support for the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Bipartisan request for information on the critically important 340B Drug Pricing Program Letter on the savings 340B hospitals achieve through purchasing certain outpatient drugs at a discount allow them to provide a range of programs and services that directly benefit their patients; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Commerce and Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · second_quarter · Q2
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the March 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: the hospital wage index, alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings and Medicare Part B drug payments. Agrees that the current wage index system is flawed, but continues to have concerns about the use of non-hospital data in an alternative wage index system; recommends that the commission reject modifications to the current average sales price (ASP)-plus-6% methodology; and urges the commission not to recommend additional site-neutral payment cuts; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2023 · first_quarter · Q1
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals.
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?;Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110 Rural Hospitals Support Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care ActA bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility; Letters to House and Senate Labor / HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Rankings on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2023. We asked to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America; Letter to House and Senate appropriators in support of increased funding for the Childrens Hospitals GME program for FY 2023; Concern, S 4295, Financial Data Transparency Act of 2022, specifically concern with Sec 203 impact on state, county, municipal, public utilities, hospital and education entities required to submit financial information to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) for several reasons; Support the House and Senate Appropriations Committees $1.7 trillion omnibus appropriations bill that would fund the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year. The legislation includes many provisions beneficial to hospitals and health systems.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · third_quarter · Q3
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility; Letters to House and Senate Labor / HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Rankings on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2023. We asked to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America; Letter to House and Senate appropriators in support of increased funding for the Childrens Hospitals GME program for FY 2023.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · second_quarter · Q2
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility; Letters to House and Senate Labor / HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Rankings on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2023. We asked to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America; Letter to House and Senate appropriators in support of increased funding for the Childrens Hospitals GME program for FY 2023.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2022 · first_quarter · Q1
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit; Submitted a COVID Relief letter as part of negotiations surrounding an omnibus budget agreement, expressing the need of additional immediate support from Congress and the Administration in order to continue standing strong and to be able to provide timely access to life-saving health care and important programs to assist hospitals and health systems - Provider Relief Fund, Medicare sequester relief, Medicare accelerated and advance payments, 340B hospital eligibility.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2021 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act.A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2021 · third_quarter · Q3
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; support S.246/H.R.851Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2021 · second_quarter · Q2
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2021 · first_quarter · Q1
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2020 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018; Urging FTC to give more weight to the efficiencies with demonstrable benefits for patients and their communities in agency reviews and court challenges of hospital mergers and challenges as this more holistic and balanced view of the merger could diminish pressure to enact additional Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) legislation, and the need for hospitals to seek COPA in the future and endure the associated regulatory and cost burdens of doing so; Letter requesting that DOJ temporarily suspend enforcement of the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute to enable hospitals and health systems to meet the unique circumstances created by the COVID-19 public health emergency; Urged an expeditious review and release of the Physician Self-Referral and Anti-Kickback Statute final regulations that were submitted by the CMS and the HHS Office of Inspector General in July.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2020 · third_quarter · Q3
Monitor HR 6800Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act, a bill to make emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 will help hospitals and health systems serve their communities from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, accelerated payments and temporary elimination of the Medicare sequestration, among other important provisions during this unprecedented public health crisis; Letter sent requesting funding for health care programs for fiscal year FY 2021 to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support of the passing of the Continuing Resolution, which included two important provisions for Americas hospitals and health systems and the patients they serve: relief on Medicare accelerated and advanced payments and a delay of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment cuts.
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation; Support HR 3300, Economic Mobility Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for workers and families; Letter requesting that Congress use the employer side payroll tax if they use the tax code to provide this assistance so that all hospitals benefit from that relief. The letter also highlights several bond financing options that should be considered; Support HR 2772, Investing in Our Communities Act, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reinstate advance refunding bonds; Support HR 3967, Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently modify the limitations on the deduction of interest by financial institutions which hold tax-exempt bonds; Support HR 6886Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Small Business Act and the CARES Act to modify certain provisions related to the forgiveness of loans under the paycheck protection program, to allow recipients of loan forgiveness under the paycheck protection program to defer payroll taxes, and for other purposes; A letter requesting that the Treasury and IRS extend the deadlines for tax-exempt hospitals and health systems to prepare community health needs assessments that occur during the COVID public health emergency; Support HR 7819, Eliminating the Provider Relief Fund Tax Penalties Act of 2020, A bill that would remove an unintentional tax penalty on health care providers who received CARES Act funding under the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. If left unchanged, health providers and for-profit hospitals could face a tax as high as 20% on money intended to support them during this pandemic.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2020 · second_quarter · Q2
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation; Support HR 3300, Economic Mobility Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for workers and families; Letter requesting that Congress use the employer side payroll tax if they use the tax code to provide this assistance so that all hospitals benefit from that relief. The letter also highlights several bond financing options that should be considered; Support HR 2772, Investing in Our Communities Act, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reinstate advance refunding bonds; Support HR 3967, Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently modify the limitations on the deduction of interest by financial institutions which hold tax-exempt bonds; Support HR 6886Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Small Business Act and the CARES Act to modify certain provisions related to the forgiveness of loans under the paycheck protection program, to allow recipients of loan forgiveness under the paycheck protection program to defer payroll taxes, and for other purposes.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2020 · first_quarter · Q1
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation; Support HR 3300, Economic Mobility Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for workers and families; Letter requesting that Congress use the employer side payroll tax if they use the tax code to provide this assistance so that all hospitals benefit from that relief. The letter also highlights several bond financing options that should be considered; Support HR 2772, Investing in Our Communities Act, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reinstate advance refunding bonds; Support HR 3967, Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently modify the limitations on the deduction of interest by financial institutions which hold tax-exempt bonds.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2019 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets";Letter of support for the Senate Workgroups efforts to ensure consumer protections by addressing surprise medical bills and comments on the development of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills; Letter urging Congress and the Administration to take further action to help reduce input and administrative costs, as well as maximize the number of insured patients; Comment letter urged CMS to extend the comment period for the proposed rules related to interoperability provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act by at least 30 days; Comment letter on the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) draft guidance on blood glucose monitoring test systems (BGMS) for prescription point-of-care (POC) use and urge FDA to consider compiling a finite list of universally acceptable disinfectant products that would apply to all medical devices or classes of device; Comment letter that urged CMS to address the substantial flaws in the star ratings methodology since the ratings inception in 2016 and to suspend the display of overall star ratings on Hospital Compare while the agency continues its important work of enhancing the validity and meaningfulness of star ratings; Comment letter to FDA on the public meeting, Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions with the following legislative recommendations: Strengthen manufacturers drug shortage disclosure requirements, Incentivize manufacturing contingency plans and/or redundancies, Enhance production transparency requirements, Enact shortage disclosure notification requirements for certain medical devices needed to administer drugs, Assess drug shortages as a national security threat, Include potential risk for drug shortages as a factor in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews of drug company merger proposals, and regulatory recommendations: Establish incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce drugs in shortage, Prevent manufacturing shutdowns, Establish a quality manufacturing initiative, Enhance information on the quality of outsourcing facilities compounding, Expand and improve the FDAs drug shortages list, Develop a list of critical drugs, Consider how reducing the number of unapproved drugs1 on the market might impact shortages, Reduce drug waste, Create an Office of Clinical Affairs within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Comment letter urging the CMS to use its upcoming proposed rules for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) and other post-acute care providers to address several issues related to the implementation of the revised case-mix grouping (CMG) policies; Support HR 965/ S340, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Support HR 986/ S466 Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019, a bill provide that certain guidance related to waivers for State innovation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have no force or effect; Support HR 987 Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities; Support HR 938 Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition while Keeping Incentives for New Generics Act of 2019 or the BLOCKING Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with respect to eligibility for approval of a subsequent generic drug, to remove the barrier to that approval posed by the 180-day exclusivity period afforded to a first generic applicant that has not yet received final approval, and for other purposes; Support HR 1010, a bill to provide that the rule entitled Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance shall have no force or effect; Support HR 1499 Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, a bill to prohibit brand name drug manufacturers from compensating generic drug manufacturers to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable product manufacturers to delay entry of biosimilar and interchangeable products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for a Improve Health Insurance Affordability Fund to provide for certain reinsurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market; Support HR 1386/ S 1905 Expand Navigators Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity Act of 2019 or the ENROLL Act of 2019,a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for additional requirements with respect to the navigator program, and for other purposes; Support HR 1520 Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1503 Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019A bill that would increase transparency for the patent status of both approved biological products and approved drugs; Support HR 2439/ HR 3414 Opioid Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Submitted statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means Overcoming Racial Disparities and Social Determinants in the Maternal Mortality Crisis sharing information regarding hospitals and health systems efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality, as we seek ways to improve outcomes and reduce health inequities for expectant and new mothers, and give their children the best possible start in life; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills. Protecting patients from surprise medical bills is a top priority and we have adopted a set of guiding principles to use as we evaluate legislative proposals: Define surprise bills, Protect the patient financially, Ensure patient access to emergency care, Preserve the role of private negotiation, Remove the patient from health plan/provider negotiations, Educate patients about their health care coverage, Ensure patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information, and Support state laws that work; Letters submitted to the Energy & Commerce Committee in response to the request for comments on their surprise billing discussion draft. Concerned with the Committees draft legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Once the patient is protected from surprise bills, providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on solutions to stop surprise medical bills; Letter sent to the HELP Committee in response to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 discussion draft about our concerns about several of the proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers. For example, several of the provisions could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health Hearing on No More Surprises: Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills asking that the Committee preserve the ability of providers and insurers to negotiate private contracts and not establish a fixed payment amount for out-of-network services; Oppose HR 1309 Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, and for other purposes; Concerns about S.1531, Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 or the STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for health insurance consumers from surprise billing; Concerns about S. 1895 Lower Health Care Costs Act Letter addressed concerns about the legislative provision that sets a benchmark rate in statute for the out-of-network payments, as well as provisions that seek to change privately negotiated contracting arrangements between hospitals and insurance companies; Support HR 3425, Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish rules for payment for graduate medical education (GME) costs for hospitals that establish a new medical residency training program after hosting resident rotators for short durations; Expressed concerns regarding the provisions that reduce reimbursements to providers and hospitals that administer drugs the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019: including about Section 107, Medicare Part B Rebate by Manufacturers for Drugs or Biologicals with Prices Increasing Faster than Inflation, Section 110, Establishment of Maximum Add-on Payment for Drugs, Biologicals, and Biosimilars, this provision would establish $1,000 as the maximum add-on amount that a provider can be paid for a separately payable drug, biological or biosimilar, Section 111, Treatment of Drug Administration Services Furnished by an Off-Campus Outpatient Department of a Provider, the site neutral payment reduction would cut aggregate hospital payments; Support S. 2091, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement Act, this legislation would increase the total number of employment-based visas from 140,000 to 270,000 and ensure that critical health care workers needed in the U.S. have access to employment-based visas by carving out health care workers in designated shortage occupations from the limit; Support S 350, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019, a bill to restore the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance to protect competition and consumers; Support letter for the adoption of a unique patient identifier (UPI, by removing the prohibition on the use of federal funds to promulgate or adopt a national UPI would provide HHS the ability to explore solutions that link patients with their correct medical records; Submitted statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for the hearing on Improving Maternal Health: Legislation to Advance Prevention Efforts and Access to Care; Concerns with S. 386 and HR 1044, Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019, this bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China; Support H.R. 4538, Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title; Discussions of provisions we support and those we recommend be changes in a draft bill called the Mitigating Existing Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act; Discussions in support of the allowing states to designate hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of waiving the critical access hospital mileage requirements; Provided comments to W&M on legislation to expand Health Profession Opportunity Grants; Support H.R. 2723, The Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, a bill to amend Sec. 506C of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act which strengthens requirements for drug manufacturers to disclose the root causes and expected duration of shortages, extends reporting requirements to active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturers, requires manufacturers have contingency plans to ensure ongoing supply, develops recommendations to incentivize manufacturers to enter the market for drugs in shortage and examines the national security risks of shortages; DEA reductions in annual quotas for opioid products used by hospitals for sedation and pain management; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to discuss developments in the hospital preparedness program, the pilot projects for the Regional Disaster Healthcare System and other issues; Rural access to health care, including identifying core services needed in rural communities, outlining approaches and considerations for delivering those services, and examining access and quality in the rural context; ONCs proposed rule to implement the 21st Century Cures provision on information blocking; Supported members serving on the HHS Quality Summit panel, which was convened by the Deputy Secretary to gather input regarding how to improve and energize quality and safety improvement activities across health care system; Discussion with HHS on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussion with HHS about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support S 2902, Strengthening Our Rural Health Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to enhance the rural health workforce; Meetings and correspondence with staff members of Senate Financing Committee on a proposal to support rural health care access (REH, re-opening necessary provider CAH, infrastructure funding); Letter to Ways & Means committee Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force in response to RFI on factors that contribute to health outcomes in these areas, examples of successful models and lessons from the field that address access and outcomes, and considerations for the unique circumstances of rural and underserved communities; Letter to Energy and Commerce Members regarding health information technology priorities; Letter of Support to Senate Appropriations on funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to study gun violence; Support S.2741 and H.R. 4932,Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; Support S 2603, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the immigrant visa backlog, and for other purposes; Support HR 4995, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care and maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2019 · third_quarter · Q3
Continue to monitor the FY 2019 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets";Letter of support for the Senate Workgroups efforts to ensure consumer protections by addressing surprise medical bills and comments on the development of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills; Letter urging Congress and the Administration to take further action to help reduce input and administrative costs, as well as maximize the number of insured patients; Comment letter urged CMS to extend the comment period for the proposed rules related to interoperability provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act by at least 30 days; Comment letter on the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) draft guidance on blood glucose monitoring test systems (BGMS) for prescription point-of-care (POC) use and urge FDA to consider compiling a finite list of universally acceptable disinfectant products that would apply to all medical devices or classes of device; Comment letter that urged CMS to address the substantial flaws in the star ratings methodology since the ratings inception in 2016 and to suspend the display of overall star ratings on Hospital Compare while the agency continues its important work of enhancing the validity and meaningfulness of star ratings; Comment letter to FDA on the public meeting, Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions with the following legislative recommendations: Strengthen manufacturers drug shortage disclosure requirements, Incentivize manufacturing contingency plans and/or redundancies, Enhance production transparency requirements, Enact shortage disclosure notification requirements for certain medical devices needed to administer drugs, Assess drug shortages as a national security threat, Include potential risk for drug shortages as a factor in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews of drug company merger proposals, and regulatory recommendations: Establish incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce drugs in shortage, Prevent manufacturing shutdowns, Establish a quality manufacturing initiative, Enhance information on the quality of outsourcing facilities compounding, Expand and improve the FDAs drug shortages list, Develop a list of critical drugs, Consider how reducing the number of unapproved drugs1 on the market might impact shortages, Reduce drug waste, Create an Office of Clinical Affairs within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Comment letter urging the CMS to use its upcoming proposed rules for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) and other post-acute care providers to address several issues related to the implementation of the revised case-mix grouping (CMG) policies; Letter sent to the Congressional Telehealth Caucus with recommendations to improve and expand access to telehealth; Support HR 965/ S340, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Support HR 986/ S466 Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019, a bill provide that certain guidance related to waivers for State innovation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have no force or effect; Support HR 987 Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities; Support HR 938Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition while Keeping Incentives for New Generics Act of 2019 or the BLOCKING Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with respect to eligibility for approval of a subsequent generic drug, to remove the barrier to that approval posed by the 180-day exclusivity period afforded to a first generic applicant that has not yet received final approval, and for other purposes; Support HR 1010, a bill to provide that the rule entitled Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance shall have no force or effect; Support HR 1499 Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, a bill to prohibit brand name drug manufacturers from compensating generic drug manufacturers to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable product manufacturers to delay entry of biosimilar and interchangeable products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for a Improve Health Insurance Affordability Fund to provide for certain reinsurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market; Support HR 1386/ S 1905Expand Navigators Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity Act of 2019 or the ENROLL Act of 2019,a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for additional requirements with respect to the navigator program, and for other purposes; Support HR 1520 Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1503 Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019A bill that would increase transparency for the patent status of both approved biological products and approved drugs; Support HR 2439/ HR 3414 Opioid Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Submitted statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means Overcoming Racial Disparities and Social Determinants in the Maternal Mortality Crisis sharing information regarding hospitals and health systems efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality, as we seek ways to improve outcomes and reduce health inequities for expectant and new mothers, and give their children the best possible start in life; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills. Protecting patients from surprise medical bills is a top priority and we have adopted a set of guiding principles to use as we evaluate legislative proposals: Define surprise bills, Protect the patient financially, Ensure patient access to emergency care, Preserve the role of private negotiation, Remove the patient from health plan/provider negotiations, Educate patients about their health care coverage, Ensure patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information, and Support state laws that work; Letters submitted to the Energy & Commerce Committee in response to the request for comments on their surprise billing discussion draft. Concerned with the Committees draft legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Once the patient is protected from surprise bills, providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on solutions to stop surprise medical bills; Letter sent to the HELP Committee in response to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 discussion draft about our concerns about several of the proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers. For example, several of the provisions could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health Hearing on No More Surprises: Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills asking that the Committee preserve the ability of providers and insurers to negotiate private contracts and not establish a fixed payment amount for out-of-network services; Oppose HR 1309 Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, and for other purposes; Concerns about S.1531, Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 or the STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for health insurance consumers from surprise billing; Submitted oral and written testimony to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Hearing: Lower Health Care Costs Act to express concerns about several proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers, which could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs and the impact on rural communities. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Concerns about S. 1895 Lower Health Care Costs Act Letter addressed concerns about the legislative provision that sets a benchmark rate in statute for the out-of-network payments, as well as provisions that seek to change privately negotiated contracting arrangements between hospitals and insurance companies; Support HR 3425, Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish rules for payment for graduate medical education (GME) costs for hospitals that establish a new medical residency training program after hosting resident rotators for short durations; Expressed concerns regarding the provisions that reduce reimbursements to providers and hospitals that administer drugs the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019: including about Section 107, Medicare Part B Rebate by Manufacturers for Drugs or Biologicals with Prices Increasing Faster than Inflation, Section 110, Establishment of Maximum Add-on Payment for Drugs, Biologicals, and Biosimilars, this provision would establish $1,000 as the maximum add-on amount that a provider can be paid for a separately payable drug, biological or biosimilar, Section 111, Treatment of Drug Administration Services Furnished by an Off-Campus Outpatient Department of a Provider, the site neutral payment reduction would cut aggregate hospital payments; Support S. 2091, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement Act, this legislation would increase the total number of employment-based visas from 140,000 to 270,000 and ensure that critical health care workers needed in the U.S. have access to employment-based visas by carving out health care workers in designated shortage occupations from the limit; Support S 350, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019, a bill to restore the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance to protect competition and consumers; Support letter for the adoption of a unique patient identifier (UPI, by removing the prohibition on the use of federal funds to promulgate or adopt a national UPI would provide HHS the ability to explore solutions that link patients with their correct medical records; Submitted statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for the hearing on Improving Maternal Health: Legislation to Advance Prevention Efforts and Access to Care; Concerns with S. 386 and HR 1044, Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019, this bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China; Support H.R. 4538, Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title; Discussions of provisions we support and those we recommend be changes in a draft bill called the Mitigating Existing Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act; Discussions in support of the allowing states to designate hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of waiving the critical access hospital mileage requirements; Provided comments to W&M on legislation to expand Health Profession Opportunity Grants.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2019 · second_quarter · Q2
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018; Urging FTC to give more weight to the efficiencies with demonstrable benefits for patients and their communities in agency reviews and court challenges of hospital mergers and challenges as this more holistic and balanced view of the merger could diminish pressure to enact additional Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) legislation, and the need for hospitals to seek COPA in the future and endure the associated regulatory and cost burdens of doing so.
Continue to monitor the FY 2019 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2019 · first_quarter · Q1
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Letter urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)to consider alternative payment solutions for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy; Joint letter urging Congress to delay the start of the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) cuts, which are scheduled to begin in fiscal year (FY) 2020; Comments to CMS on exploring ways continually to improve the Medicaid managed care program to ensure access to high-quality care for the Medicaid population.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2018 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156/ S 1133 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017 a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the ACA cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer; Review of The Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, a bill to provide funding to combat the opioid epidemic; Discussions with the White House/Office of National Drug Control Policy about the opioid epidemic, including concerns about regulations that prohibit the sharing of substance use disorder records among health care providers; Support H.R. 4392 a bill to prevent cuts to the 340B drug savings program, which would provide relief from deep cuts to payments to hospitals participating in the 340B program; Letter to congress outlining AHA opposition to a potential policy that would cut payments to hospitals treating hospice patients; Oppose H.R. 4710, 340B Protecting Access for the Underserved and Safety-Net Entities (PAUSE) Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a moratorium on the registration of certain new 340B hospitals and associated site; Sent comments to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for its hearing on Examining the Impact of Health Care Consolidation.; Letter sent to the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee for its hearing on, "Combating the Opioid Crisis: Helping Communities Balance Enforcement and Patient Safety"; Letter submitted to the Ways and Means Committee on policy recommendations to address the opioid epidemic; Sent letter to discuss the current state of health care costs, and efforts to increase transparency in the pricing of health care services and the quality of care; Addressed our concerns with the MedPAC Commissions draft recommendation to substantially reduce payments for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments (EDs) that are within 6 miles of an on-campus hospital ED; Support HR 4776, Hospital Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2018, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a program of partnerships for State and regional hospital preparedness to improve surge capacity and would increase the level of authorized funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program to $515 million; Submitted statement to the Senate HELP Committee on the Hearing on How to Reduce Health Care Costs: Understanding the Cost of Health Care in America; Submitted a Statement for the HELP hearing on Effective Administration of the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Support certain provisions in Helping to End Addiction and Lesson (HEAL) Substance Use Disorders Act of 2018; Support HR 6071, Stretching Entity Resources for Vulnerable Communities Act or the SERV Communities Act, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to clarify the intent of the 340B program and provide for enhanced 340B program integrity; Support S 2597Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Support HR 3545, Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety ActA bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to protect the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records; Support S 2516, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department ActA bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a demonstration program to test alternative pain management protocols to limit the use of opioids in emergency departments; Support HR 5176/ S 2610, Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms Act of 2018 A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide coordinated care to patients who have experienced a non-fatal overdose after emergency room discharge; Submit statement to the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health on the hearing Identifying Innovative Practices and Technology in Health Care; Support S 1845 Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act" To amend the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act to provide for additional procedures for families with children under the age of 6; Submitted statement to the Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee for the hearing "Improving the Coordination and Quality of Substance Use Disorder Treatment." The statement focuses on 42 CFR Part 2; Comments to HELP Committee's discussion draft of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018; The current Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) will sunset on October 1, 2018 so this is "must-do" legislation; Support S 2852, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018 (PAHPAI), A bill to reauthorize certain programs under the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act; Supports S. 2372, VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (VA MISSION Act of 2018).A bill to establish a permanent community care program for veterans, to establish a commission for the purpose of making recommendations regarding the modernization or realignment of facilities of the Veterans Health Administration, to improve construction of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to the home loan program of the Department of Veterans Affairs,Submitted a statement to the Ways and Means Committee hearing on "Lowering Costs and Expanding Access to Health Care through Consumer-Directed Health Plans;" Submitted a statement to the Senate HELP Subcommittee on "Primary Health and Retirement Security on Health Care in Rural America: Examining Experiences and Costs"; Submitted a statement to the Senate HELP Committee on "Reducing Health Care Costs: Eliminating Excess Health Care Spending and Improving Quality and Value for Patients"; Submitted comments on the consumer-directed health plan legislation to the Committee on Ways & Means; Submitted a statement to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Opportunities to Improve the 340B Drug Pricing Program"; Discussions about maternal health issues sent by the majority oversight and health subcommittee chairs; Discussions about the Megan Rondini Act; Surprise billing letter to congressional and committee leadership and discussions with members on the same issue; Letter on short-term limited duration plan rule; Meeting with Committee to discuss clarification of Anti-Kickback Statute provisions in the SUPPORT Act.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2018 · third_quarter · Q3
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill author about issues related to the inclusion in consumer credit reports and establishment of requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs; Raised concerns that the DOL proposed rule modifying the definition of "employers" under ERISA in order to expand access to association health plans (AHPs)would fail to protect against discriminatory insurance practices and could contribute to instability in the individual and small group market, ultimately decreasing access to affordable coverage.
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program;Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care to Made efforts in support of clarifying that hospitals may have designated units to care for patients in the custody of law enforcement/correctional institutions and may receive Medicaid reimbursement for care provided in such units; Support S. 872/ HR 1955Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Support S 1301/ HR 2267, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1628 American Health Care Act / Better Care Reconciliation Act, a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing Medicaid expansion and the advanced premium tax credits for the purchase of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces; Support S 1334/ HR 2797Patient Choices and Quality Care Act of 2017, a bill to provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Urged the Administration to cancel Stage 3 of meaningful use by removing the 2018 start date from the regulation. The Administration also should institute a 90- day reporting period in every future year of the program, and gather input from stakeholders on ways to further reduce the burden of the meaningful use program from current requirements; Review S. 1169/ HR 2687, Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with an option to provide medical assistance to individuals between the ages of 22 and 64 for inpatient services to treat substance use disorders at certain facilities; Review HR 2509 Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Urged CMS to rescind the 25% Rule and instead rely on the site-neutral payment policy to bring transformative change to the LTCH field; Discussion with CMS about direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 3120, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce the volume of future electronic health record-related significant hardship requests; Discussed with Congress potential offsets to pay for CHIP and other Medicare extender legislation; Support straight extensions of the Medicare-dependent hospital and enhanced low-volume adjustment program; Support eliminating the reductions to Medicaid payments for DSH in fiscal years 2018 and 2019; Urged CMS to eliminate a duplicative budget-neutrality adjustment (BNA) being applied to Medicare payments for LTCH site-neutral cases, an unwarranted 5.1 percent cut. Urged CMS to permanently eliminate the LTCH 25% Rule policy; support The Limited Repeal of the IMD Exclusion for Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries with Substance Use Disorder Act, which would improve access to needed substance use disorder (SUD)treatment services for millions of Americans.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2018 · second_quarter · Q2
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds; Monitored the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contained several notable provisions affecting hospitals, such as the Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, and Executive Compensation; Support the legislation to restore the tax exemption for advance refunding bonds that was repealed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program;Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care to Made efforts in support of clarifying that hospitals may have designated units to care for patients in the custody of law enforcement/correctional institutions and may receive Medicaid reimbursement for care provided in such units; Support S. 872/ HR 1955Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Support S 1301/ HR 2267, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1628 American Health Care Act / Better Care Reconciliation Act, a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing Medicaid expansion and the advanced premium tax credits for the purchase of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces; Support S 1334/ HR 2797Patient Choices and Quality Care Act of 2017, a bill to provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Urged the Administration to cancel Stage 3 of meaningful use by removing the 2018 start date from the regulation. The Administration also should institute a 90- day reporting period in every future year of the program, and gather input from stakeholders on ways to further reduce the burden of the meaningful use program from current requirements; Review S. 1169/ HR 2687, Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with an option to provide medical assistance to individuals between the ages of 22 and 64 for inpatient services to treat substance use disorders at certain facilities; Review HR 2509 Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Urged CMS to rescind the 25% Rule and instead rely on the site-neutral payment policy to bring transformative change to the LTCH field; Discussion with CMS about direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 3120, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce the volume of future electronic health record-related significant hardship requests; Discussed with Congress potential offsets to pay for CHIP and other Medicare extender legislation; Support straight extensions of the Medicare-dependent hospital and enhanced low-volume adjustment program; Support eliminating the reductions to Medicaid payments for DSH in fiscal years 2018 and 2019; Urged CMS to eliminate a duplicative budget-neutrality adjustment (BNA) being applied to Medicare payments for LTCH site-neutral cases, an unwarranted 5.1 percent cut. Urged CMS to permanently eliminate the LTCH 25% Rule policy; support The Limited Repeal of the IMD Exclusion for Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries with Substance Use Disorder Act, which would improve access to needed substance use disorder (SUD)treatment services for millions of Americans.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2018 · first_quarter · Q1
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156/ S 1133 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the ACA cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer; Review of The Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, a bill to provide funding to combat the opioid epidemic; Discussions with the White House/Office of National Drug Control Policy about the opioid epidemic, including concerns about regulations that prohibit the sharing of substance use disorder records among health care providers; Support H.R. 4392 a bill to prevent cuts to the 340B drug savings program, which would provide relief from deep cuts to payments to hospitals participating in the 340B program; Letter to congress outlining AHA opposition to a potential policy that would cut payments to hospitals treating hospice patients; Oppose H.R. 4710, 340B Protecting Access for the Underserved and Safety-Net Entities (PAUSE) Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a moratorium on the registration of certain new 340B hospitals and associated site; Sent comments to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for its hearing on Examining the Impact of Health Care Consolidation.; Letter sent to the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee for its hearing on, "Combating the Opioid Crisis: Helping Communities Balance Enforcement and Patient Safety"; Letter submitted to the Ways and Means Committee on policy recommendations to address the opioid epidemic; Sent letter to discuss the current state of health care costs, and efforts to increase transparency in the pricing of health care services and the quality of care; Addressed our concerns with the MedPAC Commissions draft recommendation to substantially reduce payments for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments (EDs) that are within 6 miles of an on-campus hospital ED.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2017 · fourth_quarter · Q4
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds; Monitored the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contained several notable provisions affecting hospitals, such as the Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, and Executive Compensation.
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2017 · third_quarter · Q3
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill authorTo amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to delay the inclusion in consumer credit reports and to establish requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2017 · second_quarter · Q2
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876.Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; opposition to S. 1133 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017,a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support a resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2017 submit for the record our comments on information security in the health care field; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Review HR 1732 Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to add certain synthetic substances to schedule I; Review HR 449 Synthetic Drug Awareness Act of 2017, a bill to require the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service to submit to Congress a report on the effects on public health of the increased rate of use of synthetic drugs; Urged CMS to release guidance related to hospital co-location policies; Held discussions regarding the Social Security Act definition of a hospital; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2017 · first_quarter · Q1
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Urged CMS to delay implementation of the final rule CMS-3819-F, Medicare and Medicaid Conditions of Participation for Home Health Agencies; Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care; Discussion with CMS about blood glucose monitors; Discussions with CMS about the Medicare Conditions of Participation and requested CMS clarify public information regarding hospital citations under the Medicare Conditions of Participation; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2016 · third_quarter · 3A
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Urged that attention be payed to the anti-competitive effects and consumer harms in the Anthem / Cigna deal that result from the BCBS affiliation of Anthem.
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with Members of Congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients;Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome; Discussed S.1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning treatment; Supported expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Urged that HHS refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals in discussion about member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official that were confusing during a health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948, Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Support HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893, The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Letter asking for modifications to H.R. 3298 Medicare Post-Acute Care Value-Based Purchasing (PAC VBP) Act of 2015, the legislation would establish a value-based purchasing program for LTCHs, IRFs, SNFs and HH agencies. Worked to streamline and improve quality measures; Discussed how to implement the framework in the National Academy of Medicines Vital Signs report to streamline and focus quality measures used in Medicare programs; Discussed Opioid prescribing guidelines with the CDC to provide feedback on the opioid prescribing guidelines they were developing; Discussion with CMS regarding CAH designation status, negative impact of Insurance Consolidations on Medicare Advantage and for modifications to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model regarding aspects of the proposed rule; Discussion with CMS about the Emergency Preparedness final rule; Discussion with CMS regarding the 0.2 percent reduction to hospitals payments under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS); Support S. 524, the Johnson amendment and the Collins amendment, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, a bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; Support H.R. 4499, Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove consideration of certain pain-related issues from calculations under the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program; Support S. 2220, The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or Healthy MOM Act guarantees maternity coverage for women who are enrolled in the exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, as well as women who are covered by individual and group insurance plans and federal employee health benefit plans; Comments to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on how to improve the physician self-referral (Stark) law; Urged CMS to delay the April 2016 release of the hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Supported House and Senate letters urging CMS to delay release of hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Support H.R. 4771, Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, a bill that would reduce health care costs and promote access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans; Letter to Senate HELP Committee draft legislation addressing health information technology (IT) and electronic health records (EHRs); Comments to CMS regarding addressing section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Comments to House Energy & Commerce Committee regarding section 603 of the BBA of 2015 as well as site neutral payment policies in general; Statement for the record to House Energy & Commerce Committee on MACRA implementation; Statement for the record to Senate Finance Committee on MACRA implementation; Comments to the Senate Finance Committee Chronic Care document -Conversations with the CDC related to their opioid guidelines for chronic pain as well as a patient education piece about opioids; Discussions with CMS about CAH designation status Health Care Issues; Discussions with Rep. Hudson about H.R. 4365/ S. 2932, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act , a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services; Support H.R. 4650 and S. 2108, Preserving Patient Access to Post-Acute Hospital Care Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of certain Medicare long-term care hospital payment rules; Supported efforts to encourage Congress to send CMS letters on addressing the issue of colocation of facilities within a hospital; Discussions with Members of Congress on the potential implementation of Unique Device Identification on claims forms; Sponsored a Hill briefing on innovations in post-acute care;Supported House and Senate letters to CMS asking for flexibility when interpreting section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Support HR 5547, the Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2016, a bill to require the sharing of health care price information; Support HR 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016, a bill to address outstanding issues with section 603 of the BBA of 2015 and provide for a socioeconomic adjustment to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program; Supported a letter to CMS on implementation of Sec. 603 of the Bipartisan Budget Acts site neutral cuts for off-campus HOPDs; Support H. res. 699 promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2016; Support H.R.4641 - a bill to provide for the establishment of an inter-agency task force to review, modify, and update best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication; Support H.R. 4982, the Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act of 2016, a bill which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate and report on the capacity, availability and need for inpatient and outpatient treatment for opioid use disorders in the United States; Supports H.R. 3680, the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2015, a bill would establish federal grants to carry out co-prescribing of overdose reversal drugs in areas experiencing significant numbers of opioid overdoses and deaths; Support H.R. 3691, the Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015, a bill that would reauthorize essential residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women and provide grants to states to address the growing epidemic of infants suffering from opioid dependency; Support H.R. 4978, the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, a bill which would require a GAO evaluation of neonatal abstinence syndrome and the availability of treatment for this condition in the nations Medicaid programs; Support H.R. 4599, the Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016, a bill to permit partial filling of schedule II prescriptions under specific circumstances; Support H.R. 4976, the Opioid Review Modernization Act of 2016, a bill which would provide for more stringent Food and Drug Administration review of new opioids without abuse-deterrent properties, recommendations for labeling of pediatric opioids, and recommendations for prescriber education; Support the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2016, a bill for achieving fair and sustainable drug pricing; Supporting full alignment of 42CFR substance use records confidentiality requirements with HIPAA privacy rule; Support S. 3173 EHR Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a 90-day EHR reporting period for the determination of whether an eligible professional or eligible hospital is a meaningful EHR user and to remove the all-or-nothing approach to meaningful use; Support for H.R. 5713, The Sustaining Healthcare Integrity and Fair Treatment Act of 2016, a bill that would extend 25% rule relief and provide targeted relief to certain LTCHs struggling to meet the new criteria standards; Support for H.R. 6174, the Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2016 · second_quarter · 2A
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI; Support Appropriations measures related to funding of our health care priorities (eg. nurse education, rural health, hospital preparedness, etc).
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with Members of Congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients;Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome; Discussed S.1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning treatment; Supported expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Urged that HHS refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals in discussion about member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official that were confusing during a health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948, Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Support HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893, The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Letter asking for modifications to H.R. 3298 Medicare Post-Acute Care Value-Based Purchasing (PAC VBP) Act of 2015, the legislation would establish a value-based purchasing program for LTCHs, IRFs, SNFs and HH agencies. Worked to streamline and improve quality measures; Discussed how to implement the framework in the National Academy of Medicines Vital Signs report to streamline and focus quality measures used in Medicare programs; Discussed Opioid prescribing guidelines with the CDC to provide feedback on the opioid prescribing guidelines they were developing; Discussion with CMS regarding CAH designation status, negative impact of Insurance Consolidations on Medicare Advantage and for modifications to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model regarding aspects of the proposed rule; Discussion with CMS about the Emergency Preparedness final rule; Discussion with CMS regarding the 0.2 percent reduction to hospitals payments under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS); Support S. 524, the Johnson amendment and the Collins amendment, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, a bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; Support H.R. 4499, Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove consideration of certain pain-related issues from calculations under the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program; Support S. 2220, The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or Healthy MOM Act guarantees maternity coverage for women who are enrolled in the exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, as well as women who are covered by individual and group insurance plans and federal employee health benefit plans; Comments to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on how to improve the physician self-referral (Stark) law; Urged CMS to delay the April 2016 release of the hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Supported House and Senate letters urging CMS to delay release of hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Support H.R. 4771, Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, a bill that would reduce health care costs and promote access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans; Letter to Senate HELP Committee draft legislation addressing health information technology (IT) and electronic health records (EHRs); Comments to CMS regarding addressing section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Comments to House Energy & Commerce Committee regarding section 603 of the BBA of 2015 as well as site neutral payment policies in general; Statement for the record to House Energy & Commerce Committee on MACRA implementation; Statement for the record to Senate Finance Committee on MACRA implementation; Comments to the Senate Finance Committee Chronic Care document -Conversations with the CDC related to their opioid guidelines for chronic pain as well as a patient education piece about opioids; Discussions with CMS about CAH designation status Health Care Issues; Discussions with Rep. Hudson about H.R. 4365/ S. 2932, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act , a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services; Support H.R. 4650 and S. 2108, Preserving Patient Access to Post-Acute Hospital Care Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of certain Medicare long-term care hospital payment rules; Supported efforts to encourage Congress to send CMS letters on addressing the issue of colocation of facilities within a hospital; Discussions with Members of Congress on the potential implementation of Unique Device Identification on claims forms; Sponsored a Hill briefing on innovations in post-acute care;Supported House and Senate letters to CMS asking for flexibility when interpreting section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Support HR 5547, the Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2016, a bill to require the sharing of health care price information; Support HR 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016, a bill to address outstanding issues with section 603 of the BBA of 2015 and provide for a socioeconomic adjustment to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program; Supported a letter to CMS on implementation of Sec. 603 of the Bipartisan Budget Acts site neutral cuts for off-campus HOPDs; Support H. res. 699 promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2016; Support H.R.4641 - a bill to provide for the establishment of an inter-agency task force to review, modify, and update best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication; Support H.R. 4982, the Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act of 2016, a bill which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate and report on the capacity, availability and need for inpatient and outpatient treatment for opioid use disorders in the United States; Supports H.R. 3680, the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2015, a bill would establish federal grants to carry out co-prescribing of overdose reversal drugs in areas experiencing significant numbers of opioid overdoses and deaths; Support H.R. 3691, the Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015, a bill that would reauthorize essential residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women and provide grants to states to address the growing epidemic of infants suffering from opioid dependency; Support H.R. 4978, the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, a bill which would require a GAO evaluation of neonatal abstinence syndrome and the availability of treatment for this condition in the nations Medicaid programs; Support H.R. 4599, the Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016, a bill to permit partial filling of schedule II prescriptions under specific circumstances; Support H.R. 4976, the Opioid Review Modernization Act of 2016, a bill which would provide for more stringent Food and Drug Administration review of new opioids without abuse-deterrent properties, recommendations for labeling of pediatric opioids, and recommendations for prescriber education; Support the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2016, a bill for achieving fair and sustainable drug pricing; Supporting full alignment of 42CFR substance use records confidentiality requirements with HIPAA privacy rule.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2016 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with Members of Congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients;Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome; Discussed S.1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning treatment; Supported expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Urged that HHS refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals in discussion about member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official that were confusing during a health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948, Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Support HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893, The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Letter asking for modifications to H.R. 3298 Medicare Post-Acute Care Value-Based Purchasing (PAC VBP) Act of 2015, the legislation would establish a value-based purchasing program for LTCHs, IRFs, SNFs and HH agencies. Worked to streamline and improve quality measures; Discussed how to implement the framework in the National Academy of Medicines Vital Signs report to streamline and focus quality measures used in Medicare programs; Discussed Opioid prescribing guidelines with the CDC to provide feedback on the opioid prescribing guidelines they were developing; Discussion with CMS regarding CAH designation status, negative impact of Insurance Consolidations on Medicare Advantage and for modifications to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model regarding aspects of the proposed rule; Discussion with CMS about the Emergency Preparedness final rule; Discussion with CMS regarding the 0.2 percent reduction to hospitals payments under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS); Support S. 524, the Johnson amendment and the Collins amendment, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, a bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; Support H.R. 4499, Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove consideration of certain pain-related issues from calculations under the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program; Support S. 2220, The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or Healthy MOM Act guarantees maternity coverage for women who are enrolled in the exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, as well as women who are covered by individual and group insurance plans and federal employee health benefit plans; Comments to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on how to improve the physician self-referral (Stark) law; Urged CMS to delay the April 2016 release of the hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Supported House and Senate letters urging CMS to delay release of hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Support H.R. 4771, Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, a bill that would reduce health care costs and promote access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans; Letter to Senate HELP Committee draft legislation addressing health information technology (IT) and electronic health records (EHRs); Comments to CMS regarding addressing section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Comments to House Energy & Commerce Committee regarding section 603 of the BBA of 2015 as well as site neutral payment policies in general; Statement for the record to House Energy & Commerce Committee on MACRA implementation; Statement for the record to Senate Finance Committee on MACRA implementation; Comments to the Senate Finance Committee Chronic Care document -Conversations with the CDC related to their opioid guidelines for chronic pain as well as a patient education piece about opioids; Discussions with CMS about CAH designation status Health Care Issues; Discussions with Rep. Hudson about H.R. 4365/ S. 2932, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act , a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services; Support H.R. 4650 and S. 2108, Preserving Patient Access to Post-Acute Hospital Care Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of certain Medicare long-term care hospital payment rules; Supported efforts to encourage Congress to send CMS letters on addressing the issue of colocation of facilities within a hospital; Discussions with Members of Congress on the potential implementation of Unique Device Identification on claims forms; Sponsored a Hill briefing on innovations in post-acute care;Supported House and Senate letters to CMS asking for flexibility when interpreting section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Support HR 5547, the Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2016, a bill to require the sharing of health care price information; Support HR 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016, a bill to address outstanding issues with section 603 of the BBA of 2015 and provide for a socioeconomic adjustment to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program; Supported a letter to CMS on implementation of Sec. 603 of the Bipartisan Budget Acts site neutral cuts for off-campus HOPDs; Support H. res. 699 promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2016; Support H.R.4641 - a bill to provide for the establishment of an inter-agency task force to review, modify, and update best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication; Support H.R. 4982, the Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act of 2016, a bill which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate and report on the capacity, availability and need for inpatient and outpatient treatment for opioid use disorders in the United States; Supports H.R. 3680, the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2015, a bill would establish federal grants to carry out co-prescribing of overdose reversal drugs in areas experiencing significant numbers of opioid overdoses and deaths; Support H.R. 3691, the Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015, a bill that would reauthorize essential residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women and provide grants to states to address the growing epidemic of infants suffering from opioid dependency; Support H.R. 4978, the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, a bill which would require a GAO evaluation of neonatal abstinence syndrome and the availability of treatment for this condition in the nations Medicaid programs; Support H.R. 4599, the Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016, a bill to permit partial filling of schedule II prescriptions under specific circumstances; Support H.R. 4976, the Opioid Review Modernization Act of 2016, a bill which would provide for more stringent Food and Drug Administration review of new opioids without abuse-deterrent properties, recommendations for labeling of pediatric opioids, and recommendations for prescriber education; Support the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2016, a bill for achieving fair and sustainable drug pricing; Supporting full alignment of 42CFR substance use records confidentiality requirements with HIPAA privacy rule; Support S. 3173 EHR Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a 90-day EHR reporting period for the determination of whether an eligible professional or eligible hospital is a meaningful EHR user and to remove the all-or-nothing approach to meaningful use; Support for H.R. 5713, The Sustaining Healthcare Integrity and Fair Treatment Act of 2016, a bill that would extend 25% rule relief and provide targeted relief to certain LTCHs struggling to meet the new criteria standards; Support for H.R. 6174, the Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2016 · third_quarter · Q3
Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code. Urging issuance of more detailed instructions for completing schedule H; Support H.R.2229 - Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2015, Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the small issuer exemption from interest expense allocation rules for financial institutions to: (1) permanently increase from $10 million to $30 million the annual limit on the amount of tax-exempt obligations that a small issuer may issue, and (2) allow an inflation adjustment to such increased limit amount after 2015; Support S.3257 - A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently modify the limitations on the deduction of interest by financial institutions which hold tax-exempt bonds, and for other purposes.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2016 · second_quarter · Q2
Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code. Urging issuance of more detailed instructions for completing schedule H.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Urged that attention be payed to the anti-competitive effects and consumer harms in the Anthem / Cigna deal that result from the BCBS affiliation of Anthem.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2016 · first_quarter · Q1
Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code. Urging issuance of more detailed instructions for completing schedule H.
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran's Care Through the Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2015 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, it is a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with members of congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients; Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome;Discussed S. 1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning; Supported expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Support HR 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act (MEND Act), a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs;Urged that HHS refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals in discussion about member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official that were confusing during a health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948 Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Comment on HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis;Spoke with Rep. Kinds office on legislation to address the opioid epidemic in America; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Testified at three Insurance Consolidation Hearings to discuss the impact of the proposed acquisitions involving Aetna/ Humana and Anthem/Cigna; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893, The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Letter asking for modifications to H.R. 3298 Medicare Post-Acute Care Value-Based Purchasing (PAC VBP) Act of 2015, the legislation would establish a value-based purchasing program for LTCHs, IRFs, SNFs and HH agencies. Worked to streamline and improve quality measures; Discussed how to implement the framework in the National Academy of Medicines Vital Signs report to streamline and focus quality measures used in Medicare programs; Discussed Opioid prescribing guidelines with the CDC to provide feedback on the opioid prescribing guidelines they were developing; Discussion with CMS regarding CAH designation status, negative impact of Insurance Consolidations on Medicare Advantage and for modifications to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model regarding aspects of the proposed rule.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2015 · third_quarter · Q3
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, it is a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with members of congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients; Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome;Discussed S. 1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning; Submitted a statement to the Senate Commerce Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet Subcommittee hearing on Advancing Telehealth through Connectivity. The statement supports expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund at the Federal Communications Commission; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Support HR 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act (MEND Act), a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Submitted comments to HHS to refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals during a meeting with staff in Center for Clinical Standards and quality to discuss member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official confusing during health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948 Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Comment on HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis;Spoke with Rep. Kinds office on legislation to address the opioid epidemic in America; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Testified at three Insurance Consolidation Hearings to discuss the impact of the proposed acquisitions involving Aetna/ Humana and Anthem/Cigna; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015A bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2015 · second_quarter · Q2
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, it is a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, a bill that is an important step toward easing the shortage of psychiatric beds in communities across the nation and revise the length of the emergency psychiatric demonstration project that is currently limited to three years; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with members of congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients; Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome;Discussed S. 1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning; Submitted a statement to the Senate Commerce Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet Subcommittee hearing on Advancing Telehealth through Connectivity. The statement supports expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund at the Federal Communications Commission; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Support HR 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act (MEND Act), a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Submitted comments to HHS to refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals during a meeting with staff in Center for Clinical Standards and quality to discuss member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official confusing during health lawyers association webinar.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2015 · first_quarter · Q1
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status.
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2014 · fourth_quarter · Q4
Opposing cuts to hospital payments in the Senate and House FY 2014 budget resolutions as savings to pay for replacement of sequester reductions. Monitoring develpoments related to HR 933 The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, a bill making appropriations for the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other departments and agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013.
Supporting the importance and continuation of the tax codes charitable contribution provisions for Americas nonprofit hospitals; requested changes to the Schedule H form and instructions to permit counting of hospital research expenditures as part of community benefit for exempt status.
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION via AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
2014 · third_quarter · Q3
Supporting the importance and continuation of the tax codes charitable contribution provisions for Americas nonprofit hospitals; requested changes to the Schedule H form and instructions to permit counting of hospital research expenditures as part of community benefit for exempt status.
Support HR 803 Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, a bill to reform and strengthen the workforce investment system of the Nation to put Americans back to work and make the United States more competitive in the 21st century. Support HR 3633 Protecting Health Care Providers from Increased Administrative Burdens Act, clarifies Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) within the Department of Labor jurisdiction over hospitals participating in TRICARE ;Support HR 1406 Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, a bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide compensatory time for employees in the private sector; Support HR 2346 Secret Ballot Protection Act, a bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to ensure the right of employees to a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board; Urging IRS for purposes of section 4980H of the code to treat "on-call" hours consistent with the treatment of "on-call" under the Federal Fair Labor Statndards Act; discussion with FTC Commission about the importance of clinical integration in the changing health care delivery environment and how that the FTCs current merger/acquisition model is not compatible with the clinical integration delivery model.
H.R. 3178 / S. 1600, The Save Healthcare Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 3266 / S. 1673, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R. 593, The Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act, all provisions; S.Res.230, A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Hospital Week, to be observed from May 11 through May 17, 2025, all provisions; Draft Bill , The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 1784 / H.R. 4191, The Mapping America's Pharmaceutical Supply (MAPS) Act, all provisions; S. 229 / H.R. 3789, Drug Price Transparency for Consumer (DTC) Act, all provisions; S. 2062, Rapid Reserve Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Medical Debt Prevention and Relief Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 1929, SEPSIS Act, all provisions; H.R. 2483, SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, all provisions; S. 547, Train More Nurses Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to organ donations; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), RFI; The FEMA public assistance program; U.S. Department of Justice & Federal Trade Commission, Anticompetitive Deregulations, Recommendations for addressing regulations that foster anticompetitive conduct by insurers and limit the ability of hospitals and health systems to thrive in a competitive free market, among others; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Request for Information: Deregulation, Comments on how to eliminate burdensome and wasteful administrative requirements for hospitals and health systems; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP), funding priorities; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, cyberattacks, and securing supply chains; Post-Acute Care, Issues pertaining to expanding patients' access to crucial services provided by Long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Rural Emergency Hospital designation, Issues pertaining to eligibility and payment rates for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Health Care Access, Issues pertaining to protecting patients access to the health insurance marketplaces; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency.
H.Con. Res 14, Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034, Title II - Reconciliation and Related Matters / Subtitle D of Energy & Commerce Committee Print; H.R. 1, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Title IV - Energy & Commerce; Subtitle D - Health; Issues pertaining to Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, Improving Americans' Access to Care; Title XI - Committee on Ways & Means; Issues pertaining to Tax Relief for American Families and Workers, Health of American Families and Workers, Health of Rural American and Main Street; Subtitle C, Part 1; H.R. 1, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Title VII - Committee on Finance; Subtitle B - Health Care: Issues pertaining to Medicaid, Medicare, Health tax, and Protecting Rural Hospitals and Providers; Funding Priorities for Fiscal Year 2026, FY26 Appropriations Process, Strengthening the health care workforce, maternal and child health, rural health, disaster preparedness, behavioral health and medical research.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Processed Critical Minerals and Derivative Products, Comments on critical minerals and their essential role to hospitals and health care systems; U.S. Department of Commerce, Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Comments on Section 232 national security investigation of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical products imports. ; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Tariffs, Issues pertaining to impact of tariffs on hospitals and health systems.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE
DRAFTBill, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; H.R.929 / S. 266, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; DRAFT Bill, Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act, all provisions; H.R. 1585 / S. 709, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; DRAFT Bill, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; DRAFT Bill, 340B PATIENTS Act , all provisions; H.R. 1417, The Rural Health Care Technical Assistance Program Act, all provisions; S. 229, Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act, all provisions; H.R.330, Organ Donation Referral Improvement Act, Issues pertaining to organ donation referral process; S. 526, Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act, Pharmacy benefit management services; Drug Enforcement Administration, DEAs proposed rule; Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee, Population-based total cost-of-care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; 340B Program, Issues pertaining to protecting 340B Program; Maternal and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP); Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Workforce, Nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Care Resiliency & Preparedness, Issues pertaining to natural disasters, cyberattacks, and securing supply chains; Post-Acute Care, Issues pertaining to how Congress can better support patients' access to crucial services provided by Long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, physician practice acquisition, FTC premerger notification rules; Rural Emergency Hospital Designation, Issues pertaining to eligibility for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation and the expansion of physician-owned hospitals.
H.Con.Res.14, Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034, Title II - Reconciliation and Related Matters; H.R. 1968, The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Division B / Title I - Public Health Extenders, Disaster Relief Funds, Ensuring hospitals are compensated for pandemic expenses.
White House, Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, Tariff impact on supply chain for drugs and devices, Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax-exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds, Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Extension of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), SENATE, White House Office
H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; H. Jes Res 139 / S.J. Res 91 A, joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", All provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, All provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, All provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, All provisions ; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 4946, Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033,Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023all provisions; H.R. 1406, Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act, all provisions; DRAFT, DRAFT Clarifying that Rural Emergency Hospitals are eligible for Medicaid hospital reimbursement; DRAFT, DRAFT, Expanding services Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) are paid at the enhanced outpatient prospective payment system rate, allow eligibility for Small Rural Hospital improvement Grants; DRAFT, DRAFT, Issues pertaining to freestanding emergency departments; H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, All provisions; H. R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, Issues pertaining to expansion of physician-owned Rural Emergency Hospitals; Draft Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS), Feedback on Medicare Severity-Long Term Care-Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-LTC-DRGs) used as part of the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026, Navigators and non-navigator assistance personnel working within hospitals and health systems to assist consumers; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part C Utilization Management Annual Data Submission and Audit Protocol Data Request, Proposed Medicare Part C Utilization Management and data submission and audit protocol; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician fee schedule payments, advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) incentives and Medicare Advantage (MA) network adequacy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Affordable drugs, Medicare $2 Drug List Model request for information; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Changes to the Fiscal Year 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Rates Due to Court Decision, Low Wage Index Policy changes due to recent court change; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Transaction Facilitator and the Medicare drug negotiation program, Information collection request (ICR) regarding the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) and the Medicare drug negotiation program; Site Neutral Payments, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees, DSH cuts; Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, Medicaid DSH program; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce, scheduled physician reimbursement cuts for 2025, extension of Medicare's Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) incentive payments; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, REH's; National Provider Identifier (NPI), Unique identifiers for off-campus Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs); Organ Transplant Final Rule, Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Final Rule, IOTA Model impact on hospitals.
Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status and tax-exempt private activity bonds; Advanced Premium Tax Credits , Extension of Advanced Premium Tax Credits.
Draft Bill, "Further Continuing Appropriations and Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025", Division A - Further Continuing Appropriations Act 2025, Division E, Health Provisions; Disaster Relief Funds, Additional funding for FEMAs Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) and ensuring hospitals are compensated for pandemic expenses.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), SENATE, White House Office
Draft Bill , 340B SUSTAIN Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R.9412 , Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024, Issues pertaining to cyber security for health care field; Draft Bill , Strengthening Pathways to Healthcare Professions Act of 2024, Strengthening HRSA health workforce programs; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; H.R. 2584/ S. 2768, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act , all provisions; H.R. 3120, Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 9457, Transparent Telehealth Bills Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act), all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663 , Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; S. 5025 , the SEPSIS Act , all provisions; Draft Bill , Rural 340B Access Act, Issues pertaining 340B Program access; Draft Bill , Draft Bill , Freestanding Emergency Departments; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - Dept. Homeland Sec., Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements, Feedback on reporting requirements for cybersecurity incidents under CIRCIA; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed emergency response standard, Feedback to strengthen OSHA's emergency response standard for hospitals and health systems and their workforce; Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), J&J Rebate Model for 340B Program, Feedback on Johnson & Johnson rebate model for 340B Program; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Price Transparency, STMT to Committee on Aging, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to ongoing cyber risks to the health care field. Change Health Care cyber-attack, breach notifications CrowdStrike, OneBlood, health records; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Tax-exempt status, Issues pertaining to not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages, conditions of participation (COP) and impact of recent payment rules; Behavioral Health, Issues related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay; Drug Prices, Included in Cost of Healthcare Hearing , Issues related to prescription drug prices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Hill meetings, Physician-owned hospitals; 340B Program, Hill Letter, Johnson and Johnson 340B Proposal; DEA Telehealth Waivers, Telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances; Workforce, nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Health Professions Diversity, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisitions, physician practice acquisition; Supply Chain Issues, HHS Calls, Issues pertaining to supply chain issues for medical devices and blood shortages; Rural 340B Access Act , Hill visit, Hill discussion about the Rural 340B Access Act (House and Senate); Outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals, Check in with FEMA, FEMA outreach about outstanding COVID reimbursement for hospitals.
FEMA Disaster Relief Funding, additional funding for FEMAs Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), SENATE, White House Office
S. 3565, Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, all provisions; Draft Bill, Sustain 340B Program Discussion Draft, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 1302/H.R. 2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 3679/H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S.2415, Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, all provisions; H.R. 7931, Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) , all provisions; H.R. 8245, Rural Hospital Stabilization Act , all provisions; H.R. 8246, Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; S.940/ H.R. 1711, Rural America Health Corps Act, all provisions; S.665 / H.R. 4942, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, all provisions; S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, all provisions; S. 3765 / H.R. 6960, Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 7635, The 340B PATIENTS Act, all provisions; H.R.8574, the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-net (340B ACCESS) Act, Issues pertaining to 340B Program access; S. 2364, Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act, all provisions; S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 2510, RAPID Reserve Act, all provisions; S. 2362, Drug Shortage Prevention Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, the Drug Shortage Prevention and Mitigation Act, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to address generic drug shortages; S. 862, Restoring America's Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act, all provisions; HR 2584/ S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, all provisions; S.4079/H.R. 8383, Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act , all provisions; H.R. 8186, Healthy Affordable Housing Act, all provisions; S. 4289, Medical Debt Cancellation Act, all provisions; S. 4054, Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, all provisions; S. 3770/ H.R. 7266, "The Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN Act)", all provisions; S. 1176 / H.R. 2663, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, all provisions; H.R. 977/S. 470, Patient Access to Higher Quality Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Family Health Affordability Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, HEALTH for MOM Act, all provisions; U.S. Department of Labor, Health Plan Accountability, health plan accountability; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 Tariffs, Issues related to tariffs on health care products manufactured in China; Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Public Assistance for COVID expenses, Issues related to distribution of public assistance funds to hospitals; Administration for Strategic Preparation & Response (ASPR / HHS), Pediatric Emergencies, Issues related to Pediatric Disaster Care Centers of Excellence; U.S. Department of State Immigration, Issues related to visas for foreign-trained health care workers; Immediate Office of the Secretary (IOS - HHS), Medical Debt, Issues related to how hospitals address medical debt; Cyber Security, Issues pertaining to Change Health Care cyber attack, breach notifications and ongoing cyber risks to the health care field; Lab Developed Tests (LDTs), Issues related to proposed regulatory oversight of Lab Developed Tests (LDTs); Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), ERISA improvements; Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI use in health care; Rural Health Care Access, Issues to protect access to rural health care; Prescription drug shortages, Issues pertaining to Drug shortages, supply chains; Hospital mergers and acquisitions, Issues pertaining to hospital consolidation, mergers an acquisition, community benefit, physician practice acquisition; Workforce nurse staffing mandate, workforce development programs; Maternal Health and Child Health, Access to maternal and child health care and addressing related workforce shortages; Behavioral Health, Related to expanding access to care and reducing regulatory barriers; Price Transparency, Issues related to hospital price transparency; Health Plan Accountability, Issues specific to prior authorization, patient access to care, adequate provider networks, inappropriate denials, reducing account receivables, prompt pay and cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals under Medicare Advantage; Medical Debt, Issues specific to medical debt incurred by patients and hospital billing and collection practices; Physician Owned Hospitals, Physician-owned hospitals; Tax-exempt status, not-for-profit hospitals' tax exempt status; Health Professions Diversity, Increasing health professionals of color, National health service corps; centers of excellence; health careers opportunity programs.
Draft Bill, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025, FY25 Appropriations priorities pertaining to CHGME, Behavioral Health, maternal/child health, workforce and loan repayment programs, public health, unique patient identifier; Cyber Security, FY25 President's Budget Proposal, Issues pertaining to health care cyber mandates in President's FY25 Budget.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
H.R. 7513, Protecting America's Seniors Access to Care Act, all provisions; H.R. 468, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, all provisions; H.R. 8113, Transparency into State Directed Payments Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8115, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for the deferral or disallowance of portions of payments for certain managed care violations under Medicaid, all provisions; H.R. 1110, KEEP Telehealth Option Act, all provisions; H.R. 7711, Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, all provisions; H.R. 3432, Telemental Health Care Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 3875, the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, all provisions; H.R. 5611, Helping Ensure Access to Local Telehealth (HEALTH) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6033, Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 5541, the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, all provisions; H.R. 7863, To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on furnishing behavioral health services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency under Medicare program, all provisions; H.R. 134, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove geographic requirements and expand originating sites for telehealth services, all provisions; H.R. 8261, The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, and MDH-LVA; S.4350 / H.R. 8260, Hospital Inpatient Services, Modernization Act of 2024, all provisions; H.R. 8235, Rural Physician Workforce Preservation Act, all provisions; S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, Specifically telehealth waivers, geographic restrictions, originating site requirements, in person requirement behavioral health, RHCs and FQHCs access; S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, all provisions; S. 1673 / H.R. 1666, Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 6430, Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH)Act, all provisions; S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act, all provisions; H.R. 4968, GOLD Card Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 3173 / S. 4532, Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care, all provisions; H.R. 5013/S. 3503, Value in Health Care Act, all provisions; HR 2389/ S. 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, all provisions; Draft Bill, Graduate Medical Education Bill, Issues pertaining to proposed changes to the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program and solutions to address workforce shortages in rural areas; H.J.Res. 139 / S.J. Res 91, A joint resolution for congressional disapproval of a rule relating to "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting", all provisions; HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, Issues pertaining to Telehealth, Hospital at Home, Unique Health Identifier; H.R.1128, Rural Health Care Access Act of 2023, all provisions; S.1571, Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2023, all provisions; S. 470 / H.R. 977, The Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, all provisions; Draft Bill, Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, all provisions;H.R.5378, Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts, hospital price transparency, unique health identifier, 340B Program; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) prospective payment system (PPS), Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule for skilled nursing facility prospective payment system , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)FY25 proposed rule for inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems , Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), FY25 proposed rule Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System, Issues pertaining to payment policy proposals for long term acute-care hospitals; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), Deadline expansion and proposed mandatory alternative payment model; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage Data RFI, Issues pertaining to enforcement and accountability of MA plans, prompt payment, gold carding, Standarization, penalties, and plan oversight; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Anomalous DME Spending in MSSP, accountable care models; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Accrediting Organizations (AO's), Feedback to strengthen accrediting organizations oversight; Provider Reimbursements, Issues related to provider reimbursement, site neutral payment cuts, Medicare/Medicaid program funding, facility fees; Site Neutral Payments, for Q2 2024, Issues related to site neutral payment cuts for drug administration; Valued Based Care, for Q2 2024, Specifically on alternative payment models, MACRA reform, feedback on proposed TEAM model; Rural Hospitals, Issues pertaining to the sustainability of MDHS, CAHs, SCHs, and REHs; Physician Payments, Issues pertaining to proposed solutions to improve MACRA, alternative payment models, mental health of workforce; LTCH High Cost Outlier Threshold, Issues concerning High Cost Outlier in LTCH payment policy; Organ Transplant Model, Issues pertaining to Value Based Care; Rural Health Clinic Payments, Issues related to increasing payments for rural health clinics; Chronic Care Management, Issues pertaining to chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Natl Security Council (NSC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Natl Drug Control Policy (NDCP), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; advocate appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024, Continue to monitor the FY 2024 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110, Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, supporting policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023, A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; support the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act, It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care; Concern H.R. 5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, A bill to promotes price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; Hill Briefing on SAVE Act, Support S. 2768 / H.R. 2584, The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, A bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Health Care Spending in the United States: Unsustainable for Patients, Employers, and Taxpayers; Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding the topic of national health expenditures, The Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR), To comment on the proposed rule related to the operations of the Independent Dispute Resolution Process (IDR) established by the No Surprises Act (NSA); Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the important topic of drug shortages in the United States; Support H.R. 6205 / S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, A bill to reauthorize title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes; H.R. 7513; Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means regarding Protecting Americas Seniors Access to Care to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing a proposed rule regarding minimum staffing for nursing facilities, and to establish an advisory panel on the skilled nursing facility workforce; Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on how telehealth flexibilities, the hospital-at-home (H@H) program and home health agencies have expanded access to care for patients in their homes and the need for these programs to continue; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to House and Senate leadership requesting assistance for hospitals impacted by the cyberattack; The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, Letter to Senate Finance Committee leadership to share concerns regarding the Administrations proposal to penalize hospitals that do not meet certain cybersecurity requirements; Support S. 3779 / H.R. 7265, Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, A bill authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on the impact of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) proposed regulation of diagnostic tests; Senate RFI on the SUSTAIN 340B Act Draft, A letter to provide feedback on the Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of (SUSTAIN) 340B Act bipartisan discussion draft and accompanying request for information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Access to Health Care in America: Ensuring Resilient Emergency Medical Care, Statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means on access to emergency medical services in rural areas; Support H.R. 7623, Telehealth Modernization Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; House RFI on strengthening ERISA, A letter to provide feedback on an RFI from the House Education and Workforce Committee on ways to strengthen and improve ERISA, Addressing drug shortagesAHAs statement for record to Ways and Means committee hearing on Examining Chronic Drug Shortages in the United States, Statement commenting on the impact of the FDAs proposed regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs), AHAs statement for the record to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Evaluating Approaches to Diagnostic Test Regulation and the Impact of FDAs Proposed Rule.", Response to RFI on oversight and regulation of LDTs, Response to Sen. Cassidy, Ranking Member of HELP Committee on his RFI seeking feedback on the FDAs proposed regulation of hospital LDTs, OMB meeting, including FDA officials, on the FDAs rulemaking on the regulation of hospital LDTs as medical devicesOMB/FDA; Support S 3679 / H.R. 7153, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, A bill to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, and for other purposes, Support S. 1110, the Rural Hospital Support Act, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 1565, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2023, A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Support HR 2584/S.2768, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purpose; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, we encourage you to consider policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Hill briefing, Site-neutral Payment Proposals Would Jeopardize Access to Care for Patients and Communities; Comment on Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rodgers drug shortages discussion draft; Support S. 2364 Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply Act A bill to map the United States pharmaceutical supply chain and use data analytics to identify supply chain vulnerabilities and other national security threats; Support S. 2510 RAPID Reserve Act A bill to improve supply chain resiliency for critical drug products with vulnerable supply chains and ensure that reserves of critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients are maintained to prevent supply disruptions in the event of drug shortages or public health emergencies; Support S. 1961Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Risk Assessment Act of 2023A bill to require an interagency risk assessment of the pharmaceutical supply chain to identify and mitigate health and national security risks, and for other purposes; Drug Shortage Prevention Act Letter to express support for the Drug Shortage Prevention Act that will help pave the way for additional improvements to the U.S. drug supply chain, which will, in turn, improve patient access and care; Bipartisan request for information on the critically important 340B Drug Pricing Program Letter on the savings 340B hospitals achieve through purchasing certain outpatient drugs at a discount allow them to provide a range of programs and services that directly benefit their patients; Support S.1636/H.R. 3440 Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program. Drug Shortages RFI Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Commerce and Finance in response to a Request For Information on drug shortages; Support H.R. 4713 Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act A letter to support HR 4713, the Rural Hospital Technical Assistant Program Act. A bill to make permanent a program that provides technical assistance for rural hospitals to help prevent closures; Verbal Support Train More Nurse Act It instructs HHS and DOL to conduct a joint review of all grant programs supporting the nursing workforce and coming up with recommendations to Congress within a year on how to change the programs to increase nurse faculty, provide pathways for those who want to become nurse faculty, and increase the nursing pipeline for both RNs and LPNs; Support H.R.2412 Helping Kids Cope Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase national capacity to provide pediatric behavioral health services at childrens hospitals and through community-based providers to improve childrens access to care; and to authorize grants to begin to address large numbers of children boarding in emergency departments, to support the pediatric behavioral health workforce, and for other purposes; Meeting with OMB to discuss Proposed Minimum Staffing Requirements for Long-term Care Facilities; Meeting with OMB to discuss FY 2024 IPPS and LTCH Final Rule; Meeting with Senate Finance Committee regarding the FY 2024 LTCH Final Rule; A letter to comment on ways to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas ensuring that Americans in these rural and underserved areas have high-quality, affordable health care; Support S. 2016/ H.R. 4189, CONNECT for Health Act of 2023, a bill to support to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; A letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expressing significant concerns about Cotivitis audit and appeals process, including its inadequate appeals procedures, the scope of audits being performed and the untenable timelines that are being executed; Support S. 3211/ H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to support Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support for Reauthorization of PAPHA, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and certain programs with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response related to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 6430, Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act, a bill to support the Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals (ARCH) Act; To support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges, Congress established the Medicare- dependent Hospital (MDH) program in 1987, allowing eligible hospitals to receive the sum of their prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate, plus three- quarters of the amount by which their cost per discharge exceeds the PPS rate; Support H.R. 4531/ S.3393, Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bill to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, recovery, and treatment, and for other purposes; A letter to the FDA on its laboratory developed tests (LDTs) proposed rule urging the agency to not apply its device regulations to hospital and health system LDTs because they are not devices; rather, they are diagnostic tools developed and used in the context of patient care. Instead, we urged the FDA to continue to apply its enforcement discretion to hospital and health system LDTs; Submit Statement to the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, Supporting Access to Long-Term Services and Supports: An Examination of the Impacts of Proposed Regulations on Workforce and Access to Care to share the hospital fields comments on proposed regulations for minimum staffing standards for LTC facilities and their potential impact on access to care.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Hill outreach to oppose site-neutral payment cuts; Hill outreach in support of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program; Hill outreach about streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans; AHA Letter Comments on Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 2024 Payment Proposals; Support S. 803, Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023, a bill to amend the title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve access to rural health care by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments; Letter comments on three topics that were discussed during the March 2023 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) public meeting: the hospital wage index, alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings and Medicare Part B drug payments. Agrees that the current wage index system is flawed, but continues to have concerns about the use of non-hospital data in an alternative wage index system; recommends that the commission reject modifications to the current average sales price (ASP)-plus-6% methodology; and urges the commission not to recommend additional site-neutral payment cuts; Support HR 2665, Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to delay certain disproportionate share hospital payment reductions under the Medicaid program; Comment letter to CMS opposes the proposal to limit the inclusion of patient days for patients who are regarded as eligible for Medicaid benefits under a Section 1115 demonstration project for purposes of the Medicare DSH calculation; Comment letter to CMS regarding a proposed rule to improve access, quality and health outcomes for Medicaid programs and the proposed policies related to access, finance and quality in Medicaid and CHIP managed care programs; Support H.R. 4968 GOLD Card Act of 2023A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt qualifying physicians from prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5378 Lower Costs, More Transparency Act A bill to promote price transparency in the health care sector, and for other purposes; A comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2024. The letter urges CMS to examine ways to account for these increased costs to ensure that beneficiaries continue to have access to quality outpatient care. It also urges the agency to reduce the productivity cut for CY 2024 as such a cut does not align with hospital and health systems public health emergency (PHE) experiences related to actual losses in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hill outreach to oppose the elimination of facility fees; Hill outreach to oppose changes that would prevent providers from negotiating contracting restrictions with commercial health insurance plans.
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Letter to House and Senate Labor/ HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Americas hospitals are facing many challenges and we appreciate you considering the effect your decisions have on hospitals ability to provide care to their patients and communities. We ask you to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Discussion with OMB/OIRA regarding OSHA Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings Final Rule; Discussion with FDA Drug Shortage expert regarding Inflation Reduction Act Provisions that could impact duration of shortages; Discussion with ASPR Hospital Preparedness Program Staff about speaking at a meeting regarding HPP issues; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System/Long Term Care Hospital Proposed Rule; Discussion with White House Office of Management & Budget, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - HHS FY 2024 Medicare Advantage Final Rule; Hill outreach about reducing hospital workplace violence; Hill outreach about the benefits of hospital mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach about the anticompetitive behaviors of travel nurse staffing agencies; Statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go from Here?; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an Request For Information on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; Letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in response to an RFI on the drivers of health care workforce shortages; Support S.1110, Rural Hospitals Support Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to rebase the calculation of payments for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1110Telehealth Option Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Childrens Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Feedback on the Connect for Health Act; AHA provided feedback on the creating opportunities new for necessary and effective care technologies (CONNECT) Act; False Claims Act Case AHA Provides Statement for House Hearing on Price Transparency, Competition; Oppose H.R.977/S.470 Patient Access Higher Quality Health Care Act, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support S.940, The Rural America Health Corps Act A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act that would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in areas experiencing medical shortages; Letter to CMS regarding intent to issue staffing mandates for nursing homes and urged CMS and policy makers to focus on efforts that will bolster our workforce; Support HR 2389/ S 1302, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Support HR 2411/ S 1150, National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses; Support HR 2534, Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through 340B Act of 2023 or the PROTECT 340B Act of 2023, a bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to ensure the equitable treatment of covered entities and pharmacies participating in the 340B drug discount program; Support HR 2559, Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, a bill to extend funding for community health centers and the National Health Service Corp; Support HR 2584, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purpose; Statement to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing titled, Competition and Transparency: The Pathway Forward for a Stronger Health Care Market highlighting that mergers and acquisitions can be a helpful tool for many hospitals and pushing back against site-neutral payment policies; Letter urging Congress to continue to protect this critical program and oppose efforts to cut its benefits, which would result in reduced access to quality care for the patients and communities served by 340B hospitals; Statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on its hearing Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care; Support S 1447, Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program supporting trauma center violence intervention and violence prevention programs, and for other purposes; Support HR 3046/ S 1403, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2023, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to accredited public institutions of higher education, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 2691, Transparent Prices Required to Inform Consumer and Employers Act or the Transparent PRICE Act, a bill to promote hospital and insurer price transparency; Letter strongly opposing the draft bills, which would create additional site-neutral payment cuts and threaten access to care, especially in rural and other vulnerable communities; Comment letter to the Office of Civil Rights on its HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and concerns the guidance is too broad and will result in significant adverse consequences for hospitals, patients and the public at large; Statement to SFC for the hearing on Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs; Comment letters to CMS on their Inpatient and Long-term Care Facility Prospective Payment System FY 2024 proposed rule; Letter to reauthorize key programs within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018, we encourage you to consider policies that will reduce barriers to receiving and administering behavioral health care by improving payment policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden, and strengthening the behavioral health workforce; Comment letter on the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) proposed standards for the use of ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize medical devices urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPAs approach to avoid disrupting health care delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain; Hill briefing, Site-neutral Payment Proposals Would Jeopardize Access to Care for Patients and Communities.
Continue to monitor the FY 2023 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support a bill to reauthorize the program of payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Letter to House and Senate Labor/ HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members on appropriations priorities regarding funding for health care programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Americas hospitals are facing many challenges and we appreciate you considering the effect your decisions have on hospitals ability to provide care to their patients and communities. We ask you to give favorable consideration to funding for health care programs that have proven successful in improving access to quality health care for patients and communities across America.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update; Provide comment letter to OSHA on the re-opening of comments on the Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 Rulemaking in which we urge OSHA not to finalize its rule for occupational exposure to COVID-19. In our comments, we indicate that we continue to oppose establishing new regulations that are not fully aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions evolving evidence-based guidance. With the constantly evolving, science-based CDC guidance and recommendations, CMS vaccination requirement and existing OSHA general standards, we strongly believe that an inconsistent and overly strict OSHA COVID-19 health care standard is not necessary, would cause confusion and will ultimately lower hospital employees morale and worsen unprecedented personnel shortages in hospitals. It is essential to a well-functioning health care system that only one set of science-based standards be applied to health care providers, and that these standards be aligned across federal agencies; Letter urging Congress to make the expanded tax credits permanent, ensuring millions of low- and middle-income families continue to have access to affordable coverage in 2023 and beyond; Express concerns with the letter to CMS from Congressman Murphy that makes a number of requests for data surrounding the COVID-19 add on payments for hospitals. We are concerned about the questions as they do not take into account the continued needs of the nations hospitals and health systems. Hospitals continue to face numerous challenges, including increased labor and supply costs and workforce shortages. These additional payments have helped to address some but not all of the high costs associated with COVID-19 patient care. The complexity of care is still higher than pre-pandemic levels as measured by length of stay, which further indicates that its still more resource intensive to treat COVID inpatients. In addition, the high costs associated personal protective equipment, isolation measures, and other additional resources are necessary when treating all patients, unless and until it is determined they do not have COVID-19; Submitted a letter to Ways and Means per their request for information on the health care industry and climate change. We support the sustainability efforts while acknowledging that for a variety of reasons, many hospitals and health systems face challenges and barriers to implementing this work, especially while responding to a pandemic; Letter urging HHS to maintain the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary. This will help prevent any future surges from threatening the health and safety of patients and the ability of health care professionals to care for them; Long COVID Best Clinical Practices Discussion with the White House Policy Advisor, Office of the COVID-19 Response; Submitted comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission outlining the impact pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) practices have on the field. Specifically, urging the FTC to increase scrutiny on insured-mandated white bagging policies, as well as the impact of PBM-negotiated rebates and other business practices on the 340B drug discount pricing program and overall drug prices and drug price increases; Submit a comment letter to the Internal Revenue Service for their proposed rule amending how employer coverage affordability would be measured for family members of employees. We advocated for a fix to the current methodology for assessing affordability of employer coverage for family members, often referred to as the family glitch, which is estimated to affect about 5 million individuals. We commend the IRS on proposing to revise the regulation and improve access to health insurance coverage for millions of American families; Concerns S.4348, Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 or the FDASLA Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological product; Comment letter on CMS Radiation Oncology (RO) Model proposed rule. We strongly supports CMS efforts to transform the delivery of cancer care. We also support the original intent of the RO Model, which was to protect access to care by ensuring fair, predictable payment for radiation oncologists. However, this important goal of the original RO Model has been marred by the incorporation of significant payment cuts and substantial administrative burdens for those participating in this mandatory model. As such, the AHA supports CMSs proposal to delay the start date of the RO model from Jan. 1, 2023 to a date to be determined through future rulemaking; Support S. 4352,Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter in response to CMS request for guidance on implementing the regulatory requirement for convening providers and facilities exchange information with co-providers and co-facilities to create a comprehensive good faith estimate as part of the implementation of the No Surprises Act. Due to the lack of currently available automated solutions, this process would require a significant manual effort by providers, which would undoubtedly result in the convening provider being unable to meet the short statutory timeframes for delivering good faith estimates to the patients and could also lead to inadvertent errors. AHA has requested an extension in enforcement direction until a technical solution has been identified and implemented; Support HR 7691, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Letter requesting that HHS, HRSA, and OIG take immediate enforcement action against the now 17 companies that are refusing to honor their obligations under the 340B program; Letter sent to HHS Secretary to discuss how best to ensure prompt repayment to 340B hospitals without penalizing the rest of the hospital field after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed that HHS outpatient payment cuts to hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program were unlawful. The Courts decision did not determine a remedy for the unlawful payment cuts, instead, it remanded the case to the lower courts to address the proper remedy; Support HR 7084/ S 3983, Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care Act of 2022 or the PATCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require, for purposes of ensuring cybersecurity, the inclusion in any premarket submission for a cyber device of information to demonstrate a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the cyber device, and for other purposes; Submit Comment letter of support for CMS continued focus on strengthening health insurance coverage and ensuring ease of enrollment and limited gaps in coverage, including proposed updates to Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules; Submit letter for oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans expressing concerns about some MA plans inappropriate restrictions on beneficiary access to medically necessary care, including those highlighted in a recent report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and urge Congress to increase its oversight of these plans; Provided feedback on the Senate Finance Committees discussion draft addressing mental health care and telehealth. AHA supports allowing Medicare beneficiaries who seek treatment for mental health disorders to receive their care through audio-only services, removing the requirement for Medicare patients to receive an in-person visit prior to receiving mental health services through telehealth, and expanding beyond physicians and limited non-physician practitioners the types of providers who can deliver and bill for telehealth services; Support HR 8576/ S 4352 Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Support HR 8806 Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Submitted a statement for the record for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Flatlining Care: Why Immigrants Are Crucial to Bolstering Our Health Care Workforce. This hearing examines the importance of improving the immigration process in order to help alleviate Americas health care workforce shortage. We encourage Congress to help address domestic health care workforce shortage;
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887/ S. 4009, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE; Letter expressing our disappointment that Congress is adjourning for April recess without addressing the needs of hospitals and health systems and urging Congress to act to ensure health care providers have the critical relief, including but not limited to extending the Medicare sequester relief, adding more PRF dollars, and providing flexibility in the repayment terms for Medicare accelerated and advance repayments; Provide comments in response to the (CMS) request for information regarding access to coverage and care in the Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. The critical components for a comprehensive access and coverage strategy for Medicaid and CHIP should include: Robust outreach and enrollment efforts to secure and maintain coverage for eligible individuals and families, as well as ensure beneficiary knowledge of how to use this coverage, Standards to ensure timely and equitable access to quality care, and Provider payments that are sufficient to enable beneficiaries' access to quality care; Provide comments in response to the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) proposed rule to codify standards and clarify policies that govern public charge determinations. Public charge determinations assess how likely it is that an individual will become dependent on government assistance (public benefits) for support and subsistence. These policy clarifications are intended to help immigrants and their family members better understand when the use of certain public benefits could impact their future immigration status and address the chilling effects of the now-repealed 2019 public charge final rule. The AHA supports DHSs efforts to clarify policies regarding how public charge determinations are made to help reverse the damaging effects of the repealed 2019 public charge rule; A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under the Medicaid program; Letter urging Congress to halt further cuts to hospital payments. Need to stop a harmful Medicare payment cut to providers that will go into effect July 1 without congressional action. Specifically, a 1% Medicare sequester cut took effect April 1, and that cut will increase to 2% on July 1 if Congress does not act. This will result in billions of dollars being cut from hospitals and health systems by the end of the year; Submitted comment letter regarding Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program. We note that the proposed IRF PPS labor-related share would only modestly shift upward from 72.9% in FY 2022 to 73.2% in FY 2022. AHA is concerned that these changes neither align regarding massive cost growth in recent months and years; Provide Comments on the Medicare Program - Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 which stated the Proposed FY 2023 Payment Update warrants closer examination and we urge CMS to discuss in the final rule how the agency will account for these increased costs. The timing of this proposed net decrease in payments could not be worse, given the well-documented impact of the COVID-19 public emergency (PHE) on the SNF and nursing home field; Letter sent to the bipartisan, bicameral Leadership of the House and Senate, urging Congress to act to prevent further Medicare sequester cuts scheduled to take effect on July 1; Submitted comment letter about inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year 2023. Concerned that CMS is proposing policies and payment adjustment that do not take into account the current the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and its atypical market forces and pandemic-driven aberrations affecting the utilization and cost of providing LTCH services. Specifically, we are concerned by proposals for an inadequate market basket update and an untenable spike in the high-cost outlier threshold; Letter urges Congress to call on CMS to make changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 in order to ensure that Medicare payments for acute care services more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients and communities; Support the bipartisan Dear Colleague letters that ask CMS to make critical changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 to more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients; Support HR 8487/ S 3173 Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Support HR 8747 Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals Act of 2022 or the ARCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare-dependent hospital and Medicare low-volume hospital payments; Oppose HR 1330/ S 4130 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2022, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 8188/ S4449 Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the accuracy of market-based Medicare payment for clinical diagnostic laboratory services, to reduce administrative burdens in the collection of data, and for other purposes; Letter urged Congress to prevent the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (Statutory PAYGO) sequester from taking effect at the end of this session of Congress. Failure to waive Statutory PAYGO sequester cuts would result in $38 billion in Medicare cuts in fiscal year 2023 which would have a devastating impact on the health care field, destabilizing health care access; Letter expressing opportunities to increase participation, enhance efficacy of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) programs, and further transition our health care system from volume to value; Letter to provide feedback on the cybersecurity policy proposals released in Senator Warner report. Hospitals and health systems have prioritized protecting patients and defending their networks from cyberattacks. However, they need support from the federal government as the field continues to face targets from sophisticated cyber adversaries and nation-states; Letter to leadership encouraging Congress to take steps to provide relief to those seeking and administering behavioral health care; Support HR 7744, Building Americas Health Care Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to extend beyond the COVID-19 emergency period, with certain modifications, the Emergency Declaration Blanket Waiver relating to training and certification of nurse aides to alleviate burdens imposed on staff of skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887/ S. 4009, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE; Letter expressing our disappointment that Congress is adjourning for April recess without addressing the needs of hospitals and health systems and urging Congress to act to ensure health care providers have the critical relief, including but not limited to extending the Medicare sequester relief, adding more PRF dollars, and providing flexibility in the repayment terms for Medicare accelerated and advance repayments; Provide comments in response to the (CMS) request for information regarding access to coverage and care in the Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. The critical components for a comprehensive access and coverage strategy for Medicaid and CHIP should include: Robust outreach and enrollment efforts to secure and maintain coverage for eligible individuals and families, as well as ensure beneficiary knowledge of how to use this coverage, Standards to ensure timely and equitable access to quality care, and Provider payments that are sufficient to enable beneficiaries' access to quality care; Provide comments in response to the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) proposed rule to codify standards and clarify policies that govern public charge determinations. Public charge determinations assess how likely it is that an individual will become dependent on government assistance (public benefits) for support and subsistence. These policy clarifications are intended to help immigrants and their family members better understand when the use of certain public benefits could impact their future immigration status and address the chilling effects of the now-repealed 2019 public charge final rule. The AHA supports DHSs efforts to clarify policies regarding how public charge determinations are made to help reverse the damaging effects of the repealed 2019 public charge rule; A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under the Medicaid program; Letter urging Congress to halt further cuts to hospital payments. Need to stop a harmful Medicare payment cut to providers that will go into effect July 1 without congressional action. Specifically, a 1% Medicare sequester cut took effect April 1, and that cut will increase to 2% on July 1 if Congress does not act. This will result in billions of dollars being cut from hospitals and health systems by the end of the year; Submitted comment letter regarding Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program. We note that the proposed IRF PPS labor-related share would only modestly shift upward from 72.9% in FY 2022 to 73.2% in FY 2022. AHA is concerned that these changes neither align regarding massive cost growth in recent months and years; Provide Comments on the Medicare Program - Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 which stated the Proposed FY 2023 Payment Update warrants closer examination and we urge CMS to discuss in the final rule how the agency will account for these increased costs. The timing of this proposed net decrease in payments could not be worse, given the well-documented impact of the COVID-19 public emergency (PHE) on the SNF and nursing home field; Letter sent to the bipartisan, bicameral Leadership of the House and Senate, urging Congress to act to prevent further Medicare sequester cuts scheduled to take effect on July 1; Submitted comment letter about inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year 2023. Concerned that CMS is proposing policies and payment adjustment that do not take into account the current the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and its atypical market forces and pandemic-driven aberrations affecting the utilization and cost of providing LTCH services. Specifically, we are concerned by proposals for an inadequate market basket update and an untenable spike in the high-cost outlier threshold; Letter urges Congress to call on CMS to make changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 in order to ensure that Medicare payments for acute care services more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients and communities; Support the bipartisan Dear Colleague letters that ask CMS to make critical changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 to more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients; Support HR 8487/ S 3173 Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Support HR 8747 Assistance for Rural Community Hospitals Act of 2022 or the ARCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare-dependent hospital and Medicare low-volume hospital payments; Oppose HR 1330/ S 4130 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2022, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 8188/ S4449 Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the accuracy of market-based Medicare payment for clinical diagnostic laboratory services, to reduce administrative burdens in the collection of data, and for other purposes.
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update; Provide comment letter to OSHA on the re-opening of comments on the Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 Rulemaking in which we urge OSHA not to finalize its rule for occupational exposure to COVID-19. In our comments, we indicate that we continue to oppose establishing new regulations that are not fully aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions evolving evidence-based guidance. With the constantly evolving, science-based CDC guidance and recommendations, CMS vaccination requirement and existing OSHA general standards, we strongly believe that an inconsistent and overly strict OSHA COVID-19 health care standard is not necessary, would cause confusion and will ultimately lower hospital employees morale and worsen unprecedented personnel shortages in hospitals. It is essential to a well-functioning health care system that only one set of science-based standards be applied to health care providers, and that these standards be aligned across federal agencies; Letter urging Congress to make the expanded tax credits permanent, ensuring millions of low- and middle-income families continue to have access to affordable coverage in 2023 and beyond; Express concerns with the letter to CMS from Congressman Murphy that makes a number of requests for data surrounding the COVID-19 add on payments for hospitals. We are concerned about the questions as they do not take into account the continued needs of the nations hospitals and health systems. Hospitals continue to face numerous challenges, including increased labor and supply costs and workforce shortages. These additional payments have helped to address some but not all of the high costs associated with COVID-19 patient care. The complexity of care is still higher than pre-pandemic levels as measured by length of stay, which further indicates that its still more resource intensive to treat COVID inpatients. In addition, the high costs associated personal protective equipment, isolation measures, and other additional resources are necessary when treating all patients, unless and until it is determined they do not have COVID-19; Submitted a letter to Ways and Means per their request for information on the health care industry and climate change. We support the sustainability efforts while acknowledging that for a variety of reasons, many hospitals and health systems face challenges and barriers to implementing this work, especially while responding to a pandemic; Letter urging HHS to maintain the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary. This will help prevent any future surges from threatening the health and safety of patients and the ability of health care professionals to care for them; Long COVID Best Clinical Practices Discussion with the White House Policy Advisor, Office of the COVID-19 Response; Submitted comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission outlining the impact pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) practices have on the field. Specifically, urging the FTC to increase scrutiny on insured-mandated white bagging policies, as well as the impact of PBM-negotiated rebates and other business practices on the 340B drug discount pricing program and overall drug prices and drug price increases; Submit a comment letter to the Internal Revenue Service for their proposed rule amending how employer coverage affordability would be measured for family members of employees. We advocated for a fix to the current methodology for assessing affordability of employer coverage for family members, often referred to as the family glitch, which is estimated to affect about 5 million individuals. We commend the IRS on proposing to revise the regulation and improve access to health insurance coverage for millions of American families; Concerns S.4348, Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 or the FDASLA Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological product; Comment letter on CMS Radiation Oncology (RO) Model proposed rule. We strongly supports CMS efforts to transform the delivery of cancer care. We also support the original intent of the RO Model, which was to protect access to care by ensuring fair, predictable payment for radiation oncologists. However, this important goal of the original RO Model has been marred by the incorporation of significant payment cuts and substantial administrative burdens for those participating in this mandatory model. As such, the AHA supports CMSs proposal to delay the start date of the RO model from Jan. 1, 2023 to a date to be determined through future rulemaking; Support S. 4352,Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter in response to CMS request for guidance on implementing the regulatory requirement for convening providers and facilities exchange information with co-providers and co-facilities to create a comprehensive good faith estimate as part of the implementation of the No Surprises Act. Due to the lack of currently available automated solutions, this process would require a significant manual effort by providers, which would undoubtedly result in the convening provider being unable to meet the short statutory timeframes for delivering good faith estimates to the patients and could also lead to inadvertent errors. AHA has requested an extension in enforcement direction until a technical solution has been identified and implemented; Support HR 7691, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Letter requesting that HHS, HRSA, and OIG take immediate enforcement action against the now 17 companies that are refusing to honor their obligations under the 340B program; Letter sent to HHS Secretary to discuss how best to ensure prompt repayment to 340B hospitals without penalizing the rest of the hospital field after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed that HHS outpatient payment cuts to hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program were unlawful. The Courts decision did not determine a remedy for the unlawful payment cuts, instead, it remanded the case to the lower courts to address the proper remedy; Support HR 7084/ S 3983, Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care Act of 2022 or the PATCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require, for purposes of ensuring cybersecurity, the inclusion in any premarket submission for a cyber device of information to demonstrate a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the cyber device, and for other purposes; Submit Comment letter of support for CMS continued focus on strengthening health insurance coverage and ensuring ease of enrollment and limited gaps in coverage, including proposed updates to Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules; Submit letter for oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans expressing concerns about some MA plans inappropriate restrictions on beneficiary access to medically necessary care, including those highlighted in a recent report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and urge Congress to increase its oversight of these plans; Provided feedback on the Senate Finance Committees discussion draft addressing mental health care and telehealth. AHA supports allowing Medicare beneficiaries who seek treatment for mental health disorders to receive their care through audio-only services, removing the requirement for Medicare patients to receive an in-person visit prior to receiving mental health services through telehealth, and expanding beyond physicians and limited non-physician practitioners the types of providers who can deliver and bill for telehealth services; Support HR 8576/ S 4352 Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Support HR 8806 Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Submitted a statement for the record for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Flatlining Care: Why Immigrants Are Crucial to Bolstering Our Health Care Workforce. This hearing examines the importance of improving the immigration process in order to help alleviate Americas health care workforce shortage. We encourage Congress to help address domestic health care workforce shortage.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update; Provide comment letter to OSHA on the re-opening of comments on the Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 Rulemaking in which we urge OSHA not to finalize its rule for occupational exposure to COVID-19. In our comments, we indicate that we continue to oppose establishing new regulations that are not fully aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions evolving evidence-based guidance. With the constantly evolving, science-based CDC guidance and recommendations, CMS vaccination requirement and existing OSHA general standards, we strongly believe that an inconsistent and overly strict OSHA COVID-19 health care standard is not necessary, would cause confusion and will ultimately lower hospital employees morale and worsen unprecedented personnel shortages in hospitals. It is essential to a well-functioning health care system that only one set of science-based standards be applied to health care providers, and that these standards be aligned across federal agencies; Letter urging Congress to make the expanded tax credits permanent, ensuring millions of low- and middle-income families continue to have access to affordable coverage in 2023 and beyond; Express concerns with the letter to CMS from Congressman Murphy that makes a number of requests for data surrounding the COVID-19 add on payments for hospitals. We are concerned about the questions as they do not take into account the continued needs of the nations hospitals and health systems. Hospitals continue to face numerous challenges, including increased labor and supply costs and workforce shortages. These additional payments have helped to address some but not all of the high costs associated with COVID-19 patient care. The complexity of care is still higher than pre-pandemic levels as measured by length of stay, which further indicates that its still more resource intensive to treat COVID inpatients. In addition, the high costs associated personal protective equipment, isolation measures, and other additional resources are necessary when treating all patients, unless and until it is determined they do not have COVID-19; Submitted a letter to Ways and Means per their request for information on the health care industry and climate change. We support the sustainability efforts while acknowledging that for a variety of reasons, many hospitals and health systems face challenges and barriers to implementing this work, especially while responding to a pandemic; Letter urging HHS to maintain the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) until it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary. This will help prevent any future surges from threatening the health and safety of patients and the ability of health care professionals to care for them; Long COVID Best Clinical Practices Discussion with the White House Policy Advisor, Office of the COVID-19 Response; Submitted comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission outlining the impact pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) practices have on the field. Specifically, urging the FTC to increase scrutiny on insured-mandated white bagging policies, as well as the impact of PBM-negotiated rebates and other business practices on the 340B drug discount pricing program and overall drug prices and drug price increases; Submit a comment letter to the Internal Revenue Service for their proposed rule amending how employer coverage affordability would be measured for family members of employees. We advocated for a fix to the current methodology for assessing affordability of employer coverage for family members, often referred to as the family glitch, which is estimated to affect about 5 million individuals. We commend the IRS on proposing to revise the regulation and improve access to health insurance coverage for millions of American families; Concerns S.4348, Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 or the FDASLA Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological product; Comment letter on CMS Radiation Oncology (RO) Model proposed rule. We strongly supports CMS efforts to transform the delivery of cancer care. We also support the original intent of the RO Model, which was to protect access to care by ensuring fair, predictable payment for radiation oncologists. However, this important goal of the original RO Model has been marred by the incorporation of significant payment cuts and substantial administrative burdens for those participating in this mandatory model. As such, the AHA supports CMSs proposal to delay the start date of the RO model from Jan. 1, 2023 to a date to be determined through future rulemaking; Support S. 4352,Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act, a bill to require a study on the effects of travel nurse agencies on the health industry during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter in response to CMS request for guidance on implementing the regulatory requirement for convening providers and facilities exchange information with co-providers and co-facilities to create a comprehensive good faith estimate as part of the implementation of the No Surprises Act. Due to the lack of currently available automated solutions, this process would require a significant manual effort by providers, which would undoubtedly result in the convening provider being unable to meet the short statutory timeframes for delivering good faith estimates to the patients and could also lead to inadvertent errors. AHA has requested an extension in enforcement direction until a technical solution has been identified and implemented; Support HR 7691, Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act, a bill to protect hospital personnel from violence, and for other purposes; Letter requesting that HHS, HRSA, and OIG take immediate enforcement action against the now 17 companies that are refusing to honor their obligations under the 340B program; Letter sent to HHS Secretary to discuss how best to ensure prompt repayment to 340B hospitals without penalizing the rest of the hospital field after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed that HHS outpatient payment cuts to hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program were unlawful. The Courts decision did not determine a remedy for the unlawful payment cuts, instead, it remanded the case to the lower courts to address the proper remedy; Support HR 7084/ S 3983, Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care Act of 2022 or the PATCH Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require, for purposes of ensuring cybersecurity, the inclusion in any premarket submission for a cyber device of information to demonstrate a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the cyber device, and for other purposes; Submit Comment letter of support for CMS continued focus on strengthening health insurance coverage and ensuring ease of enrollment and limited gaps in coverage, including proposed updates to Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules; Submit letter for oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage (MA) plans expressing concerns about some MA plans inappropriate restrictions on beneficiary access to medically necessary care, including those highlighted in a recent report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and urge Congress to increase its oversight of these plans.
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887/ S. 4009, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE; Letter expressing our disappointment that Congress is adjourning for April recess without addressing the needs of hospitals and health systems and urging Congress to act to ensure health care providers have the critical relief, including but not limited to extending the Medicare sequester relief, adding more PRF dollars, and providing flexibility in the repayment terms for Medicare accelerated and advance repayments; Provide comments in response to the (CMS) request for information regarding access to coverage and care in the Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. The critical components for a comprehensive access and coverage strategy for Medicaid and CHIP should include: Robust outreach and enrollment efforts to secure and maintain coverage for eligible individuals and families, as well as ensure beneficiary knowledge of how to use this coverage, Standards to ensure timely and equitable access to quality care, and Provider payments that are sufficient to enable beneficiaries' access to quality care; Provide comments in response to the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) proposed rule to codify standards and clarify policies that govern public charge determinations. Public charge determinations assess how likely it is that an individual will become dependent on government assistance (public benefits) for support and subsistence. These policy clarifications are intended to help immigrants and their family members better understand when the use of certain public benefits could impact their future immigration status and address the chilling effects of the now-repealed 2019 public charge final rule. The AHA supports DHSs efforts to clarify policies regarding how public charge determinations are made to help reverse the damaging effects of the repealed 2019 public charge rule; A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under the Medicaid program; Letter urging Congress to halt further cuts to hospital payments. Need to stop a harmful Medicare payment cut to providers that will go into effect July 1 without congressional action. Specifically, a 1% Medicare sequester cut took effect April 1, and that cut will increase to 2% on July 1 if Congress does not act. This will result in billions of dollars being cut from hospitals and health systems by the end of the year; Submitted comment letter regarding Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program. We note that the proposed IRF PPS labor-related share would only modestly shift upward from 72.9% in FY 2022 to 73.2% in FY 2022. AHA is concerned that these changes neither align regarding massive cost growth in recent months and years; Provide Comments on the Medicare Program - Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities and Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2023 which stated the Proposed FY 2023 Payment Update warrants closer examination and we urge CMS to discuss in the final rule how the agency will account for these increased costs. The timing of this proposed net decrease in payments could not be worse, given the well-documented impact of the COVID-19 public emergency (PHE) on the SNF and nursing home field; Letter sent to the bipartisan, bicameral Leadership of the House and Senate, urging Congress to act to prevent further Medicare sequester cuts scheduled to take effect on July 1; Submitted comment letter about inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed rule for fiscal year 2023. Concerned that CMS is proposing policies and payment adjustment that do not take into account the current the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and its atypical market forces and pandemic-driven aberrations affecting the utilization and cost of providing LTCH services. Specifically, we are concerned by proposals for an inadequate market basket update and an untenable spike in the high-cost outlier threshold; Letter urges Congress to call on CMS to make changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year (FY) 2023 in order to ensure that Medicare payments for acute care services more accurately reflect the cost of providing hospital care to patients and communities.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Letter to the HHS secretary asking for PHE extension and urging HHS to extend the declaration for at least 90 days; Letter to the HHS secretary asking to renew the COVID-19 PHE; Letter to CMS urging changes to MA prior authorization requirements for PHE.
Support H.R. 526, Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act of 2021, a bill to provide for special enrollment periods during public health emergencies; Letter urging Congress to provide additional funds to the Provider Relief Fund and for vaccine distribution and administration, which will allow for continued support of hospitals' COVID-19-related lost revenues, as well as additional expenses incurred due to purchasing supplies and equipment, staffing, establishing emergency testing and vaccination centers and constructing and retrofitting facilities; Support H.R. 708 and S. 168, Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, a bill to provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment; Support H.R. 1306 and S. 412, National Coronavirus Commission Act of 2021, a bill to establish the Commission on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States; Support S. 610/ H.R. 1667, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 773 a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program; Support S.834, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1195, Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and urge the Committee on Education and Labor not to report it favorably; Support S.924 and H.R. 2130, Rural America Health Corps Act, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; Discussions with ASPR about COVID-19 related medical supply and personnel shortages; Discussions with FEMA about COVID-19 public assistance funding policies; Letter asking Congress to consider an infrastructure proposal that you prioritize hospital and health system needs to ensure our nations health care system is well positioned to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead; Support S.1512/H.R. 2903, CONNECT for Health Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services; Support H.R. 2255/ S 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Support S.1568, Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Support H.R. 3203, a bill to enable certain hospitals that were participating in or applied for the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency to temporarily maintain eligibility for such program, and for other purposes; Statement to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on "COVID-19 Part II: Evaluating the Medical Supply Chain and Pandemic Response Gaps" urges Congress to take steps to strengthen the nations medical supply chain; Statement to Senate Committee on Finance hearing on COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned stating that these flexibilities can continue to drive significant improvements in patient care long after the public health emergency (PHE) ends and given the beneficial impact of those specific flexibilities urges Congress and the Administration to make them permanent. In addition, a second group of flexibilities will remain critically important for some time following the PHE and will require a carefully crafted phase-out plan to ensure enough time is provided for a necessary transition. Without action from Congress and the Administration prior to the termination of the PHE, we are concerned that much of the progress made because of the implementation of many of these flexibilities may be unnecessarily halted or even lost; Letter urges Senate HELP Committee to consider recommendations and prioritize programs that support the health care workforce needs of the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future; Support H.R. 769/S. 1491, Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services Act or the Rural MOMS Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care in rural areas; Support for S.1675/ H.R. 4387, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, a bill to improve maternal health; Support 1438, Opioid Workforce Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Support HR 3441,Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the substance use disorder crisis; Support S.1810 / H.R.3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities; Statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights for the hearing on Antitrust Applied: Hospital Consolidation Concerns and Solutions expressing that integration helps to ensure every community, whether rural, urban or suburban, has access to the same high standard of affordable, evidenced based care; discussions to ensure that H.R. 2547s limits on unfair practice under FDCPA for debt collectors does not inappropriately interfere with or restrict the ability of hospitals to be able to obtain payment for care provided; Support for revising/repealing changes to the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Program that reduced reimbursement for provider-based RHCs; Hill outreach expressing concerns with United Healths retroactive denial of coverage for emergency-level care in facilities; Hill outreach expressing concern about CMS mid-build audit denials; Senate outreach on prior authorization legislation; Urge support for legislation/administrative action to extend the deadline to use PRF money; Urged HRSA to ensure that the drug companies that denied 340B Statute appropriate discounts make the impacted hospitals whole for the benefit of the vulnerable communities they serve; Support S. 2304 Drug-Price Transparency for Competition Act of 2021 (DTC Act of 2021), a bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require that direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products include an appropriate disclosure of pricing information; Support S.246/H.R.851 Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to support schools of nursing in program enhancement and infrastructure modernization, increasing the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes; Support S. 1568/HR 4407Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses Act or the TRAIN Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide a waiver of the cap on annual payments for nursing and allied health education payments; Comment letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommending the withdrawal of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Meeting with Department of Labor staff to discuss our concerns about the OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19; Discussion with ASPR staff overseeing the Strategic National Stockpile about their intent to procure supplies of surgical masks; Call with Senator Cassidys staff to discuss concerns about impact of FEMA COVID-19 funding of traveling nurse agencies on hospital nursing shortages; Oppose S 2428, False Claims Amendments Act of 2021A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to modify False Claims Act procedures, and for other purposes; Discussions about Provider Relief Fund - reporting on past disbursements and urging HHS to disburse remaining PRF money; Discussions about the challenges that teaching hospitals have with training the physician workforce, residency caps that limit funding for training programs, a shortage of residents pursuing primary care specialties, a growing patient pool due to the newly insured and aging of the population; Discussions about the hospital and health system priorities for infrastructure and reconciliation bills; Letter urging Congress to maintain the current legal and regulatory framework for evaluating mergers and acquisitions; Hill outreach to discuss the benefits of health care integration; Hill outreach about the negative impact of potentially anticompetitive conduct by nurse-staffing agencies; Support HR 5035/ S 2982 Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes; Support H.R.5376 Build Back Better Act, this bill provides funding, establishes programs, and otherwise modifies provisions relating to a broad array of areas, including education, labor, child care, health care, taxes, immigration, and the environment; Discussions with members of congress about the implementation of Rural Emergency Hospital payment designation; Discussions on the No Surprises Act Implementation (surprise billing) and urging federal regulators to restore the independence of the independent dispute resolution process in the No Surprises Act Part 2 regulations; Support HR 5699 Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act, a bill to expand the definition of qualified persons for purposes of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to include health professional students; Support S 2873 Preventing and Addressing Trauma with Health Services Act (PATHS Act), a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs and activities to increase access to high-quality culturally competent trauma support and mental health care; Letter urging HRSA to delay proposals to withdraw certain HPSAs; Support S 3497 and HR 6397, Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2022, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to award grants to public institutions of higher education located in a covered State; Support HR 6279 and S 3629, Opioid Treatment Access Act of 2022, a bill to authorize a study on certain exemptions for treatment of opioid use disorder through opioid treatment programs during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Support HR 5703 and S 3677, Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act, a bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to provide professional counseling services to victims of emergencies declared under such Act; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Pandemic Profiteers: Legislation to Stop Corporate Price Gouging regarding concerns about anticompetitive conduct on the part of health care staffing agencies, some of which have been exploiting the severe shortage of health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic; Submitted a statement on the hearing for Americas Mental Health Crisis and supports additional approaches to help ensure improved access to needed comprehensive, affordable and quality behavioral health services; Provide comments to the Affordability Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force expressing our shared focus with Congress on providing relief from the pandemic, ensuring a smooth recovery and rebuilding a better health care system for the future, all while continuing to support efforts to promote greater affordability and value to patients and the health care system; Submitted statement on the hearing for Recruiting, Revitalizing & Diversifying: Examining the Health Care Workforce Shortage about the challenges ahead and the need to examine Americas health care workforce shortage. We must work together to solve these issues so that our nations hospitals and health systems can continue to care for the patients and communities they serve; Submitted statement on the hearing for Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care examines ways to protect the mental health of our nations youth; Submitted statement on the hearing for Exploring Pathways to Affordable, Universal Health Coverage Care expressing the need to build upon and improve our existing system to increase access to coverage of comprehensive health benefits; Submitted a letter to provide information regarding the challenges facing Americas health care workforce as the country enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic; Provided comments to the Modernization Subcommittee of the Healthy Future Task Force urging Congress to consider how to ensure the telehealth flexibilities could remain in place for patients and health care providers beyond the PHE; Support HR 7053 and S 3792, Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities; Support resolution, H. Res. 909, Expressing support for healthcare personnel and condemning assaults on healthcare personnel as the U.S. healthcare system faces unprecedented staffing shortages and increased workplace-related stressors; Letter urges Congress to provide immediate additional support for hospitals and health systems serving their communities during this unprecedented public health crisis. While the support Congress has provided during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has helped hospitals care for their patients and communities, there is still a significant need for financial support and relief as COVID-19 challenges persist; Support S 3904, Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022, a bill to enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector; Letter urging OSHA to extend the comment deadline for the rule making on the occupational exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare settings by at least an additional 30 days, through May 23; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) at HHS to discuss the widespread blood shortages in the U.S. and next steps; Stakeholder calls with HHS ASPR regarding the distribution/administration of COVID-19 therapeutics; Discussions on S 571, Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act, a bill to fully fund the Prevention and Public Health Fund and reaffirm the importance of prevention in the United States healthcare system; Regular calls with ASPR and other stakeholders participating in the Health Care and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group (Joint SCRWG), a formal Working Group under the authority of the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) to support the Presidents vision for a resilient public health supply chain; Monthly calls with ASPRs Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) to discuss updates on the hospital association COVID-19 funding program; Call with ASPR Healthcare and Public Health Government Coordinating Council leadership and other hospital associations to provide feedback on the COVID-19 hospital data guidance update.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter opposing CMS interim final rule establishing a Most Favored Nation model and urging the agency to withdraw it immediately and replace it with a serious effort at drug pricing reform; Letter urging CMS to rescind its denial determinations for those hospitals that submitted mid-build exception requests due to the agencys failure to meet the required statutory deadline; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Urged CMS to exercise enforcement discretion with respect to the hospital price transparency rule until the end of the public health emergency; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173/ S.3018, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Comment letter to CMS on the CY 2022 OPPS/ASC Proposed Rule oppose the agencys deep OPPS payment cuts to 340B hospitals and other concerns; Letter to CMS administrator on the mid-build exception audit denials requesting the agency rescind the denials or, if not, establish an informal review process to correct errors in the audit determinations. Further requesting that hospitals be allowed extra time to identify and return any overpayments; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program; Support H.R. 5425/ S. 1988, Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Letter asking Congress to address two important issues by the end of the year: an extension of the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts, as well as preventing the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) sequester from taking effect; Letter urging Congress to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program and uncompensated care pools from the Build Back Better Act; Support H.R. 5674/ S. 3061Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program.
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Urged the Senate to pass legislation that would stop Medicare cuts to hospitals, physicians and other providers from going into effect early next year. The bill would extend the moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts until April 1, 2022, reduce the cuts from 2% to 1% from April 1 through June 30, 2022, and stop the 4% statutory Pay-As-You-Go sequester from taking effect early next year. Other provisions in the package would mitigate a separate Medicare payment cut to physicians; delay payment cuts and private payer data reporting requirements for certain hospital laboratories; delay the implementation of the radiation oncology model; and set up a fast-track process in the Senate to allow for a vote to increase the debt limit.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter opposing CMS interim final rule establishing a Most Favored Nation model and urging the agency to withdraw it immediately and replace it with a serious effort at drug pricing reform; Letter urging CMS to rescind its denial determinations for those hospitals that submitted mid-build exception requests due to the agencys failure to meet the required statutory deadline; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Urged CMS to exercise enforcement discretion with respect to the hospital price transparency rule until the end of the public health emergency; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models; Comment letter to CMS on the CY 2022 OPPS/ASC Proposed Rule oppose the agencys deep OPPS payment cuts to 340B hospitals and other concerns; Letter to CMS administrator on the mid-build exception audit denials requesting the agency rescind the denials or, if not, establish an informal review process to correct errors in the audit determinations. Further requesting that hospitals be allowed extra time to identify and return any overpayments; Support HR 4587, Value in Health Care Act of 2021, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise certain regulations in relation to the Medicare shared savings program and other advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage participation in such program, and for other purposes; Support HR 3746, Accountable Care in Rural America Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benchmarking process for the Medicare Shared Savings Program.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter opposing CMS interim final rule establishing a Most Favored Nation model and urging the agency to withdraw it immediately and replace it with a serious effort at drug pricing reform; Letter urging CMS to rescind its denial determinations for those hospitals that submitted mid-build exception requests due to the agencys failure to meet the required statutory deadline; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Urged CMS to exercise enforcement discretion with respect to the hospital price transparency rule until the end of the public health emergency; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021; Support H.R. 2455, The Resetting the Impact Act (TRIA), a bill to amend the IMPACT Act of 2014 to reset data collection and the development of a payment system technical prototype for post-acute care providers under the Medicare program to take into account the effects of COVID-19; Support H.R. 3173, Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2021, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, and for other purposes; Support H.R. 1887, Rural Hospital Support Act, a bill to make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Low-volume Adjustment programs and rebases the MDH and Sole Community Hospital programs; Support relief for Medicare advanced payments; Discussion with CMMI about the priorities for alternative payment models.
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief; Continue to monitor the FY 2021 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Support HR 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, This bill provides additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses and more money for the Provider Relief Fund in the reconciliation bill, sequester relief, and advanced Medicare payment loan relief.
Support H.R. 315,Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act, a bill to amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to extend the temporary suspension of Medicare sequestration; Support H.R. 1332 and S.368,Telehealth Modernization Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter opposing CMS interim final rule establishing a Most Favored Nation model and urging the agency to withdraw it immediately and replace it with a serious effort at drug pricing reform; Letter urging CMS to rescind its denial determinations for those hospitals that submitted mid-build exception requests due to the agencys failure to meet the required statutory deadline; Discussion with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) about the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model; Urged CMS to exercise enforcement discretion with respect to the hospital price transparency rule until the end of the public health emergency; Support H.R. 1868, a bill that, among other health care provisions, would eliminate the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments, known as sequestration, until the end of 2021.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Support HR 1781/ S 801, Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information; Support S 551 Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2019 or the REFUND Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require manufacturers of certain single-dose vial drugs payable under part B of the Medicare program to provide rebates with respect to amounts of such drugs discarded, and for other purposes; Support S 824/ HR 1767, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act, a bill to increase the number of States that may conduct Medicaid demonstration programs to improve access to community mental health services; Statement submitted to Senate Finance Committee on the implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support HR 2552Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone Act of 2019 or the PLACE Act of 2019, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent certain payment reductions for clinic visit services furnished at excepted off-campus outpatient departments of a provider under the Medicare program; Support HR 3022, Patient Access Protection Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, and for other purposes; Letter of support to the Ways and Means Committee in support of legislation to improve the quality of an access to services for Medicare beneficiaries, help train the physician workforce and reduce administrative burden on rural hospitals; Support HR 3431, HEARTS and Rural Relief Act, a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2021; Support HR 3417,Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient improvements and rural and quality improvements under the Medicare program; Oppose HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish an improved Medicare for All national health insurance program; Oppose S 1129, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program; Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on Pathways to Universal Health Coverage addressing concerns with Medicare for All and believe that the variety of proposals that often are used interchangeably under that name are not the solution; Oppose HR 2452, Medicare for America Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare for America health program to provide for comprehensive health coverage for all Americans; Letter to House Committee on Budget for the hearing on the Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) Key Design Components and Considerations for Establishing a Single-Payer Health Care System addressing concerns with Medicare for All; Oppose S 1261/ HR 2463, Choose Medicare Act, a bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Oppose S 981/ HR 2000Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019A bill to establish a public health plan; Oppose S 1033/ HR 2085, CHOICE Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a public health insurance option, and for other purposes; Oppose S 470, Medicare at 50 Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for any citizen or permanent resident of the United States age 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare; Oppose HR 1346, Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Submitted Statement to the House Committee on Rules for the Hearing Medicare for All Act of 2019; Comment on provisions of HR 2328,Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health (REACH) Act, support for the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital(DSH) program provisions included in Title III; comments on Title IV, which contains provisions of the No Surprises Act and concern with the legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers; Support HR 3107 Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019, this legislation would establish requirements for the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Meeting with the Senate finance committee to discuss changes to drug bill; Meeting with CMS to discuss changes to prior authorization; Meeting with Department of Labor to discuss issues with ERISA health plans; Met with CMS staff on rural hospital issues; Regulatory burden related to new CMS guidance on documenting Crossover bad debt; Sent a Comment letter to CMS on a final rule on program integrity enhancements to the provider enrollment process for Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Oppose S. 2860 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2019, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 4996, Helping MOMS Act of 2019, a bill amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a State option under the Medicaid program to provide for and extend continuous coverage for certain individuals, and for other purposes; Addressing hospital concerns about HR 3 Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bill to establish a fair price negotiation program, protect the Medicare program from excessive price increases, and establish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare part D enrollees, and for other purposes; Sent comment letter requesting that CMS withdraw the proposed regulation related to Medicaid Program: Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation ( MFAR) financing and supplemental payments. Given that the proposal would severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions of individuals and because many of its provisions are not legally permissible; Discussion with CMS for rural hospitals and critical access hospitals about the Medicare accelerated payment program, which is intended to provide necessary funds to providers, including rural hospitals and critical access hospitals, when there is a disruption in claims submission and/or claims processing; Submitted comments on CMSs proposed rule on Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug program for Contract Years 2021 and 2022. The letter focuses on several proposals addressing network adequacy; Letter sent to HHS, CDC, CMS, and SAMHSA requesting specialized guidance and assistance for providers who care for patients with behavioral health disorders; Support resetting the Improving Medicare Post- Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014 in the next COVID-19 relief package. The IMPACT Acts implementation is behind schedule and does not take into account extensive payment reforms already underway in each post-acute care setting; Letter urging HHS to release substantial additional emergency funds to all hospitals in an expedited manner. This second wave of funding to all hospitals, targeted relief is necessary for hospitals in hot spots, hospitals with a high percentage of payments under Medicare Advantage, hospitals caring for high numbers of Medicaid patients, and rural hospitals; Support HR 6693 Critical Access Hospital Expansion Act of 2020, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow States to certify certain hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of designating such hospitals as critical access hospitals under the Medicare program; Support HR 6753/ S 3615 Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to extend the rural community hospital demonstration program; Letter urging CMS to use its authority to extend to LTCHs the existing 20% hospital add-on payment for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19; Letter to CMS urging the agency to temporarily extend certain waivers and make others permanent beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency to allow hospitals to provide better and more cost effective care to their patients and communities; Sent comment letter to CMS about our concerns with the timeline proposed for implementation as well as the potential for penalties for noncompliance within this timeline on the Medicare Program: Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances; Sent comment letter on the FY 2021 Inpatient PPS proposed rule addressing CMS proposals related to payer-specific negotiated rate data collection, Medicare DSH payments, CAR T, bad debt, MS-DRG classifications, and quality programs, among other topics. Letter requesting that the CMS delay the implementation of the Appropriate Use Criteria for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Services program to allow providers the opportunity to implement and test operational changes and acquire the education necessary to achieve compliance with the program; Sent comments to the CMS on the agencys long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed policy changes and fiscal year 2021 rates; Letter to CMS asking for a delay in the start of repayments associated with the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) Programs; Letter urging the CMS to continue its suspension of medical review activities throughout the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter urging CMS to allow periodic interim payment (PIP) hospitals to carry out their accelerated payment repayment at cost settlement, as was initially communicated by the agency and also request that the agency make alternative repayment approaches available, such as direct payments to the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC), for all hospitals; Comment letter on CY 2021 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update proposed rule. While we continue to support the PDGM objective of increasing HH PPS payment accuracy, we remain concerned that CY 2020s large behavioral offset, 4.36%, was implemented on a prospective basis; Letter urging the CMS to withdraw the condition of participation (CoP) that hospitals report daily COVID-19 data and request that CMS immediately release detailed interpretive guidance so hospitals can take the necessary steps to come into compliance; Urged CMS to withdraw its Medicaid fiscal accountability proposed rule from its regulatory agenda because it would "severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions of individuals" and "many of its provisions are not legally permissible;" Submitted comment letter that disagree with CMS interim APC assignments of COVID-19 vaccine administration services to these New Technology APCs because they are inconsistent with longstanding CMS policy; Submitted comments responding to a CMS request for information on regulatory relief to support economic recovery urging the agency to take additional action to remove certain regulatory barriers standing in the way of efficiency and innovation, thus allowing hospitals to provide better and more cost-effective care to our patients and communities. In order to achieve these objectives, we ask the agency to temporarily extend certain waivers and make others permanent beyond the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency; Urged a delay implementation of CMS price transparency rule and also asked the Biden Transition team for enforcement discretion with the rule; Letter urging Congress to include in the year-end legislation an extension of the congressionally-enacted moratorium on the application of the Medicare sequester cuts into 2021 and through the duration of the public health emergency (PHE); Letter urging Congress to continue to support the movement to value by ensuring that clinicians in advanced alternative payment models (APMs) continue to receive incentives established under the bipartisan Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support S 5044, The Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2020, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Submitted a comment letter, urging CMS not to finalize proposals that would allow states to create a new type of direct enrollment marketplace in lieu of Healthcare.gov or a state-based marketplace. In addition, we do not support the codification in regulation of previous Section 1332 guidance that could allow states to pursue alternative approaches to coverage that would result in coverage losses; Support efforts to protect patients from surprise medical bills by including the No Surprises Act as part of the year-end legislative package; Submitted COVID-19 snapshot report for Congress to better understand the needs of hospitals and health systems during the public health emergency, which combines important data points with news articles and testimonials from the field to reiterate the dire circumstances hospitals and health systems face, and highlight why additional relief is necessary; Submitted comments in response to HRSAs proposal to include additional counties as eligible to receive Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) grants, encouraged the agency to use a definition of rural that is inclusive and flexible, in order to broaden opportunities for providers in rural communities and urged HRSA to increase rural grant opportunities.
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets"; Support HR 965/ S340, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Support HR 986/ S466 Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019, a bill provide that certain guidance related to waivers for State innovation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have no force or effect; Support HR 987 Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities; Support HR 938 Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition while Keeping Incentives for New Generics Act of 2019 or the BLOCKING Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with respect to eligibility for approval of a subsequent generic drug, to remove the barrier to that approval posed by the 180-day exclusivity period afforded to a first generic applicant that has not yet received final approval, and for other purposes; Support HR 1010, a bill to provide that the rule entitled Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance shall have no force or effect; Support HR 1499 Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, a bill to prohibit brand name drug manufacturers from compensating generic drug manufacturers to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable product manufacturers to delay entry of biosimilar and interchangeable products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for a Improve Health Insurance Affordability Fund to provide for certain reinsurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market; Support HR 1386/ S 1905 Expand Navigators Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity Act of 2019 or the ENROLL Act of 2019,a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for additional requirements with respect to the navigator program, and for other purposes; Support HR 1520 Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1503 Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019A bill that would increase transparency for the patent status of both approved biological products and approved drugs; Support HR 2439/ HR 3414 Opioid Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Submitted statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means Overcoming Racial Disparities and Social Determinants in the Maternal Mortality Crisis sharing information regarding hospitals and health systems efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality, as we seek ways to improve outcomes and reduce health inequities for expectant and new mothers, and give their children the best possible start in life; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills. Protecting patients from surprise medical bills is a top priority and we have adopted a set of guiding principles to use as we evaluate legislative proposals: Define surprise bills, Protect the patient financially, Ensure patient access to emergency care, Preserve the role of private negotiation, Remove the patient from health plan/provider negotiations, Educate patients about their health care coverage, Ensure patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information, and Support state laws that work; Letters submitted to the Energy & Commerce Committee in response to the request for comments on their surprise billing discussion draft. Concerned with the Committees draft legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Once the patient is protected from surprise bills, providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on solutions to stop surprise medical bills; Letter sent to the HELP Committee in response to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 discussion draft about our concerns about several of the proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers. For example, several of the provisions could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health Hearing on No More Surprises: Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills asking that the Committee preserve the ability of providers and insurers to negotiate private contracts and not establish a fixed payment amount for out-of-network services; Oppose HR 1309 Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, and for other purposes; Concerns about S.1531, Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 or the STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for health insurance consumers from surprise billing; Concerns about S. 1895 Lower Health Care Costs Act Letter addressed concerns about the legislative provision that sets a benchmark rate in statute for the out-of-network payments, as well as provisions that seek to change privately negotiated contracting arrangements between hospitals and insurance companies; Support HR 3425, Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish rules for payment for graduate medical education (GME) costs for hospitals that establish a new medical residency training program after hosting resident rotators for short durations; Expressed concerns regarding the provisions that reduce reimbursements to providers and hospitals that administer drugs the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019: including about Section 107, Medicare Part B Rebate by Manufacturers for Drugs or Biologicals with Prices Increasing Faster than Inflation, Section 110, Establishment of Maximum Add-on Payment for Drugs, Biologicals, and Biosimilars, this provision would establish $1,000 as the maximum add-on amount that a provider can be paid for a separately payable drug, biological or biosimilar, Section 111, Treatment of Drug Administration Services Furnished by an Off-Campus Outpatient Department of a Provider, the site neutral payment reduction would cut aggregate hospital payments; Support S. 2091, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement Act, this legislation would increase the total number of employment-based visas from 140,000 to 270,000 and ensure that critical health care workers needed in the U.S. have access to employment-based visas by carving out health care workers in designated shortage occupations from the limit; Support S 350, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019, a bill to restore the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance to protect competition and consumers; Submitted statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for the hearing on Improving Maternal Health: Legislation to Advance Prevention Efforts and Access to Care; Concerns with S. 386 and HR 1044, Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019, this bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China; Support H.R. 4538, Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title; Discussions of provisions we support and those we recommend be changes in a draft bill called the Mitigating Existing Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act; Discussions in support of the allowing states to designate hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of waiving the critical access hospital mileage requirements; Provided comments to W&M on legislation to expand Health Profession Opportunity Grants; Support S. 2723, The Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, a bill to amend Sec. 506C of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act which strengthens requirements for drug manufacturers to disclose the root causes and expected duration of shortages, extends reporting requirements to active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturers, requires manufacturers have contingency plans to ensure ongoing supply, develops recommendations to incentivize manufacturers to enter the market for drugs in shortage and examines the national security risks of shortages; Discuss DEA reductions in annual quotas for opioid products used by hospitals for sedation and pain management; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to discuss developments in the hospital preparedness program, the pilot projects for the Regional Disaster Healthcare System and other issues; Rural access to health care, including identifying core services needed in rural communities, outlining approaches and considerations for delivering those services, and examining access and quality in the rural context; ONCs proposed rule to implement the 21st Century Cures provision on information blocking; Supported members serving on the HHS Quality Summit panel, which was convened by the Deputy Secretary to gather input regarding how to improve and energize quality and safety improvement activities across health care system; Discussion with HHS on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussion with HHS about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support S 2902, Strengthening Our Rural Health Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to enhance the rural health workforce; Meetings and correspondence with staff members of Senate Financing Committee on a proposal to support rural health care access (REH, re-opening necessary provider CAH, infrastructure funding); Letter to Ways & Means committee Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force in response to RFI on factors that contribute to health outcomes in these areas, examples of successful models and lessons from the field that address access and outcomes, and considerations for the unique circumstances of rural and underserved communities; Letter to Energy and Commerce Members regarding health information technology priorities; Letter of Support to Senate Appropriations on funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to study gun violence; Support S.2741 and H.R. 4932,Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; Support S 2603, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the immigrant visa backlog, and for other purposes; Support HR 4995, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care and maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 5800,Ban Surprise Billing Act, a bill to address surprise medical bills that relies on a median in-network rate to resolve out-of-network payments and allows for an independent dispute resolution process to determine the final payment. Concerned with the Committee's legislative approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers, which could have significant consequences far beyond the scope of surprise medical bills. It is the insurers' responsibility to maintain comprehensive provider networks, and a default payment rate would remove incentives for health plans to contract with providers or to offer fair terms; Support HR 5826, Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act, a bill that prohibits providers from balance billing patients for emergency services or medical care the patient reasonably could have expected to be in-network, and from charging patients more than the in-network cost-sharing amount. Rather than rely on a benchmark payment rate to determine out-of-network reimbursement, the legislation provides a period for health plans and providers to negotiate out-of-network reimbursement, followed by a mediated dispute resolution process if necessary; Letter urging HHS to take regulatory actions to help hospitals and health systems prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter requesting $100 billion to prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter urging the Department of Labor to accurately define health care provider when promulgating regulations implementing key sections of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; Letter sent to the President asking for the use of the Defense Production Act to increase the production of medical supplies and equipment; Letter to HHS regarding $100 billion emergency fund, asking HHS and CMS to directly and expediently distribute to rural and urban hospitals and health systems funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund that were designated for providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act increased funding by $100 billion in order to reimburse eligible health care providers for health care-related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to COVID-19. In the letter, we urged HHS and CMS to immediately distribute funding to all hospital types in the US - with additional funding going to COVID-19 hotspots; Letter urging Congress to modernize the Stafford Act as part of its next COVID-19 legislative package to allow all hospitals to recoup financial losses from this pandemic and future disasters; Letter to the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency requesting they, as primary federal regulators for insured depository institutions, take prompt action to assist health care providers on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic should the need to do so arise; Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Chair of the Board of Governors urging a supplement to the New Main Street Loan Facility term sheet with prompt guidance to ensure that access to this critically-necessary loan facility will be attainable for hospitals without delay; Letter was sent to the SBA urging it to ensure that small- and mid-size public hospitals, including those that have both nonprofit and public designations, are allowed to apply for and receive loans under the newly-authorized SBA Paycheck Protection Program; Letter in response to FEMAs request for input on establishing a voluntary agreement, under the Defense Production Act, of key private sector stakeholders relevant to responding to COVID-19, urging that such an agreement account for the full breadth of COVID-19 medical supply and equipment needs; Support H.R. 6474/S.3838 Healthcare Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act, a bill that would provide an additional $2 billion in funding for the FCC Rural Health Care program and increase the subsidy for health care providers from 65 to 85 percent. This legislation also simplifies the program to allow for more efficient application processes and disbursement of much needed funding; Support HR 6654 Emergency COVID-19 Telehealth Response Act, a bill that would codify an expanded list of providers to deliver and bill for telehealth services during the PHE; Support HR 7233Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent (KEEP) Telehealth Options Act of 2020, a bill that would require the Department of Health and Human Services and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct studies to provide information about the expanded use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter to Senate HELP Committee in response to request for feedback on preparing for next pandemic; Discussion about telehealth waivers and flexibilities with HHS; Discussion about CARES provider relief fund distributions with HHS; Oppose HR 6559/ S 3677 COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020, a bill to require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to promulgate an emergency temporary standard to protect employees from occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and for other purposes; Joint letter with ANA urging Congress to act quickly to get needed resources into the health care system, so that hospitals, nurses and physicians responding to COVID-19 are able to continue to provide treatments, front-line health care personnel are able to provide care and patients are able access health care services; Statement to Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color urging Congress to employ the resources of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities - which is congressionally-mandated to coordinate the research of the other National Institutes of Healths centers and institutes related to minority health - to research and develop approaches to specifically address the COVID-19 needs of minority populations; Advocate with Congress for full forgiveness of COVID-19 related accelerated payments received by hospitals; Support S 3781Pharmaceutical Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency (PART) Act, a bill to increase reporting of, help mitigate potential shortages related to, and promote, accountability and transparency for pharmaceuticals and medical devices; Support S 3780 Help Onshore Manufacturing Efficiencies (HOME) for Drugs and Devices Act, a bill to encourage domestic advanced manufacturing of critical drugs and devices in order to address economic, health, and security concerns, combat shortages of critical drugs and devices, and promote increased domestic diversification of, and independence from foreign reliance on, pharmaceutical and medical device supply chains; Support S.3763 Pandemic Responder Service Award Act, a bill to establish the Pandemic Responder Service Award program to express our gratitude to front-line health care workers; Support HR 6788/ S 3599 Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Urged support for joint House and Senate letter to the Administration asking for flexibility for hospitals with respect to J-1 and H-1B visa programs; Letter to Senate Finance Committee to address the important issue of maternal health and the opportunity to provide suggestions regarding how to improve maternal health in this country; Support the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act, a bill that allows for the temporary reciprocity for treatment by medical professionals licensed in one state to patients in other states; Letter urging the Senate to include in the next COVID-19 relief bill provisions to strengthen the federal response for racial and ethnic minority and marginalized communities, which are disproportionately affected by the pandemic;Letter asking Congress to allocate as part of the next COVID-19 relief package at least an additional $100 billion to the emergency relief fund to provide direct funding to front line health care personnel and providers to continue to respond to this pandemic; Letter sent to HHS urging them to direct HRSA to take action to stop three drug manufacturers from limiting the distribution of 340B drugs to 340B covered entities. These drug manufacturers have taken separate actions to either limit the distribution of 340B drugs or require 340B covered entities provide claims level data for investigatory purposes if that 340B covered entity uses a contract pharmacy arrangement; Letter to the Congressional Leadership asking them to not to include in the next COVID-19 relief package any surprise medical billing legislation - such as a reimbursement rate set in statute - that would further destabilize hospitals finances during the pandemic; Support S 4507, Getting Early Treatment and Comprehensive Assessments Reduces Emergencies Act of 2020 or the GET CARE Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national campaign to raise awareness of the importance of seeking preventive health services and the utilization of such services; Comment letter addressing concerns on the proposed rule from the Departments of the Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services that would allow certain grandfathered health plans to increase patient cost-sharing beyond current limits, without losing their grandfathered status; Letter urging the Administration to work with the AHA and Congress to create a future for telehealth that allows not only clinicians, but also hospitals and health systems, to code and bill for virtual services. We further urge CMS and HHS to continue to provide hospitals with the flexibility for annual beneficiary consent to telehealth treatment to be obtained at the same time, and not necessarily before, services are furnished; Support HR 8061,Community Immunity During COVID-19 Act of 2020, a bill that would provide funding to state and local health departments to work with community providers and organizations to increase immunization rates for Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)-recommended vaccines during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter again expressing concern with recent actions taken by several major drug manufacturers to limit the distribution of certain 340B drugs to our hospital members. While we understand that the HRSA is further investigating these actions, we urge swift and decisive action to halt these pernicious tactics so as to prevent other manufacturers from following suit; Comment letter outlining our concerns about the ability of hospital systems to distribute provider relief funds among the parent and subsidiaries. HHS published certain FAQs that place problematic restrictions on the use of CARES Act provider relief fund dollars. Specifically, the FAQs restrict the ability of a hospital system to allocate the funds throughout its system where COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenues are occurring; Submitted comments in response to HRSAs RFI on Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) scoring. HPSA scores are important for rural hospitals and clinics ability to recruit physicians and other clinicians, namely from the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program. Letter asking HHS to reinstate the COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund reporting requirements; Support S 4349, Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, a bill to address behavioral health and well-being among health care professionals; Support S. 3595Ensuring Understanding of COVID-19 to Protect Public Health Act, a bill that directs the NIH to conduct a longitudinal study on mild, moderate, and severe cases of COVID-19 on a diverse patient population.
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation; Support HR 3300, Economic Mobility Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for workers and families; Letter requesting that Congress use the employer side payroll tax if they use the tax code to provide this assistance so that all hospitals benefit from that relief. The letter also highlights several bond financing options that should be considered; Support HR 2772, Investing in Our Communities Act, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reinstate advance refunding bonds; Support HR 3967, Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently modify the limitations on the deduction of interest by financial institutions which hold tax-exempt bonds; Support HR 6886Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Small Business Act and the CARES Act to modify certain provisions related to the forgiveness of loans under the paycheck protection program, to allow recipients of loan forgiveness under the paycheck protection program to defer payroll taxes, and for other purposes; A letter requesting that the Treasury and IRS extend the deadlines for tax-exempt hospitals and health systems to prepare community health needs assessments that occur during the COVID public health emergency; Support HR 7819, Eliminating the Provider Relief Fund Tax Penalties Act of 2020, A bill that would remove an unintentional tax penalty on health care providers who received CARES Act funding under the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. If left unchanged, health providers and for-profit hospitals could face a tax as high as 20% on money intended to support them during this pandemic.
Monitor HR 6800Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act, a bill to make emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 will help hospitals and health systems serve their communities from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, accelerated payments and temporary elimination of the Medicare sequestration, among other important provisions during this unprecedented public health crisis; Letter sent requesting funding for health care programs for fiscal year FY 2021 to prevent or minimize hospital cuts; Support of the passing of the Continuing Resolution, which included two important provisions for Americas hospitals and health systems and the patients they serve: relief on Medicare accelerated and advanced payments and a delay of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment cuts.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018; Urging FTC to give more weight to the efficiencies with demonstrable benefits for patients and their communities in agency reviews and court challenges of hospital mergers and challenges as this more holistic and balanced view of the merger could diminish pressure to enact additional Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) legislation, and the need for hospitals to seek COPA in the future and endure the associated regulatory and cost burdens of doing so; Letter requesting that DOJ temporarily suspend enforcement of the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute to enable hospitals and health systems to meet the unique circumstances created by the COVID-19 public health emergency; Urged an expeditious review and release of the Physician Self-Referral and Anti-Kickback Statute final regulations that were submitted by the CMS and the HHS Office of Inspector General in July.
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Support HR 1781/ S 801, Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information; Support S 551 Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2019 or the REFUND Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require manufacturers of certain single-dose vial drugs payable under part B of the Medicare program to provide rebates with respect to amounts of such drugs discarded, and for other purposes; Support S 824/ HR 1767, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act, a bill to increase the number of States that may conduct Medicaid demonstration programs to improve access to community mental health services; Statement submitted to Senate Finance Committee on the implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support HR 2552Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone Act of 2019 or the PLACE Act of 2019, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent certain payment reductions for clinic visit services furnished at excepted off-campus outpatient departments of a provider under the Medicare program; Support HR 3022, Patient Access Protection Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, and for other purposes; Letter of support to the Ways and Means Committee in support of legislation to improve the quality of an access to services for Medicare beneficiaries, help train the physician workforce and reduce administrative burden on rural hospitals; Support HR 3431, HEARTS and Rural Relief Act, a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2021; Support HR 3417,Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient improvements and rural and quality improvements under the Medicare program; Oppose HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish an improved Medicare for All national health insurance program; Oppose S 1129, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program; Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on Pathways to Universal Health Coverage addressing concerns with Medicare for All and believe that the variety of proposals that often are used interchangeably under that name are not the solution; Oppose HR 2452, Medicare for America Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare for America health program to provide for comprehensive health coverage for all Americans; Letter to House Committee on Budget for the hearing on the Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) Key Design Components and Considerations for Establishing a Single-Payer Health Care System addressing concerns with Medicare for All; Oppose S 1261/ HR 2463, Choose Medicare Act, a bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Oppose S 981/ HR 2000Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019A bill to establish a public health plan; Oppose S 1033/ HR 2085, CHOICE Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a public health insurance option, and for other purposes; Oppose S 470, Medicare at 50 Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for any citizen or permanent resident of the United States age 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare; Oppose HR 1346, Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Submitted Statement to the House Committee on Rules for the Hearing Medicare for All Act of 2019; Comment on provisions of HR 2328,Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health (REACH) Act, support for the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital(DSH) program provisions included in Title III; comments on Title IV, which contains provisions of the No Surprises Act and concern with the legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers; Support HR 3107 Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019, this legislation would establish requirements for the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Meeting with the Senate finance committee to discuss changes to drug bill; Meeting with CMS to discuss changes to prior authorization; Meeting with Department of Labor to discuss issues with ERISA health plans; Met with CMS staff on rural hospital issues; Regulatory burden related to new CMS guidance on documenting Crossover bad debt; Sent a Comment letter to CMS on a final rule on program integrity enhancements to the provider enrollment process for Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Oppose S. 2860 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2019, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 4996, Helping MOMS Act of 2019, a bill amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a State option under the Medicaid program to provide for and extend continuous coverage for certain individuals, and for other purposes; Addressing hospital concerns about HR 3 Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bill to establish a fair price negotiation program, protect the Medicare program from excessive price increases, and establish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare part D enrollees, and for other purposes; Sent comment letter requesting that CMS withdraw the proposed regulation related to Medicaid Program: Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation ( MFAR) financing and supplemental payments. Given that the proposal would severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions of individuals and because many of its provisions are not legally permissible; Discussion with CMS for rural hospitals and critical access hospitals about the Medicare accelerated payment program, which is intended to provide necessary funds to providers, including rural hospitals and critical access hospitals, when there is a disruption in claims submission and/or claims processing; Submitted comments on CMSs proposed rule on Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug program for Contract Years 2021 and 2022. The letter focuses on several proposals addressing network adequacy; Letter sent to HHS, CDC, CMS, and SAMHSA requesting specialized guidance and assistance for providers who care for patients with behavioral health disorders; Support resetting the Improving Medicare Post- Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014 in the next COVID-19 relief package. The IMPACT Acts implementation is behind schedule and does not take into account extensive payment reforms already underway in each post-acute care setting; Letter urging HHS to release substantial additional emergency funds to all hospitals in an expedited manner. This second wave of funding to all hospitals, targeted relief is necessary for hospitals in hot spots, hospitals with a high percentage of payments under Medicare Advantage, hospitals caring for high numbers of Medicaid patients, and rural hospitals; Support HR 6693 Critical Access Hospital Expansion Act of 2020, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow States to certify certain hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of designating such hospitals as critical access hospitals under the Medicare program; Support HR 6753/ S 3615 Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to extend the rural community hospital demonstration program; Letter urging CMS to use its authority to extend to LTCHs the existing 20% hospital add-on payment for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19; Letter to CMS urging the agency to temporarily extend certain waivers and make others permanent beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency to allow hospitals to provide better and more cost effective care to their patients and communities; Sent comment letter to CMS about our concerns with the timeline proposed for implementation as well as the potential for penalties for noncompliance within this timeline on the Medicare Program: Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances; Sent comment letter on the FY 2021 Inpatient PPS proposed rule addressing CMS proposals related to payer-specific negotiated rate data collection, Medicare DSH payments, CAR T, bad debt, MS-DRG classifications, and quality programs, among other topics. Letter requesting that the CMS delay the implementation of the Appropriate Use Criteria for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Services program to allow providers the opportunity to implement and test operational changes and acquire the education necessary to achieve compliance with the program; Sent comments to the CMS on the agencys long-term care hospital prospective payment system proposed policy changes and fiscal year 2021 rates; Letter to CMS asking for a delay in the start of repayments associated with the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) Programs; Letter urging the CMS to continue its suspension of medical review activities throughout the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter urging CMS to allow periodic interim payment (PIP) hospitals to carry out their accelerated payment repayment at cost settlement, as was initially communicated by the agency and also request that the agency make alternative repayment approaches available, such as direct payments to the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC), for all hospitals; Comment letter on CY 2021 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update proposed rule. While we continue to support the PDGM objective of increasing HH PPS payment accuracy, we remain concerned that CY 2020s large behavioral offset, 4.36%, was implemented on a prospective basis; Letter urging the CMS to withdraw the condition of participation (CoP) that hospitals report daily COVID-19 data and request that CMS immediately release detailed interpretive guidance so hospitals can take the necessary steps to come into compliance; Urged CMS to withdraw its Medicaid fiscal accountability proposed rule from its regulatory agenda because it would "severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions of individuals" and "many of its provisions are not legally permissible."
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets";Letter of support for the Senate Workgroups efforts to ensure consumer protections by addressing surprise medical bills and comments on the development of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills; Letter urging Congress and the Administration to take further action to help reduce input and administrative costs, as well as maximize the number of insured patients; Support HR 965/ S340, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Support HR 986/ S466 Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019, a bill provide that certain guidance related to waivers for State innovation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have no force or effect; Support HR 987 Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities; Support HR 938 Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition while Keeping Incentives for New Generics Act of 2019 or the BLOCKING Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with respect to eligibility for approval of a subsequent generic drug, to remove the barrier to that approval posed by the 180-day exclusivity period afforded to a first generic applicant that has not yet received final approval, and for other purposes; Support HR 1010, a bill to provide that the rule entitled Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance shall have no force or effect; Support HR 1499 Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, a bill to prohibit brand name drug manufacturers from compensating generic drug manufacturers to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable product manufacturers to delay entry of biosimilar and interchangeable products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for a Improve Health Insurance Affordability Fund to provide for certain reinsurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market; Support HR 1386/ S 1905 Expand Navigators Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity Act of 2019 or the ENROLL Act of 2019,a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for additional requirements with respect to the navigator program, and for other purposes; Support HR 1520 Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1503 Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019A bill that would increase transparency for the patent status of both approved biological products and approved drugs; Support HR 2439/ HR 3414 Opioid Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Submitted statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means Overcoming Racial Disparities and Social Determinants in the Maternal Mortality Crisis sharing information regarding hospitals and health systems efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality, as we seek ways to improve outcomes and reduce health inequities for expectant and new mothers, and give their children the best possible start in life; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills. Protecting patients from surprise medical bills is a top priority and we have adopted a set of guiding principles to use as we evaluate legislative proposals: Define surprise bills, Protect the patient financially, Ensure patient access to emergency care, Preserve the role of private negotiation, Remove the patient from health plan/provider negotiations, Educate patients about their health care coverage, Ensure patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information, and Support state laws that work; Letters submitted to the Energy & Commerce Committee in response to the request for comments on their surprise billing discussion draft. Concerned with the Committees draft legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Once the patient is protected from surprise bills, providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on solutions to stop surprise medical bills; Letter sent to the HELP Committee in response to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 discussion draft about our concerns about several of the proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers. For example, several of the provisions could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health Hearing on No More Surprises: Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills asking that the Committee preserve the ability of providers and insurers to negotiate private contracts and not establish a fixed payment amount for out-of-network services; Oppose HR 1309 Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, and for other purposes; Concerns about S.1531, Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 or the STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for health insurance consumers from surprise billing; Concerns about S. 1895 Lower Health Care Costs Act Letter addressed concerns about the legislative provision that sets a benchmark rate in statute for the out-of-network payments, as well as provisions that seek to change privately negotiated contracting arrangements between hospitals and insurance companies; Support HR 3425, Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish rules for payment for graduate medical education (GME) costs for hospitals that establish a new medical residency training program after hosting resident rotators for short durations; Expressed concerns regarding the provisions that reduce reimbursements to providers and hospitals that administer drugs the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019: including about Section 107, Medicare Part B Rebate by Manufacturers for Drugs or Biologicals with Prices Increasing Faster than Inflation, Section 110, Establishment of Maximum Add-on Payment for Drugs, Biologicals, and Biosimilars, this provision would establish $1,000 as the maximum add-on amount that a provider can be paid for a separately payable drug, biological or biosimilar, Section 111, Treatment of Drug Administration Services Furnished by an Off-Campus Outpatient Department of a Provider, the site neutral payment reduction would cut aggregate hospital payments; Support S. 2091, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement Act, this legislation would increase the total number of employment-based visas from 140,000 to 270,000 and ensure that critical health care workers needed in the U.S. have access to employment-based visas by carving out health care workers in designated shortage occupations from the limit; Support S 350, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019, a bill to restore the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance to protect competition and consumers; Submitted statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for the hearing on Improving Maternal Health: Legislation to Advance Prevention Efforts and Access to Care; Concerns with S. 386 and HR 1044, Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019, this bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China; Support H.R. 4538, Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title; Discussions of provisions we support and those we recommend be changes in a draft bill called the Mitigating Existing Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act; Discussions in support of the allowing states to designate hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of waiving the critical access hospital mileage requirements; Provided comments to W&M on legislation to expand Health Profession Opportunity Grants; Support S. 2723, The Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, a bill to amend Sec. 506C of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act which strengthens requirements for drug manufacturers to disclose the root causes and expected duration of shortages, extends reporting requirements to active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturers, requires manufacturers have contingency plans to ensure ongoing supply, develops recommendations to incentivize manufacturers to enter the market for drugs in shortage and examines the national security risks of shortages; Discuss DEA reductions in annual quotas for opioid products used by hospitals for sedation and pain management; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to discuss developments in the hospital preparedness program, the pilot projects for the Regional Disaster Healthcare System and other issues; Rural access to health care, including identifying core services needed in rural communities, outlining approaches and considerations for delivering those services, and examining access and quality in the rural context; ONCs proposed rule to implement the 21st Century Cures provision on information blocking; Supported members serving on the HHS Quality Summit panel, which was convened by the Deputy Secretary to gather input regarding how to improve and energize quality and safety improvement activities across health care system; Discussion with HHS on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussion with HHS about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support S 2902, Strengthening Our Rural Health Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to enhance the rural health workforce; Meetings and correspondence with staff members of Senate Financing Committee on a proposal to support rural health care access (REH, re-opening necessary provider CAH, infrastructure funding); Letter to Ways & Means committee Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force in response to RFI on factors that contribute to health outcomes in these areas, examples of successful models and lessons from the field that address access and outcomes, and considerations for the unique circumstances of rural and underserved communities; Letter to Energy and Commerce Members regarding health information technology priorities; Letter of Support to Senate Appropriations on funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to study gun violence; Support S.2741 and H.R. 4932,Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; Support S 2603, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the immigrant visa backlog, and for other purposes; Support HR 4995, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care and maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 5800,Ban Surprise Billing Act, a bill to address surprise medical bills that relies on a median in-network rate to resolve out-of-network payments and allows for an independent dispute resolution process to determine the final payment. Concerned with the Committee's legislative approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers, which could have significant consequences far beyond the scope of surprise medical bills. It is the insurers' responsibility to maintain comprehensive provider networks, and a default payment rate would remove incentives for health plans to contract with providers or to offer fair terms; Support HR 5826, Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act, a bill that prohibits providers from balance billing patients for emergency services or medical care the patient reasonably could have expected to be in-network, and from charging patients more than the in-network cost-sharing amount. Rather than rely on a benchmark payment rate to determine out-of-network reimbursement, the legislation provides a period for health plans and providers to negotiate out-of-network reimbursement, followed by a mediated dispute resolution process if necessary; Letter urging HHS to take regulatory actions to help hospitals and health systems prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter requesting $100 billion to prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter urging the Department of Labor to accurately define health care provider when promulgating regulations implementing key sections of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; Letter sent to the President asking for the use of the Defense Production Act to increase the production of medical supplies and equipment; Letter to HHS regarding $100 billion emergency fund, asking HHS and CMS to directly and expediently distribute to rural and urban hospitals and health systems funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund that were designated for providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act increased funding by $100 billion in order to reimburse eligible health care providers for health care-related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to COVID-19. In the letter, we urged HHS and CMS to immediately distribute funding to all hospital types in the US - with additional funding going to COVID-19 hotspots; Letter urging Congress to modernize the Stafford Act as part of its next COVID-19 legislative package to allow all hospitals to recoup financial losses from this pandemic and future disasters; Letter to the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency requesting they, as primary federal regulators for insured depository institutions, take prompt action to assist health care providers on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic should the need to do so arise; Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Chair of the Board of Governors urging a supplement to the New Main Street Loan Facility term sheet with prompt guidance to ensure that access to this critically-necessary loan facility will be attainable for hospitals without delay; Letter was sent to the SBA urging it to ensure that small- and mid-size public hospitals, including those that have both nonprofit and public designations, are allowed to apply for and receive loans under the newly-authorized SBA Paycheck Protection Program; Letter in response to FEMAs request for input on establishing a voluntary agreement, under the Defense Production Act, of key private sector stakeholders relevant to responding to COVID-19, urging that such an agreement account for the full breadth of COVID-19 medical supply and equipment needs; Support H.R. 6474/S.3838 Healthcare Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act, a bill that would provide an additional $2 billion in funding for the FCC Rural Health Care program and increase the subsidy for health care providers from 65 to 85 percent. This legislation also simplifies the program to allow for more efficient application processes and disbursement of much needed funding; Support HR 6654 Emergency COVID-19 Telehealth Response Act, a bill that would codify an expanded list of providers to deliver and bill for telehealth services during the PHE; Support HR 7233Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent (KEEP) Telehealth Options Act of 2020, a bill that would require the Department of Health and Human Services and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct studies to provide information about the expanded use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter to Senate HELP Committee in response to request for feedback on preparing for next pandemic; Discussion about telehealth waivers and flexibilities with HHS; Discussion about CARES provider relief fund distributions with HHS; Oppose HR 6559/ S 3677 COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020, a bill to require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to promulgate an emergency temporary standard to protect employees from occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and for other purposes; Joint letter with ANA urging Congress to act quickly to get needed resources into the health care system, so that hospitals, nurses and physicians responding to COVID-19 are able to continue to provide treatments, front-line health care personnel are able to provide care and patients are able access health care services; Statement to Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color urging Congress to employ the resources of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities - which is congressionally-mandated to coordinate the research of the other National Institutes of Healths centers and institutes related to minority health - to research and develop approaches to specifically address the COVID-19 needs of minority populations; Advocate with Congress for full forgiveness of COVID-19 related accelerated payments received by hospitals; Support S 3781Pharmaceutical Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency (PART) Act, a bill to increase reporting of, help mitigate potential shortages related to, and promote, accountability and transparency for pharmaceuticals and medical devices; Support S 3780 Help Onshore Manufacturing Efficiencies (HOME) for Drugs and Devices Act, a bill to encourage domestic advanced manufacturing of critical drugs and devices in order to address economic, health, and security concerns, combat shortages of critical drugs and devices, and promote increased domestic diversification of, and independence from foreign reliance on, pharmaceutical and medical device supply chains; Support S.3763 Pandemic Responder Service Award Act, a bill to establish the Pandemic Responder Service Award program to express our gratitude to front-line health care workers; Support HR 6788/ S 3599 Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Urged support for joint House and Senate letter to the Administration asking for flexibility for hospitals with respect to J-1 and H-1B visa programs; Letter to Senate Finance Committee to address the important issue of maternal health and the opportunity to provide suggestions regarding how to improve maternal health in this country; Support the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act, a bill that allows for the temporary reciprocity for treatment by medical professionals licensed in one state to patients in other states; Letter urging the Senate to include in the next COVID-19 relief bill provisions to strengthen the federal response for racial and ethnic minority and marginalized communities, which are disproportionately affected by the pandemic;Letter asking Congress to allocate as part of the next COVID-19 relief package at least an additional $100 billion to the emergency relief fund to provide direct funding to front line health care personnel and providers to continue to respond to this pandemic; Letter sent to HHS urging them to direct HRSA to take action to stop three drug manufacturers from limiting the distribution of 340B drugs to 340B covered entities. These drug manufacturers have taken separate actions to either limit the distribution of 340B drugs or require 340B covered entities provide claims level data for investigatory purposes if that 340B covered entity uses a contract pharmacy arrangement; Letter to the Congressional Leadership asking them to not to include in the next COVID-19 relief package any surprise medical billing legislation - such as a reimbursement rate set in statute - that would further destabilize hospitals finances during the pandemic; Support S 4507, Getting Early Treatment and Comprehensive Assessments Reduces Emergencies Act of 2020 or the GET CARE Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national campaign to raise awareness of the importance of seeking preventive health services and the utilization of such services; Comment letter addressing concerns on the proposed rule from the Departments of the Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services that would allow certain grandfathered health plans to increase patient cost-sharing beyond current limits, without losing their grandfathered status; Letter urging the Administration to work with the AHA and Congress to create a future for telehealth that allows not only clinicians, but also hospitals and health systems, to code and bill for virtual services. We further urge CMS and HHS to continue to provide hospitals with the flexibility for annual beneficiary consent to telehealth treatment to be obtained at the same time, and not necessarily before, services are furnished; Support HR 8061,Community Immunity During COVID-19 Act of 2020, a bill that would provide funding to state and local health departments to work with community providers and organizations to increase immunization rates for Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)-recommended vaccines during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Letter again expressing concern with recent actions taken by several major drug manufacturers to limit the distribution of certain 340B drugs to our hospital members. While we understand that the HRSA is further investigating these actions, we urge swift and decisive action to halt these pernicious tactics so as to prevent other manufacturers from following suit; Comment letter outlining our concerns about the ability of hospital systems to distribute provider relief funds among the parent and subsidiaries. HHS published certain FAQs that place problematic restrictions on the use of CARES Act provider relief fund dollars. Specifically, the FAQs restrict the ability of a hospital system to allocate the funds throughout its system where COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenues are occurring; Submitted comments in response to HRSAs RFI on Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) scoring. HPSA scores are important for rural hospitals and clinics ability to recruit physicians and other clinicians, namely from the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program. Letter asking HHS to reinstate the COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund reporting requirements.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets";Letter of support for the Senate Workgroups efforts to ensure consumer protections by addressing surprise medical bills and comments on the development of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills; Letter urging Congress and the Administration to take further action to help reduce input and administrative costs, as well as maximize the number of insured patients; Support HR 965/ S340, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Support HR 986/ S466 Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019, a bill provide that certain guidance related to waivers for State innovation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have no force or effect; Support HR 987 Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities; Support HR 938 Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition while Keeping Incentives for New Generics Act of 2019 or the BLOCKING Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with respect to eligibility for approval of a subsequent generic drug, to remove the barrier to that approval posed by the 180-day exclusivity period afforded to a first generic applicant that has not yet received final approval, and for other purposes; Support HR 1010, a bill to provide that the rule entitled Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance shall have no force or effect; Support HR 1499 Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, a bill to prohibit brand name drug manufacturers from compensating generic drug manufacturers to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable product manufacturers to delay entry of biosimilar and interchangeable products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for a Improve Health Insurance Affordability Fund to provide for certain reinsurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market; Support HR 1386/ S 1905 Expand Navigators Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity Act of 2019 or the ENROLL Act of 2019,a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for additional requirements with respect to the navigator program, and for other purposes; Support HR 1520 Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1503 Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019A bill that would increase transparency for the patent status of both approved biological products and approved drugs; Support HR 2439/ HR 3414 Opioid Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Submitted statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means Overcoming Racial Disparities and Social Determinants in the Maternal Mortality Crisis sharing information regarding hospitals and health systems efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality, as we seek ways to improve outcomes and reduce health inequities for expectant and new mothers, and give their children the best possible start in life; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills. Protecting patients from surprise medical bills is a top priority and we have adopted a set of guiding principles to use as we evaluate legislative proposals: Define surprise bills, Protect the patient financially, Ensure patient access to emergency care, Preserve the role of private negotiation, Remove the patient from health plan/provider negotiations, Educate patients about their health care coverage, Ensure patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information, and Support state laws that work; Letters submitted to the Energy & Commerce Committee in response to the request for comments on their surprise billing discussion draft. Concerned with the Committees draft legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Once the patient is protected from surprise bills, providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on solutions to stop surprise medical bills; Letter sent to the HELP Committee in response to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 discussion draft about our concerns about several of the proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers. For example, several of the provisions could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health Hearing on No More Surprises: Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills asking that the Committee preserve the ability of providers and insurers to negotiate private contracts and not establish a fixed payment amount for out-of-network services; Oppose HR 1309 Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, and for other purposes; Concerns about S.1531, Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 or the STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for health insurance consumers from surprise billing; Concerns about S. 1895 Lower Health Care Costs Act Letter addressed concerns about the legislative provision that sets a benchmark rate in statute for the out-of-network payments, as well as provisions that seek to change privately negotiated contracting arrangements between hospitals and insurance companies; Support HR 3425, Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish rules for payment for graduate medical education (GME) costs for hospitals that establish a new medical residency training program after hosting resident rotators for short durations; Expressed concerns regarding the provisions that reduce reimbursements to providers and hospitals that administer drugs the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019: including about Section 107, Medicare Part B Rebate by Manufacturers for Drugs or Biologicals with Prices Increasing Faster than Inflation, Section 110, Establishment of Maximum Add-on Payment for Drugs, Biologicals, and Biosimilars, this provision would establish $1,000 as the maximum add-on amount that a provider can be paid for a separately payable drug, biological or biosimilar, Section 111, Treatment of Drug Administration Services Furnished by an Off-Campus Outpatient Department of a Provider, the site neutral payment reduction would cut aggregate hospital payments; Support S. 2091, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement Act, this legislation would increase the total number of employment-based visas from 140,000 to 270,000 and ensure that critical health care workers needed in the U.S. have access to employment-based visas by carving out health care workers in designated shortage occupations from the limit; Support S 350, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019, a bill to restore the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance to protect competition and consumers; Submitted statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for the hearing on Improving Maternal Health: Legislation to Advance Prevention Efforts and Access to Care; Concerns with S. 386 and HR 1044, Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019, this bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China; Support H.R. 4538, Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title; Discussions of provisions we support and those we recommend be changes in a draft bill called the Mitigating Existing Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act; Discussions in support of the allowing states to designate hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of waiving the critical access hospital mileage requirements; Provided comments to W&M on legislation to expand Health Profession Opportunity Grants; Support S. 2723, The Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, a bill to amend Sec. 506C of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act which strengthens requirements for drug manufacturers to disclose the root causes and expected duration of shortages, extends reporting requirements to active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturers, requires manufacturers have contingency plans to ensure ongoing supply, develops recommendations to incentivize manufacturers to enter the market for drugs in shortage and examines the national security risks of shortages; Discuss DEA reductions in annual quotas for opioid products used by hospitals for sedation and pain management; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to discuss developments in the hospital preparedness program, the pilot projects for the Regional Disaster Healthcare System and other issues; Rural access to health care, including identifying core services needed in rural communities, outlining approaches and considerations for delivering those services, and examining access and quality in the rural context; ONCs proposed rule to implement the 21st Century Cures provision on information blocking; Supported members serving on the HHS Quality Summit panel, which was convened by the Deputy Secretary to gather input regarding how to improve and energize quality and safety improvement activities across health care system; Discussion with HHS on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussion with HHS about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support S 2902, Strengthening Our Rural Health Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to enhance the rural health workforce; Meetings and correspondence with staff members of Senate Financing Committee on a proposal to support rural health care access (REH, re-opening necessary provider CAH, infrastructure funding); Letter to Ways & Means committee Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force in response to RFI on factors that contribute to health outcomes in these areas, examples of successful models and lessons from the field that address access and outcomes, and considerations for the unique circumstances of rural and underserved communities; Letter to Energy and Commerce Members regarding health information technology priorities; Letter of Support to Senate Appropriations on funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to study gun violence; Support S.2741 and H.R. 4932,Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; Support S 2603, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the immigrant visa backlog, and for other purposes; Support HR 4995, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care and maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes; Concerns with HR 5800,Ban Surprise Billing Act, a bill to address surprise medical bills that relies on a median in-network rate to resolve out-of-network payments and allows for an independent dispute resolution process to determine the final payment. Concerned with the Committee's legislative approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers, which could have significant consequences far beyond the scope of surprise medical bills. It is the insurers' responsibility to maintain comprehensive provider networks, and a default payment rate would remove incentives for health plans to contract with providers or to offer fair terms; Support HR 5826, Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act, a bill that prohibits providers from balance billing patients for emergency services or medical care the patient reasonably could have expected to be in-network, and from charging patients more than the in-network cost-sharing amount. Rather than rely on a benchmark payment rate to determine out-of-network reimbursement, the legislation provides a period for health plans and providers to negotiate out-of-network reimbursement, followed by a mediated dispute resolution process if necessary; Letter urging HHS to take regulatory actions to help hospitals and health systems prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter requesting $100 billion to prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter urging the Department of Labor to accurately define health care provider when promulgating regulations implementing key sections of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; Letter sent to the President asking for the use of the Defense Production Act to increase the production of medical supplies and equipment; Letter to HHS regarding $100 billion emergency fund, asking HHS and CMS to directly and expediently distribute to rural and urban hospitals and health systems funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund that were designated for providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act increased funding by $100 billion in order to reimburse eligible health care providers for health care-related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to COVID-19. In the letter, we urged HHS and CMS to immediately distribute funding to all hospital types in the US - with additional funding going to COVID-19 hotspots; Letter urging Congress to modernize the Stafford Act as part of its next COVID-19 legislative package to allow all hospitals to recoup financial losses from this pandemic and future disasters; Letter to the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency requesting they, as primary federal regulators for insured depository institutions, take prompt action to assist health care providers on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic should the need to do so arise; Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Chair of the Board of Governors urging a supplement to the New Main Street Loan Facility term sheet with prompt guidance to ensure that access to this critically-necessary loan facility will be attainable for hospitals without delay; Letter was sent to the SBA urging it to ensure that small- and mid-size public hospitals, including those that have both nonprofit and public designations, are allowed to apply for and receive loans under the newly-authorized SBA Paycheck Protection Program; Letter in response to FEMAs request for input on establishing a voluntary agreement, under the Defense Production Act, of key private sector stakeholders relevant to responding to COVID-19, urging that such an agreement account for the full breadth of COVID-19 medical supply and equipment needs; Support H.R. 6474/S.3838 Healthcare Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act, a bill that would provide an additional $2 billion in funding for the FCC Rural Health Care program and increase the subsidy for health care providers from 65 to 85 percent. This legislation also simplifies the program to allow for more efficient application processes and disbursement of much needed funding; Support HR 6654 Emergency COVID-19 Telehealth Response Act, a bill that would codify an expanded list of providers to deliver and bill for telehealth services during the PHE; Support HR 7233Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent (KEEP) Telehealth Options Act of 2020, a bill that would require the Department of Health and Human Services and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct studies to provide information about the expanded use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic; Letter to Senate HELP Committee in response to request for feedback on preparing for next pandemic; Discussion about telehealth waivers and flexibilities with HHS; Discussion about CARES provider relief fund distributions with HHS; Oppose HR 6559/ S 3677 COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020, a bill to require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to promulgate an emergency temporary standard to protect employees from occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and for other purposes; Joint letter with ANA urging Congress to act quickly to get needed resources into the health care system, so that hospitals, nurses and physicians responding to COVID-19 are able to continue to provide treatments, front-line health care personnel are able to provide care and patients are able access health care services; Statement to Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color urging Congress to employ the resources of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities - which is congressionally-mandated to coordinate the research of the other National Institutes of Healths centers and institutes related to minority health - to research and develop approaches to specifically address the COVID-19 needs of minority populations; Advocate with Congress for full forgiveness of COVID-19 related accelerated payments received by hospitals; Support S 3781Pharmaceutical Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency (PART) Act, a bill to increase reporting of, help mitigate potential shortages related to, and promote, accountability and transparency for pharmaceuticals and medical devices; Support S 3780 Help Onshore Manufacturing Efficiencies (HOME) for Drugs and Devices Act, a bill to encourage domestic advanced manufacturing of critical drugs and devices in order to address economic, health, and security concerns, combat shortages of critical drugs and devices, and promote increased domestic diversification of, and independence from foreign reliance on, pharmaceutical and medical device supply chains; Support S.3763 Pandemic Responder Service Award Act, a bill to establish the Pandemic Responder Service Award program to express our gratitude to front-line health care workers; Support HR 6788/ S 3599 Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, a bill to enhance our Nations nurse and physician workforce during the COVID-19 crisis by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Urged support for joint House and Senate letter to the Administration asking for flexibility for hospitals with respect to J-1 and H-1B visa programs; Letter to Senate Finance Committee to address the important issue of maternal health and the opportunity to provide suggestions regarding how to improve maternal health in this country; Support the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act, a bill that allows for the temporary reciprocity for treatment by medical professionals licensed in one state to patients in other states.
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Support HR 1781/ S 801, Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information; Support S 551 Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2019 or the REFUND Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require manufacturers of certain single-dose vial drugs payable under part B of the Medicare program to provide rebates with respect to amounts of such drugs discarded, and for other purposes; Support S 824/ HR 1767, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act, a bill to increase the number of States that may conduct Medicaid demonstration programs to improve access to community mental health services; Statement submitted to Senate Finance Committee on the implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support HR 2552Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone Act of 2019 or the PLACE Act of 2019, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent certain payment reductions for clinic visit services furnished at excepted off-campus outpatient departments of a provider under the Medicare program; Support HR 3022, Patient Access Protection Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, and for other purposes; Letter of support to the Ways and Means Committee in support of legislation to improve the quality of an access to services for Medicare beneficiaries, help train the physician workforce and reduce administrative burden on rural hospitals; Support HR 3431, HEARTS and Rural Relief Act, a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2021; Support HR 3417,Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient improvements and rural and quality improvements under the Medicare program; Oppose HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish an improved Medicare for All national health insurance program; Oppose S 1129, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program; Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on Pathways to Universal Health Coverage addressing concerns with Medicare for All and believe that the variety of proposals that often are used interchangeably under that name are not the solution; Oppose HR 2452, Medicare for America Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare for America health program to provide for comprehensive health coverage for all Americans; Letter to House Committee on Budget for the hearing on the Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) Key Design Components and Considerations for Establishing a Single-Payer Health Care System addressing concerns with Medicare for All; Oppose S 1261/ HR 2463, Choose Medicare Act, a bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Oppose S 981/ HR 2000Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019A bill to establish a public health plan; Oppose S 1033/ HR 2085, CHOICE Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a public health insurance option, and for other purposes; Oppose S 470, Medicare at 50 Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for any citizen or permanent resident of the United States age 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare; Oppose HR 1346, Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Submitted Statement to the House Committee on Rules for the Hearing Medicare for All Act of 2019; Comment on provisions of HR 2328,Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health (REACH) Act, support for the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital(DSH) program provisions included in Title III; comments on Title IV, which contains provisions of the No Surprises Act and concern with the legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers; Support HR 3107 Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019, this legislation would establish requirements for the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Meeting with the Senate finance committee to discuss changes to drug bill; Meeting with CMS to discuss changes to prior authorization; Meeting with Department of Labor to discuss issues with ERISA health plans; Met with CMS staff on rural hospital issues; Regulatory burden related to new CMS guidance on documenting Crossover bad debt; Sent a Comment letter to CMS on a final rule on program integrity enhancements to the provider enrollment process for Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Oppose S. 2860 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2019, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 4996, Helping MOMS Act of 2019, a bill amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a State option under the Medicaid program to provide for and extend continuous coverage for certain individuals, and for other purposes; Addressing hospital concerns about HR 3 Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bill to establish a fair price negotiation program, protect the Medicare program from excessive price increases, and establish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare part D enrollees, and for other purposes; Sent comment letter requesting that CMS withdraw the proposed regulation related to Medicaid Program: Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation ( MFAR) financing and supplemental payments. Given that the proposal would severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions of individuals and because many of its provisions are not legally permissible; Discussion with CMS for rural hospitals and critical access hospitals about the Medicare accelerated payment program, which is intended to provide necessary funds to providers, including rural hospitals and critical access hospitals, when there is a disruption in claims submission and/or claims processing; Submitted comments on CMSs proposed rule on Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug program for Contract Years 2021 and 2022. The letter focuses on several proposals addressing network adequacy; Letter sent to HHS, CDC, CMS, and SAMHSA requesting specialized guidance and assistance for providers who care for patients with behavioral health disorders; Support resetting the Improving Medicare Post- Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014 in the next COVID-19 relief package. The IMPACT Acts implementation is behind schedule and does not take into account extensive payment reforms already underway in each post-acute care setting; Letter urging HHS to release substantial additional emergency funds to all hospitals in an expedited manner. This second wave of funding to all hospitals, targeted relief is necessary for hospitals in hot spots, hospitals with a high percentage of payments under Medicare Advantage, hospitals caring for high numbers of Medicaid patients, and rural hospitals; Support HR 6693 Critical Access Hospital Expansion Act of 2020, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow States to certify certain hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of designating such hospitals as critical access hospitals under the Medicare program; Support HR 6753/ S 3615 Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2020, a bill to amend the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to extend the rural community hospital demonstration program; Letter urging CMS to use its authority to extend to LTCHs the existing 20% hospital add-on payment for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19; Letter to CMS urging the agency to temporarily extend certain waivers and make others permanent beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency to allow hospitals to provide better and more cost effective care to their patients and communities.
Monitor HR 6800Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act, a bill to make emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 will help hospitals and health systems serve their communities from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, accelerated payments and temporary elimination of the Medicare sequestration, among other important provisions during this unprecedented public health crisis; Letter sent requesting funding for health care programs for fiscal year FY 2021 to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018; Urging FTC to give more weight to the efficiencies with demonstrable benefits for patients and their communities in agency reviews and court challenges of hospital mergers and challenges as this more holistic and balanced view of the merger could diminish pressure to enact additional Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) legislation, and the need for hospitals to seek COPA in the future and endure the associated regulatory and cost burdens of doing so; Letter requesting that DOJ temporarily suspend enforcement of the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute to enable hospitals and health systems to meet the unique circumstances created by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Support HR 1781/ S 801, Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information; Support S 551 Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2019 or the REFUND Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require manufacturers of certain single-dose vial drugs payable under part B of the Medicare program to provide rebates with respect to amounts of such drugs discarded, and for other purposes; Support S 824/ HR 1767, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act, a bill to increase the number of States that may conduct Medicaid demonstration programs to improve access to community mental health services; Statement submitted to Senate Finance Committee on the implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support HR 2552Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone Act of 2019 or the PLACE Act of 2019, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent certain payment reductions for clinic visit services furnished at excepted off-campus outpatient departments of a provider under the Medicare program; Support HR 3022, Patient Access Protection Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, and for other purposes; Letter of support to the Ways and Means Committee in support of legislation to improve the quality of an access to services for Medicare beneficiaries, help train the physician workforce and reduce administrative burden on rural hospitals; Support HR 3431, HEARTS and Rural Relief Act, a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2021; Support HR 3417,Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient improvements and rural and quality improvements under the Medicare program; Oppose HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish an improved Medicare for All national health insurance program; Oppose S 1129, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program; Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on Pathways to Universal Health Coverage addressing concerns with Medicare for All and believe that the variety of proposals that often are used interchangeably under that name are not the solution; Oppose HR 2452, Medicare for America Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare for America health program to provide for comprehensive health coverage for all Americans; Letter to House Committee on Budget for the hearing on the Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) Key Design Components and Considerations for Establishing a Single-Payer Health Care System addressing concerns with Medicare for All; Oppose S 1261/ HR 2463, Choose Medicare Act, a bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Oppose S 981/ HR 2000Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019A bill to establish a public health plan; Oppose S 1033/ HR 2085, CHOICE Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a public health insurance option, and for other purposes; Oppose S 470, Medicare at 50 Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for any citizen or permanent resident of the United States age 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare; Oppose HR 1346, Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Submitted Statement to the House Committee on Rules for the Hearing Medicare for All Act of 2019; Comment on provisions of HR 2328,Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health (REACH) Act, support for the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital(DSH) program provisions included in Title III; comments on Title IV, which contains provisions of the No Surprises Act and concern with the legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers; Support HR 3107 Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019, this legislation would establish requirements for the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Meeting with the Senate finance committee to discuss changes to drug bill; Meeting with CMS to discuss changes to prior authorization; Meeting with Department of Labor to discuss issues with ERISA health plans; Met with CMS staff on rural hospital issues; Regulatory burden related to new CMS guidance on documenting Crossover bad debt; Sent a Comment letter to CMS on a final rule on program integrity enhancements to the provider enrollment process for Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Oppose S. 2860 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2019, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 4996, Helping MOMS Act of 2019, a bill amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a State option under the Medicaid program to provide for and extend continuous coverage for certain individuals, and for other purposes; Addressing hospital concerns about HR 3 Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bill to establish a fair price negotiation program, protect the Medicare program from excessive price increases, and establish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare part D enrollees, and for other purposes; Sent comment letter requesting that CMS withdraw the proposed regulation related to Medicaid Program: Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation ( MFAR) financing and supplemental payments. Given that the proposal would severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions of individuals and because many of its provisions are not legally permissible.
Continue to monitor the FY 2019 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018; Urging FTC to give more weight to the efficiencies with demonstrable benefits for patients and their communities in agency reviews and court challenges of hospital mergers and challenges as this more holistic and balanced view of the merger could diminish pressure to enact additional Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) legislation, and the need for hospitals to seek COPA in the future and endure the associated regulatory and cost burdens of doing so.
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets";Letter of support for the Senate Workgroups efforts to ensure consumer protections by addressing surprise medical bills and comments on the development of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills; Letter urging Congress and the Administration to take further action to help reduce input and administrative costs, as well as maximize the number of insured patients; Comment letter urged CMS to extend the comment period for the proposed rules related to interoperability provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act by at least 30 days; Comment letter on the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) draft guidance on blood glucose monitoring test systems (BGMS) for prescription point-of-care (POC) use and urge FDA to consider compiling a finite list of universally acceptable disinfectant products that would apply to all medical devices or classes of device; Comment letter that urged CMS to address the substantial flaws in the star ratings methodology since the ratings inception in 2016 and to suspend the display of overall star ratings on Hospital Compare while the agency continues its important work of enhancing the validity and meaningfulness of star ratings; Comment letter to FDA on the public meeting, Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions with the following legislative recommendations: Strengthen manufacturers drug shortage disclosure requirements, Incentivize manufacturing contingency plans and/or redundancies, Enhance production transparency requirements, Enact shortage disclosure notification requirements for certain medical devices needed to administer drugs, Assess drug shortages as a national security threat, Include potential risk for drug shortages as a factor in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews of drug company merger proposals, and regulatory recommendations: Establish incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce drugs in shortage, Prevent manufacturing shutdowns, Establish a quality manufacturing initiative, Enhance information on the quality of outsourcing facilities compounding, Expand and improve the FDAs drug shortages list, Develop a list of critical drugs, Consider how reducing the number of unapproved drugs1 on the market might impact shortages, Reduce drug waste, Create an Office of Clinical Affairs within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Comment letter urging the CMS to use its upcoming proposed rules for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) and other post-acute care providers to address several issues related to the implementation of the revised case-mix grouping (CMG) policies; Support HR 965/ S340, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Support HR 986/ S466 Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019, a bill provide that certain guidance related to waivers for State innovation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have no force or effect; Support HR 987 Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities; Support HR 938 Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition while Keeping Incentives for New Generics Act of 2019 or the BLOCKING Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with respect to eligibility for approval of a subsequent generic drug, to remove the barrier to that approval posed by the 180-day exclusivity period afforded to a first generic applicant that has not yet received final approval, and for other purposes; Support HR 1010, a bill to provide that the rule entitled Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance shall have no force or effect; Support HR 1499 Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, a bill to prohibit brand name drug manufacturers from compensating generic drug manufacturers to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable product manufacturers to delay entry of biosimilar and interchangeable products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for a Improve Health Insurance Affordability Fund to provide for certain reinsurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market; Support HR 1386/ S 1905 Expand Navigators Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity Act of 2019 or the ENROLL Act of 2019,a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for additional requirements with respect to the navigator program, and for other purposes; Support HR 1520 Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1503 Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019A bill that would increase transparency for the patent status of both approved biological products and approved drugs; Support HR 2439/ HR 3414 Opioid Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Submitted statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means Overcoming Racial Disparities and Social Determinants in the Maternal Mortality Crisis sharing information regarding hospitals and health systems efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality, as we seek ways to improve outcomes and reduce health inequities for expectant and new mothers, and give their children the best possible start in life; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills. Protecting patients from surprise medical bills is a top priority and we have adopted a set of guiding principles to use as we evaluate legislative proposals: Define surprise bills, Protect the patient financially, Ensure patient access to emergency care, Preserve the role of private negotiation, Remove the patient from health plan/provider negotiations, Educate patients about their health care coverage, Ensure patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information, and Support state laws that work; Letters submitted to the Energy & Commerce Committee in response to the request for comments on their surprise billing discussion draft. Concerned with the Committees draft legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Once the patient is protected from surprise bills, providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on solutions to stop surprise medical bills; Letter sent to the HELP Committee in response to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 discussion draft about our concerns about several of the proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers. For example, several of the provisions could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health Hearing on No More Surprises: Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills asking that the Committee preserve the ability of providers and insurers to negotiate private contracts and not establish a fixed payment amount for out-of-network services; Oppose HR 1309 Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, and for other purposes; Concerns about S.1531, Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 or the STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for health insurance consumers from surprise billing; Concerns about S. 1895 Lower Health Care Costs Act Letter addressed concerns about the legislative provision that sets a benchmark rate in statute for the out-of-network payments, as well as provisions that seek to change privately negotiated contracting arrangements between hospitals and insurance companies; Support HR 3425, Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish rules for payment for graduate medical education (GME) costs for hospitals that establish a new medical residency training program after hosting resident rotators for short durations; Expressed concerns regarding the provisions that reduce reimbursements to providers and hospitals that administer drugs the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019: including about Section 107, Medicare Part B Rebate by Manufacturers for Drugs or Biologicals with Prices Increasing Faster than Inflation, Section 110, Establishment of Maximum Add-on Payment for Drugs, Biologicals, and Biosimilars, this provision would establish $1,000 as the maximum add-on amount that a provider can be paid for a separately payable drug, biological or biosimilar, Section 111, Treatment of Drug Administration Services Furnished by an Off-Campus Outpatient Department of a Provider, the site neutral payment reduction would cut aggregate hospital payments; Support S. 2091, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement Act, this legislation would increase the total number of employment-based visas from 140,000 to 270,000 and ensure that critical health care workers needed in the U.S. have access to employment-based visas by carving out health care workers in designated shortage occupations from the limit; Support S 350, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2019, a bill to restore the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance to protect competition and consumers; Support letter for the adoption of a unique patient identifier (UPI, by removing the prohibition on the use of federal funds to promulgate or adopt a national UPI would provide HHS the ability to explore solutions that link patients with their correct medical records; Submitted statement to Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for the hearing on Improving Maternal Health: Legislation to Advance Prevention Efforts and Access to Care; Concerns with S. 386 and HR 1044, Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019, this bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China; Support H.R. 4538, Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title; Discussions of provisions we support and those we recommend be changes in a draft bill called the Mitigating Existing Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act; Discussions in support of the allowing states to designate hospitals as necessary providers for purposes of waiving the critical access hospital mileage requirements; Provided comments to W&M on legislation to expand Health Profession Opportunity Grants; Support S. 2723, The Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, a bill to amend Sec. 506C of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act which strengthens requirements for drug manufacturers to disclose the root causes and expected duration of shortages, extends reporting requirements to active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturers, requires manufacturers have contingency plans to ensure ongoing supply, develops recommendations to incentivize manufacturers to enter the market for drugs in shortage and examines the national security risks of shortages; DEA reductions in annual quotas for opioid products used by hospitals for sedation and pain management; Meeting with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to discuss developments in the hospital preparedness program, the pilot projects for the Regional Disaster Healthcare System and other issues; Rural access to health care, including identifying core services needed in rural communities, outlining approaches and considerations for delivering those services, and examining access and quality in the rural context; ONCs proposed rule to implement the 21st Century Cures provision on information blocking; Supported members serving on the HHS Quality Summit panel, which was convened by the Deputy Secretary to gather input regarding how to improve and energize quality and safety improvement activities across health care system; Discussion with HHS on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussion with HHS about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support S 2902, Strengthening Our Rural Health Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to enhance the rural health workforce; Meetings and correspondence with staff members of Senate Financing Committee on a proposal to support rural health care access (REH, re-opening necessary provider CAH, infrastructure funding); Letter to Ways & Means committee Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force in response to RFI on factors that contribute to health outcomes in these areas, examples of successful models and lessons from the field that address access and outcomes, and considerations for the unique circumstances of rural and underserved communities; Letter to Energy and Commerce Members regarding health information technology priorities; Letter of Support to Senate Appropriations on funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to study gun violence; Support S.2741 and H.R. 4932,Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to telehealth services, and for other purposes; Support S 2603, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the immigrant visa backlog, and for other purposes; Support HR 4995, Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve obstetric care and maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes. Concerns with HR 5800,Ban Surprise Billing Act, a bill to address surprise medical bills that relies on a median in-network rate to resolve out-of-network payments and allows for an independent dispute resolution process to determine the final payment. Concerned with the Committee's legislative approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers, which could have significant consequences far beyond the scope of surprise medical bills. It is the insurers' responsibility to maintain comprehensive provider networks, and a default payment rate would remove incentives for health plans to contract with providers or to offer fair terms; Support HR 5826, Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act, a bill that prohibits providers from balance billing patients for emergency services or medical care the patient reasonably could have expected to be in-network, and from charging patients more than the in-network cost-sharing amount. Rather than rely on a benchmark payment rate to determine out-of-network reimbursement, the legislation provides a period for health plans and providers to negotiate out-of-network reimbursement, followed by a mediated dispute resolution process if necessary; Letter urging HHS to take regulatory actions to help hospitals and health systems prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter requesting $100 billion to prepare and respond to COVID-19; Letter urging the Department of Labor to accurately define health care provider when promulgating regulations implementing key sections of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; Letter sent to the President today asking for the use of the Defense Production Act to increase the production of medical supplies and equipment; Letter to HHS regarding $100 billion emergency fund, asking HHS and CMS to directly and expediently distribute to rural and urban hospitals and health systems funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund that were designated for providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act increased funding by $100 billion in order to reimburse eligible health care providers for health care-related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to COVID-19. In the letter, we urged HHS and CMS to immediately distribute funding to all hospital types in the US - with additional funding going to COVID-19 hotspots; Letter urging Congress to modernize the Stafford Act as part of its next COVID-19 legislative package to allow all hospitals to recoup financial losses from this pandemic and future disasters.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation; Support HR 3300, Economic Mobility Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for workers and families.
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Letter urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)to consider alternative payment solutions for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy; Joint letter urging Congress to delay the start of the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) cuts, which are scheduled to begin in fiscal year (FY) 2020; Comments to CMS on exploring ways continually to improve the Medicaid managed care program to ensure access to high-quality care for the Medicaid population; Support HR 1781/ S 801, Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information; Support S 551 Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2019 or the REFUND Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require manufacturers of certain single-dose vial drugs payable under part B of the Medicare program to provide rebates with respect to amounts of such drugs discarded, and for other purposes; Support S 824/ HR 1767, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act, a bill to increase the number of States that may conduct Medicaid demonstration programs to improve access to community mental health services; Statement submitted to Senate Finance Committee on the implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support HR 2552Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone Act of 2019 or the PLACE Act of 2019, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent certain payment reductions for clinic visit services furnished at excepted off-campus outpatient departments of a provider under the Medicare program; Support HR 3022, Patient Access Protection Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, and for other purposes; Letter of support to the Ways and Means Committee in support of legislation to improve the quality of an access to services for Medicare beneficiaries, help train the physician workforce and reduce administrative burden on rural hospitals; Support HR 3431, HEARTS and Rural Relief Act, a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2021; Support HR 3417,Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient improvements and rural and quality improvements under the Medicare program; Oppose HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish an improved Medicare for All national health insurance program; Oppose S 1129, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program; Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on Pathways to Universal Health Coverage addressing concerns with Medicare for All and believe that the variety of proposals that often are used interchangeably under that name are not the solution; Oppose HR 2452, Medicare for America Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare for America health program to provide for comprehensive health coverage for all Americans; Letter to House Committee on Budget for the hearing on the Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) Key Design Components and Considerations for Establishing a Single-Payer Health Care System addressing concerns with Medicare for All; Oppose S 1261/ HR 2463, Choose Medicare Act, a bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Oppose S 981/ HR 2000Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019A bill to establish a public health plan; Oppose S 1033/ HR 2085, CHOICE Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a public health insurance option, and for other purposes; Oppose S 470, Medicare at 50 Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for any citizen or permanent resident of the United States age 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare; Oppose HR 1346, Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Submitted Statement to the House Committee on Rules for the Hearing Medicare for All Act of 2019; Comment on provisions of HR 2328,Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health (REACH) Act, support for the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital(DSH) program provisions included in Title III; comments on Title IV, which contains provisions of the No Surprises Act and concern with the legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers; Support HR 3107 Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019, this legislation would establish requirements for the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Meeting with the Senate finance committee to discuss changes to drug bill; Meeting with CMS to discuss changes to prior authorization; Meeting with Department of Labor to discuss issues with ERISA health plans; Met with CMS staff on rural hospital issues; Regulatory burden related to new CMS guidance on documenting Crossover bad debt; Sent a Comment letter to CMS on a final rule on program integrity enhancements to the provider enrollment process for Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Oppose S. 2860 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2019, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals, and for other purposes; Support HR 4996, Helping MOMS Act of 2019, a bill amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a State option under the Medicaid program to provide for and extend continuous coverage for certain individuals, and for other purposes; Addressing hospital concerns about HR 3 Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bill to establish a fair price negotiation program, protect the Medicare program from excessive price increases, and establish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare part D enrollees, and for other purposes.
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018; Urging FTC to give more weight to the efficiencies with demonstrable benefits for patients and their communities in agency reviews and court challenges of hospital mergers and challenges as this more holistic and balanced view of the merger could diminish pressure to enact additional Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) legislation, and the need for hospitals to seek COPA in the future and endure the associated regulatory and cost burdens of doing so.
Continue to monitor the FY 2019 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation; Support HR 3300, Economic Mobility Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for workers and families.
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018; Urging FTC to give more weight to the efficiencies with demonstrable benefits for patients and their communities in agency reviews and court challenges of hospital mergers and challenges as this more holistic and balanced view of the merger could diminish pressure to enact additional Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) legislation, and the need for hospitals to seek COPA in the future and endure the associated regulatory and cost burdens of doing so.
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Letter urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)to consider alternative payment solutions for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy; Joint letter urging Congress to delay the start of the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) cuts, which are scheduled to begin in fiscal year (FY) 2020; Comments to CMS on exploring ways continually to improve the Medicaid managed care program to ensure access to high-quality care for the Medicaid population; Support HR 1781/ S 801, Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information; Support S 551 Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2019 or the REFUND Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require manufacturers of certain single-dose vial drugs payable under part B of the Medicare program to provide rebates with respect to amounts of such drugs discarded, and for other purposes; Support S 824/ HR 1767, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act, a bill to increase the number of States that may conduct Medicaid demonstration programs to improve access to community mental health services; Statement submitted to Senate Finance Committee on the implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support HR 2552Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone Act of 2019 or the PLACE Act of 2019, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent certain payment reductions for clinic visit services furnished at excepted off-campus outpatient departments of a provider under the Medicare program; Support HR 3022, Patient Access Protection Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, and for other purposes; Letter of support to the Ways and Means Committee in support of legislation to improve the quality of an access to services for Medicare beneficiaries, help train the physician workforce and reduce administrative burden on rural hospitals; Support HR 3431, HEARTS and Rural Relief Act, a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2021; Support HR 3417,Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient improvements and rural and quality improvements under the Medicare program; Oppose HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish an improved Medicare for All national health insurance program; Oppose S 1129, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program; Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on Pathways to Universal Health Coverage addressing concerns with Medicare for All and believe that the variety of proposals that often are used interchangeably under that name are not the solution; Oppose HR 2452, Medicare for America Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare for America health program to provide for comprehensive health coverage for all Americans; Letter to House Committee on Budget for the hearing on the Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) Key Design Components and Considerations for Establishing a Single-Payer Health Care System addressing concerns with Medicare for All; Oppose S 1261/ HR 2463, Choose Medicare Act, a bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Oppose S 981/ HR 2000Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019A bill to establish a public health plan; Oppose S 1033/ HR 2085, CHOICE Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a public health insurance option, and for other purposes; Oppose S 470, Medicare at 50 Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for any citizen or permanent resident of the United States age 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare; Oppose HR 1346, Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Submitted Statement to the House Committee on Rules for the Hearing Medicare for All Act of 2019; Comment on provisions of HR 2328,Reauthorizing and Extending Americas Community Health (REACH) Act, support for the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital(DSH) program provisions included in Title III; comments on Title IV, which contains provisions of the No Surprises Act and concern with the legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers; Support HR 3107 Seniors Timely Access to Care Act of 2019, this legislation would establish requirements for the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans; Meeting with the Senate finance committee to discuss changes to drug bill; Meeting with CMS to discuss changes to prior authorization; Meeting with Department of Labor to discuss issues with ERISA health plans.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Discussions on drug pricing, 340b, and price transparency policies, as well as the International Pricing Index ANPRM; Discussions about the work of Aligning for Health to address social determinants of health; Support HR 1041 / S 586,Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services; Support S 895, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2019, a bill to provide for a permanent extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals; Support S 948,Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, a bill to provide incentives to physicians to practice in rural and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Discussions in support of the Rural Emergency Medical Center Act (REACH) Act; Support for extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program; Support for extension of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration program; Discuss changes with House and Senate committees to Section 8122 of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Letter of support to Energy and Commerce Committee for the hearing on legislation to strengthen our health care system and ACA market stability; Letter urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)to consider alternative payment solutions for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy; Joint letter urging Congress to delay the start of the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) cuts, which are scheduled to begin in fiscal year (FY) 2020; Comments to CMS on exploring ways continually to improve the Medicaid managed care program to ensure access to high-quality care for the Medicaid population; Support HR 1781/ S 801, Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission with access to certain drug payment information, including certain rebate information; Support S 551 Recovering Excessive Funds for Unused and Needless Drugs Act of 2019 or the REFUND Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require manufacturers of certain single-dose vial drugs payable under part B of the Medicare program to provide rebates with respect to amounts of such drugs discarded, and for other purposes; Support S 824/ HR 1767, Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act, a bill to increase the number of States that may conduct Medicaid demonstration programs to improve access to community mental health services; Statement submitted to Senate Finance Committee on the implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA); Support HR 2552Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone Act of 2019 or the PLACE Act of 2019, a bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent certain payment reductions for clinic visit services furnished at excepted off-campus outpatient departments of a provider under the Medicare program; Support HR 3022, Patient Access Protection Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to repeal the reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, and for other purposes; Letter of support to the Ways and Means Committee in support of legislation to improve the quality of an access to services for Medicare beneficiaries, help train the physician workforce and reduce administrative burden on rural hospitals; Support HR 3431, HEARTS and Rural Relief Act, a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2021; Support HR 3417,Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient improvements and rural and quality improvements under the Medicare program; Oppose HR 1384, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish an improved Medicare for All national health insurance program; Oppose S 1129, Medicare for All Act of 2019, a bill to establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program; Letter to House Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing on Pathways to Universal Health Coverage addressing concerns with Medicare for All and believe that the variety of proposals that often are used interchangeably under that name are not the solution; Oppose HR 2452, Medicare for America Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare for America health program to provide for comprehensive health coverage for all Americans; Letter to House Committee on Budget for the hearing on the Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) Key Design Components and Considerations for Establishing a Single-Payer Health Care System addressing concerns with Medicare for All; Oppose S 1261/ HR 2463, Choose Medicare Act, a bill to provide for the establishment of Medicare part E public health plans, and for other purposes; Oppose S 981/ HR 2000Medicare-X Choice Act of 2019A bill to establish a public health plan; Oppose S 1033/ HR 2085, CHOICE Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a public health insurance option, and for other purposes; Oppose S 470, Medicare at 50 Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for any citizen or permanent resident of the United States age 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare; Oppose HR 1346, Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Submitted Statement to the House Committee on Rules for the Hearing Medicare for All Act of 2019.
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation; Support HR 3300, Economic Mobility Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for workers and families.
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets";Letter of support for the Senate Workgroups efforts to ensure consumer protections by addressing surprise medical bills and comments on the development of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills; Letter urging Congress and the Administration to take further action to help reduce input and administrative costs, as well as maximize the number of insured patients; Comment letter urged CMS to extend the comment period for the proposed rules related to interoperability provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act by at least 30 days; Comment letter on the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) draft guidance on blood glucose monitoring test systems (BGMS) for prescription point-of-care (POC) use and urge FDA to consider compiling a finite list of universally acceptable disinfectant products that would apply to all medical devices or classes of device; Comment letter that urged CMS to address the substantial flaws in the star ratings methodology since the ratings inception in 2016 and to suspend the display of overall star ratings on Hospital Compare while the agency continues its important work of enhancing the validity and meaningfulness of star ratings; Comment letter to FDA on the public meeting, Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions with the following legislative recommendations: Strengthen manufacturers drug shortage disclosure requirements, Incentivize manufacturing contingency plans and/or redundancies, Enhance production transparency requirements, Enact shortage disclosure notification requirements for certain medical devices needed to administer drugs, Assess drug shortages as a national security threat, Include potential risk for drug shortages as a factor in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews of drug company merger proposals, and regulatory recommendations: Establish incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce drugs in shortage, Prevent manufacturing shutdowns, Establish a quality manufacturing initiative, Enhance information on the quality of outsourcing facilities compounding, Expand and improve the FDAs drug shortages list, Develop a list of critical drugs, Consider how reducing the number of unapproved drugs1 on the market might impact shortages, Reduce drug waste, Create an Office of Clinical Affairs within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Comment letter urging the CMS to use its upcoming proposed rules for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) and other post-acute care providers to address several issues related to the implementation of the revised case-mix grouping (CMG) policies; Letter sent to the Congressional Telehealth Caucus with recommendations to improve and expand access to telehealth; Support HR 965/ S340, Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019 or the CREATES Act of 2019, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Support HR 986/ S466 Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019, a bill provide that certain guidance related to waivers for State innovation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have no force or effect; Support HR 987 Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for Federal Exchange outreach and educational activities; Support HR 938Bringing Low-cost Options and Competition while Keeping Incentives for New Generics Act of 2019 or the BLOCKING Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with respect to eligibility for approval of a subsequent generic drug, to remove the barrier to that approval posed by the 180-day exclusivity period afforded to a first generic applicant that has not yet received final approval, and for other purposes; Support HR 1010, a bill to provide that the rule entitled Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance shall have no force or effect; Support HR 1499 Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act of 2019, a bill to prohibit brand name drug manufacturers from compensating generic drug manufacturers to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable product manufacturers to delay entry of biosimilar and interchangeable products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act, a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for a Improve Health Insurance Affordability Fund to provide for certain reinsurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market; Support HR 1386/ S 1905Expand Navigators Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity Act of 2019 or the ENROLL Act of 2019,a bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for additional requirements with respect to the navigator program, and for other purposes; Support HR 1520 Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the publication of a list of licensed biological products, and for other purposes; Support HR 1503 Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019A bill that would increase transparency for the patent status of both approved biological products and approved drugs; Support HR 2439/ HR 3414 Opioid Workforce Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions to help combat the opioid crisis; Submitted statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means Overcoming Racial Disparities and Social Determinants in the Maternal Mortality Crisis sharing information regarding hospitals and health systems efforts to address maternal morbidity and mortality, as we seek ways to improve outcomes and reduce health inequities for expectant and new mothers, and give their children the best possible start in life; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills. Protecting patients from surprise medical bills is a top priority and we have adopted a set of guiding principles to use as we evaluate legislative proposals: Define surprise bills, Protect the patient financially, Ensure patient access to emergency care, Preserve the role of private negotiation, Remove the patient from health plan/provider negotiations, Educate patients about their health care coverage, Ensure patients have access to comprehensive provider networks and accurate network information, and Support state laws that work; Letters submitted to the Energy & Commerce Committee in response to the request for comments on their surprise billing discussion draft. Concerned with the Committees draft legislations approach to determining reimbursement for out-of-network providers. Once the patient is protected from surprise bills, providers and insurers should then be permitted to negotiate payment rates for services provided. We strongly oppose approaches that would impose arbitrary rates on providers. We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee on solutions to stop surprise medical bills; Letter sent to the HELP Committee in response to the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019 discussion draft has our concerns about several of the proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers. For example, several of the provisions could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Submitted oral and written testimony to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health Hearing on No More Surprises: Protecting Patients from Surprise Medical Bills asking that the Committee preserve the ability of providers and insurers to negotiate private contracts and not establish a fixed payment amount for out-of-network services; Oppose HR 1309 Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires covered employers within the health care and social service industries to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan, and for other purposes Concerns S 1531 Stopping The Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019 or the STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide protections for health insurance consumers from surprise billing; Submitted oral and written testimony to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Hearing: Lower Health Care Costs Act Concerns about several proposals that would allow the government to intrude into private commercial contracts between providers and insurers, which could undermine value-based purchasing arrangements aimed directly at improving the quality of care while reducing costs and the impact on rural communities. We strongly urge the Committee to remove these provisions; Concerns S. 1895 Lower Health Care Costs Act Letter addressed concerns about the legislative provision that sets a benchmark rate in statute for the out-of-network payments, as well as provisions that seek to change privately negotiated contracting arrangements between hospitals and insurance companies; Support HR 3425Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act of 2019A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish rules for payment for graduate medical education (GME) costs for hospitals that establish a new medical residency training program after hosting resident rotators for short durations.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Monitoring the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contains several notable provisions affecting hospitals; Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, Executive Compensation.
Meeting with CMS and HHS OIG to relate continuing methodological issues and other errors with the OIG audits targeting hospitals for potential Medicare overpayments and to urge significant reforms of the auditing process including discontinuing use of extrapolation; Discussions on the work/fixes to the anti-kickback provisions in the Eliminating Kickback in Recovery Act of 2018.
Continue to monitor the FY 2019 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Support HR 1763/ S 348, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose HR 506,Hospital Competition Act of 2019, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase hospital competition; Statement submitted to the House Judiciary on the hearing "Diagnosing the Problem: Exploring the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets";Letter of support for the Senate Workgroups efforts to ensure consumer protections by addressing surprise medical bills and comments on the development of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills; Letter urging Congress and the Administration to take further action to help reduce input and administrative costs, as well as maximize the number of insured patients; Comment letter urged CMS to extend the comment period for the proposed rules related to interoperability provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act by at least 30 days; Comment letter on the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) draft guidance on blood glucose monitoring test systems (BGMS) for prescription point-of-care (POC) use and urge FDA to consider compiling a finite list of universally acceptable disinfectant products that would apply to all medical devices or classes of device; Comment letter that urged CMS to address the substantial flaws in the star ratings methodology since the ratings inception in 2016 and to suspend the display of overall star ratings on Hospital Compare while the agency continues its important work of enhancing the validity and meaningfulness of star ratings; Comment letter to FDA on the public meeting, Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions with the following legislative recommendations: Strengthen manufacturers drug shortage disclosure requirements, Incentivize manufacturing contingency plans and/or redundancies, Enhance production transparency requirements, Enact shortage disclosure notification requirements for certain medical devices needed to administer drugs, Assess drug shortages as a national security threat, Include potential risk for drug shortages as a factor in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reviews of drug company merger proposals, and regulatory recommendations: Establish incentives to encourage manufacturers to produce drugs in shortage, Prevent manufacturing shutdowns, Establish a quality manufacturing initiative, Enhance information on the quality of outsourcing facilities compounding, Expand and improve the FDAs drug shortages list, Develop a list of critical drugs, Consider how reducing the number of unapproved drugs1 on the market might impact shortages, Reduce drug waste, Create an Office of Clinical Affairs within the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Comment letter urging the CMS to use its upcoming proposed rules for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) and other post-acute care providers to address several issues related to the implementation of the revised case-mix grouping (CMG) policies.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds; Monitored the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contained several notable provisions affecting hospitals, such as the Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, and Executive Compensation; Support the legislation to restore the tax exemption for advance refunding bonds that was repealed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill author about issues related to the inclusion in consumer credit reports and establishment of requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs; Raised concerns that the DOL proposed rule modifying the definition of "employers" under ERISA in order to expand access to association health plans (AHPs)would fail to protect against discriminatory insurance practices and could contribute to instability in the individual and small group market, ultimately decreasing access to affordable coverage.
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate; Urged changes to reduce paperwork burdens and ease implementation of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) proposed rule regarding certain statutory conscience protections; Submitted a statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health on Modernizing Stark Law to Ensure the Successful Transition from Volume to Value in the Medicare Program; Working with HHS to address EMTALA issues related to behavioral health patients awaiting state confirmation of bed availability in state psychiatric hospital for patient transfer.
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program;Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care to Made efforts in support of clarifying that hospitals may have designated units to care for patients in the custody of law enforcement/correctional institutions and may receive Medicaid reimbursement for care provided in such units; Support S. 872/ HR 1955Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Support S 1301/ HR 2267, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1628 American Health Care Act / Better Care Reconciliation Act, a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing Medicaid expansion and the advanced premium tax credits for the purchase of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces; Support S 1334/ HR 2797Patient Choices and Quality Care Act of 2017, a bill to provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Urged the Administration to cancel Stage 3 of meaningful use by removing the 2018 start date from the regulation. The Administration also should institute a 90- day reporting period in every future year of the program, and gather input from stakeholders on ways to further reduce the burden of the meaningful use program from current requirements; Review S. 1169/ HR 2687, Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with an option to provide medical assistance to individuals between the ages of 22 and 64 for inpatient services to treat substance use disorders at certain facilities; Review HR 2509 Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Urged CMS to rescind the 25% Rule and instead rely on the site-neutral payment policy to bring transformative change to the LTCH field; Discussion with CMS about direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 3120, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce the volume of future electronic health record-related significant hardship requests; Discussed with Congress potential offsets to pay for CHIP and other Medicare extender legislation; Support straight extensions of the Medicare-dependent hospital and enhanced low-volume adjustment program; Support eliminating the reductions to Medicaid payments for DSH in fiscal years 2018 and 2019; Urged CMS to eliminate a duplicative budget-neutrality adjustment (BNA) being applied to Medicare payments for LTCH site-neutral cases, an unwarranted 5.1 percent cut. Urged CMS to permanently eliminate the LTCH 25% Rule policy; support The Limited Repeal of the IMD Exclusion for Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries with Substance Use Disorder Act, which would improve access to needed substance use disorder (SUD)treatment services for millions of Americans.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate; Urged changes to reduce paperwork burdens and ease implementation of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) proposed rule regarding certain statutory conscience protections; Submitted a statement to the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health on Modernizing Stark Law to Ensure the Successful Transition from Volume to Value in the Medicare Program; Working with HHS to address EMTALA issues related to behavioral health patients awaiting state confirmation of bed availability in state psychiatric hospital for patient transfer.
Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156/ S 1133 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the ACA cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer; Review of The Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, a bill to provide funding to combat the opioid epidemic; Discussions with the White House/Office of National Drug Control Policy about the opioid epidemic, including concerns about regulations that prohibit the sharing of substance use disorder records among health care providers; Support H.R. 4392 a bill to prevent cuts to the 340B drug savings program, which would provide relief from deep cuts to payments to hospitals participating in the 340B program; Letter to congress outlining AHA opposition to a potential policy that would cut payments to hospitals treating hospice patients; Oppose H.R. 4710, 340B Protecting Access for the Underserved and Safety-Net Entities (PAUSE) Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a moratorium on the registration of certain new 340B hospitals and associated site; Sent comments to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for its hearing on Examining the Impact of Health Care Consolidation.; Letter sent to the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee for its hearing on, "Combating the Opioid Crisis: Helping Communities Balance Enforcement and Patient Safety"; Letter submitted to the Ways and Means Committee on policy recommendations to address the opioid epidemic; Sent letter to discuss the current state of health care costs, and efforts to increase transparency in the pricing of health care services and the quality of care; Addressed our concerns with the MedPAC Commissions draft recommendation to substantially reduce payments for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments (EDs) that are within 6 miles of an on-campus hospital ED; Addressed our concerns with the Commissions draft recommendation to substantially reduce payments for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments (EDs) that are within 6 miles of an on-campus hospital ED; Support HR4776, Hospital Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2018, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a program of partnerships for State and regional hospital preparedness to improve surge capacity and would increase the level of authorized funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program to $515 million; Submitted statement to the Senate HELP Committee on the Hearing on How to Reduce Health Care Costs: Understanding the Cost of Health Care in America; Submitted a Statement for the HELP hearing on Effective Administration of the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Support certain provisions in Helping to End Addiction and Lesson (HEAL) Substance Use Disorders Act of 2018; Support HR 6071, Stretching Entity Resources for Vulnerable Communities Act or the SERV Communities Act, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to clarify the intent of the 340B program and provide for enhanced 340B program integrity; Support S 2597Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Support HR 3545, Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety ActA bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to protect the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records; Support S 2516, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department ActA bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a demonstration program to test alternative pain management protocols to limit the use of opioids in emergency departments; Support HR 5176/ S 2610, Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms Act of 2018 A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide coordinated care to patients who have experienced a non-fatal overdose after emergency room discharge; Submit statement to the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health on the hearing Identifying Innovative Practices and Technology in Health Care; Support S 1845 Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act" To amend the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act to provide for additional procedures for families with children under the age of 6; Submitted statement to the Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee for the hearing "Improving the Coordination and Quality of Substance Use Disorder Treatment." The statement focuses on 42 CFR Part 2; Comments to HELP Committee's discussion draft of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018; The current Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) will sunset on October 1, 2018 so this is "must-do" legislation; Support S 2852, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018 (PAHPAI), A bill to reauthorize certain programs under the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act; Supports S. 2372, VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (VA MISSION Act of 2018).A bill to establish a permanent community care program for veterans, to establish a commission for the purpose of making recommendations regarding the modernization or realignment of facilities of the Veterans Health Administration, to improve construction of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to the home loan program of the Department of Veterans Affairs,Submitted a statement to the Ways and Means Committee hearing on "Lowering Costs and Expanding Access to Health Care through Consumer-Directed Health Plans;" Submitted a statement to the Senate HELP Subcommittee on "Primary Health and Retirement Security on Health Care in Rural America: Examining Experiences and Costs"; Submitted a statement to the Senate HELP Committee on "Reducing Health Care Costs: Eliminating Excess Health Care Spending and Improving Quality and Value for Patients"; Submitted comments on the consumer-directed health plan legislation to the Committee on Ways & Means; Submitted a statement to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on "Opportunities to Improve the 340B Drug Pricing Program".
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds; Monitored the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contained several notable provisions affecting hospitals, such as the Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, and Executive Compensation; Support the legislation to restore the tax exemption for advance refunding bonds that was repealed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156/ S 1133 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the ACA cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer; Review of The Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, a bill to provide funding to combat the opioid epidemic; Discussions with the White House/Office of National Drug Control Policy about the opioid epidemic, including concerns about regulations that prohibit the sharing of substance use disorder records among health care providers; Support H.R. 4392 a bill to prevent cuts to the 340B drug savings program, which would provide relief from deep cuts to payments to hospitals participating in the 340B program; Letter to congress outlining AHA opposition to a potential policy that would cut payments to hospitals treating hospice patients; Oppose H.R. 4710, 340B Protecting Access for the Underserved and Safety-Net Entities (PAUSE) Act, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a moratorium on the registration of certain new 340B hospitals and associated site; Sent comments to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for its hearing on Examining the Impact of Health Care Consolidation.; Letter sent to the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee for its hearing on, "Combating the Opioid Crisis: Helping Communities Balance Enforcement and Patient Safety"; Letter submitted to the Ways and Means Committee on policy recommendations to address the opioid epidemic; Sent letter to discuss the current state of health care costs, and efforts to increase transparency in the pricing of health care services and the quality of care; Addressed our concerns with the MedPAC Commissions draft recommendation to substantially reduce payments for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments (EDs) that are within 6 miles of an on-campus hospital ED; Addressed our concerns with the Commissions draft recommendation to substantially reduce payments for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments (EDs) that are within 6 miles of an on-campus hospital ED; Support HR4776, Hospital Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2018, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a program of partnerships for State and regional hospital preparedness to improve surge capacity and would increase the level of authorized funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program to $515 million; Submitted statement to the Senate HELP Committee on the Hearing on How to Reduce Health Care Costs: Understanding the Cost of Health Care in America; Submitted a Statement for the HELP hearing on Effective Administration of the 340B Drug Pricing Program; Support certain provisions in Helping to End Addiction and Lesson (HEAL) Substance Use Disorders Act of 2018; Support HR 6071, Stretching Entity Resources for Vulnerable Communities Act or the SERV Communities Act, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to clarify the intent of the 340B program and provide for enhanced 340B program integrity; Support S 2597Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children's hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs; Support HR 3545, Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety ActA bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to protect the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records; Support S 2516, Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department ActA bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a demonstration program to test alternative pain management protocols to limit the use of opioids in emergency departments; Support HR 5176/ S 2610, Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms Act of 2018 A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide coordinated care to patients who have experienced a non-fatal overdose after emergency room discharge; Submit statement to the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health on the hearing Identifying Innovative Practices and Technology in Health Care; Support S 1845 Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act" To amend the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act to provide for additional procedures for families with children under the age of 6; Submitted statement to the Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee for the hearing "Improving the Coordination and Quality of Substance Use Disorder Treatment." The statement focuses on 42 CFR Part 2; Comments to HELP Committee's discussion draft of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018; The current Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) will sunset on October 1, 2018 so this is "must-do" legislation; Support S 2852, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018 (PAHPAI), A bill to reauthorize certain programs under the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act; Supports S. 2372, VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (VA MISSION Act of 2018).A bill to establish a permanent community care program for veterans, to establish a commission for the purpose of making recommendations regarding the modernization or realignment of facilities of the Veterans Health Administration, to improve construction of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to the home loan program of the Department of Veterans Affairs,Submitted a statement to the Ways and Means Committee hearing on "Lowering Costs and Expanding Access to Health Care through Consumer-Directed Health Plans."
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate; Urged changes to reduce paperwork burdens and ease implementation of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) proposed rule regarding certain statutory conscience protections.
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill author about issues related to the inclusion in consumer credit reports and establishment of requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs; Raised concerns that the DOL proposed rule modifying the definition of "employers" under ERISA in order to expand access to association health plans (AHPs)would fail to protect against discriminatory insurance practices and could contribute to instability in the individual and small group market, ultimately decreasing access to affordable coverage.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill author about issues related to the inclusion in consumer credit reports and establishment of requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs; Raised concerns that the DOL proposed rule modifying the definition of "employers" under ERISA in order to expand access to association health plans (AHPs)would fail to protect against discriminatory insurance practices and could contribute to instability in the individual and small group market, ultimately decreasing access to affordable coverage.
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds; Monitored the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation to overhaul the nations tax code that contained several notable provisions affecting hospitals, such as the Individual Mandate, Access to Tax-exempt Bond Financing, Interest Deduction for Debt, Medical Expense Deductions, and Executive Compensation; Support the legislation to restore the tax exemption for advance refunding bonds that was repealed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate; Urged changes to reduce paperwork burdens and ease implementation of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) proposed rule regarding certain statutory conscience protections.
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program;Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care to Made efforts in support of clarifying that hospitals may have designated units to care for patients in the custody of law enforcement/correctional institutions and may receive Medicaid reimbursement for care provided in such units; Support S. 872/ HR 1955Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Support S 1301/ HR 2267, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1628 American Health Care Act / Better Care Reconciliation Act, a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing Medicaid expansion and the advanced premium tax credits for the purchase of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces; Support S 1334/ HR 2797Patient Choices and Quality Care Act of 2017, a bill to provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Urged the Administration to cancel Stage 3 of meaningful use by removing the 2018 start date from the regulation. The Administration also should institute a 90- day reporting period in every future year of the program, and gather input from stakeholders on ways to further reduce the burden of the meaningful use program from current requirements; Review S. 1169/ HR 2687, Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with an option to provide medical assistance to individuals between the ages of 22 and 64 for inpatient services to treat substance use disorders at certain facilities; Review HR 2509 Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Urged CMS to rescind the 25% Rule and instead rely on the site-neutral payment policy to bring transformative change to the LTCH field; Discussion with CMS about direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 3120, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce the volume of future electronic health record-related significant hardship requests; Discussed with Congress potential offsets to pay for CHIP and other Medicare extender legislation; Support straight extensions of the Medicare-dependent hospital and enhanced low-volume adjustment program; Support eliminating the reductions to Medicaid payments for DSH in fiscal years 2018 and 2019; Urged CMS to eliminate a duplicative budget-neutrality adjustment (BNA) being applied to Medicare payments for LTCH site-neutral cases, an unwarranted 5.1 percent cut. Urged CMS to permanently eliminate the LTCH 25% Rule policy.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill author about issues related to the inclusion in consumer credit reports and establishment of requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program;Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care to Made efforts in support of clarifying that hospitals may have designated units to care for patients in the custody of law enforcement/correctional institutions and may receive Medicaid reimbursement for care provided in such units; Support S. 872/ HR 1955Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Submit Statement for Medicare Advantage Hearing on Promoting Integrated and Coordinated Care for Medicare Beneficiaries on the importance of promoting integrated and coordinated care for Medicare beneficiaries served through the Medicare Advantage (MA) program; Support S 1301/ HR 2267, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1628/ S. xxx,American Health Care Act / Better Care Reconciliation Act, a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing Medicaid expansion and the advanced premium tax credits for the purchase of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces; Support S 1334/ HR 2797Patient Choices and Quality Care Act of 2017, a bill to provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Urged the Administration to cancel Stage 3 of meaningful use by removing the 2018 start date from the regulation. The Administration also should institute a 90- day reporting period in every future year of the program, and gather input from stakeholders on ways to further reduce the burden of the meaningful use program from current requirements; Review S. 1169/ HR 2687, Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with an option to provide medical assistance to individuals between the ages of 22 and 64 for inpatient services to treat substance use disorders at certain facilities; Review HR 2509 Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Urged CMS to rescind the 25% Rule and instead rely on the site-neutral payment policy to bring transformative change to the LTCH field; Discussion with CMS about direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 3120, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce the volume of future electronic health record-related significant hardship requests; Discussed with Congress potential offsets to pay for CHIP and other Medicare extender legislation; Support straight extensions of the Medicare-dependent hospital and enhanced low-volume adjustment program; Support eliminating the reductions to Medicaid payments for DSH in fiscal years 2018 and 2019.
Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; opposition to S. 1133 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017,a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support a resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2017 submit for the record our comments on information security in the health care field; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer; Review of The Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, a bill to provide funding to combat the opioid epidemic; Discussions with the White House/Office of National Drug Control Policy about the opioid epidemic, including concerns about regulations that prohibit the sharing of substance use disorder records among health care providers; Support H.R. 4392 a bill to prevent cuts to the 340B drug savings program, which would provide relief from deep cuts to payments to hospitals participating in the 340B program; Letter to congress outlining AHA opposition to a potential policy that would cut payments to hospitals treating hospice patients.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support H.R. 304/S. 916, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support HR 2141/ S 898, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care; Support S.781/ HR 1876. Good Samaritan Health Professional Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster; Support HR 2212/ S 974Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2017, a bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products; opposition to S. 1133 Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017,a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support a resolution promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2017 submit for the record our comments on information security in the health care field; Meet with HRSA Administrator and senior staff on 340B drug pricing program; Discussed marketplace stabilization solutions with Hill staff; Support and Recommend changes to HR 1253, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Accessibility Act of 2017a bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans and loan guarantees for constructing or renovating, or planning construction or renovation of, qualified psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and for other purposes: advocated for changes to clarify/expand the entities that can be loan applicants/recipients; Urged the Administration to suspend the faulty star ratings from the Hospital Compare website; Eliminate barriers to care with the creation of an Anti-Kickback safe harbor for clinical integration arrangements that establishes the basic accountabilities for the use of incentive payment or shared savings programs among hospitals, physicians and other providers, along with a safe-harbor for assistance to patients that would protect providers from financial penalties under the Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for providing an inducement to a patient; Advocated for changes including: eliminating geographic and setting locations requirements so patients outside of rural areas can benefit from telehealth; expanding the types of technology that can be used, including remote monitoring; and covering all services that are safe to provide, rather than a small list of approved services; Submit Statement Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018: Health Care Stakeholders about the importance of stabilizing the Health Insurance Marketplaces for 2018 and beyond; We urged Congress to pass legislation to fund the cost-sharing reductions; Urged Senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy proposal being considered in the Senate because this proposal would make significant changes to health care coverage and health care financing; Review of H.R. 3528, Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require e-prescribing for coverage under part D of the Medicare program of prescription drugs that are controlled substances; Discussions with Congress on prescription drug monitoring programs, the dispensing of controlled substances, and clinical workflow; Discussions with Congress on draft legislation related to prescription drug monitoring programs; Urged Congress to consider advancing solutions aimed at making our health care system stronger, protecting access and coverage, and exploring new delivery system reforms that have the potential to make care both more affordable and safer.
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds.
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program;Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care to Made efforts in support of clarifying that hospitals may have designated units to care for patients in the custody of law enforcement/correctional institutions and may receive Medicaid reimbursement for care provided in such units; Support S. 872/ HR 1955Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Submit StatementMedicare Advantage Hearing on Promoting Integrated and Coordinated Care for Medicare Beneficiaries the importance of promoting integrated and coordinated care for Medicare eneficiaries served through the Medicare Advantage (MA) program; Support S 1301/ HR 2267, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1628/ S. xxx,American Health Care Act / Better Care Reconciliation Act, a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing Medicaid expansion and the advanced premium tax credits for the purchase of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces; Support S 1334/ HR 2797Patient Choices and Quality Care Act of 2017, a bill to provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Urges the Administration to cancel Stage 3 of meaningful use by removing the 2018 start date from the regulation. The Administration also should institute a 90- day reporting period in every future year of the program, and gather input from stakeholders on ways to further reduce the burden of the meaningful use program from current requirements; Review S. 1169/ HR 2687, Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with an option to provide medical assistance to individuals between the ages of 22 and 64 for inpatient services to treat substance use disorders at certain facilities; Review HR 2509 Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; CMS should rescind the 25% Rule and instead rely on the site-neutral payment policy to bring transformative change to the LTCH field; Discussion with CMS about direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 3120, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce the volume of future electronic health record-related significant hardship requests; Discussed with Congress potential offsets to pay for CHIP and other Medicare extender legislation.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill authorTo amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to delay the inclusion in consumer credit reports and to establish requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate.
Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program;Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care to Made efforts in support of clarifying that hospitals may have designated units to care for patients in the custody of law enforcement/correctional institutions and may receive Medicaid reimbursement for care provided in such units; Support S. 872/ HR 1955Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Submit StatementMedicare Advantage Hearing on Promoting Integrated and Coordinated Care for Medicare Beneficiaries the importance of promoting integrated and coordinated care for Medicare eneficiaries served through the Medicare Advantage (MA) program; Support S 1301/ HR 2267, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions; Oppose H.R. 1628/ S. xxx,American Health Care Act / Better Care Reconciliation Act, a bill that would repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing Medicaid expansion and the advanced premium tax credits for the purchase of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplaces; Support S 1334/ HR 2797Patient Choices and Quality Care Act of 2017, a bill to provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Urges the Administration to cancel Stage 3 of meaningful use by removing the 2018 start date from the regulation. The Administration also should institute a 90- day reporting period in every future year of the program, and gather input from stakeholders on ways to further reduce the burden of the meaningful use program from current requirements; Review S. 1169/ HR 2687, Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion Act, a bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide States with an option to provide medical assistance to individuals between the ages of 22 and 64 for inpatient services to treat substance use disorders at certain facilities; Review HR 2509 Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; CMS should rescind the 25% Rule and instead rely on the site-neutral payment policy to bring transformative change to the LTCH field; Discussion with CMS about direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services.
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate.
In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds.
Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.
Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill authorTo amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to delay the inclusion in consumer credit reports and to establish requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Support H.R. 304, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code. Urging issuance of more detailed instructions for completing schedule H; Support H.R.2229 - Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2015, Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the small issuer exemption from interest expense allocation rules for financial institutions to: (1) permanently increase from $10 million to $30 million the annual limit on the amount of tax-exempt obligations that a small issuer may issue, and (2) allow an inflation adjustment to such increased limit amount after 2015; Support S.3257 - A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently modify the limitations on the deduction of interest by financial institutions which hold tax-exempt bonds, and for other purposes.
Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and to extend non-enforcement for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibility: advocating for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program,that Stage 3 not begin until no sooner than 2019 and that meaningful use requirements for hospitals and CAHs align with those for eligible clinicians in MACRA; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support S 629 and H.R. 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Urged limitations on Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs)that includes financial penalties for inaccurate audit decisions; Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513 Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process; Support S. 2141 Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT) Act, a bill for improved transparency of information about certified EHRs; Advocate to improve interoperability of electronic health records; Letter to CMS urging use of existing authority to bring flexibility to the EHR Incentive Program and discussion about needed flexibility; Support H.R. 5164, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to extend the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals; Support S. 3129/H.R. 5613, legislation to extend through CY2016, the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals.
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran's Care Through the Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI; Support Appropriations measures related to funding of our health care priorities (eg. nurse education, rural health, hospital preparedness, etc).
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code. Urging issuance of more detailed instructions for completing schedule H.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Urged that attention be payed to the anti-competitive effects and consumer harms in the Anthem / Cigna deal that result from the BCBS affiliation of Anthem.
Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and to extend non-enforcement for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibility: advocating for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program,that Stage 3 not begin until no sooner than 2019 and that meaningful use requirements for hospitals and CAHs align with those for eligible clinicians in MACRA; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support S 629 and H.R. 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Urged limitations on Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs)that includes financial penalties for inaccurate audit decisions; Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513 Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process; Support S. 2141 Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT) Act, a bill for improved transparency of information about certified EHRs; Advocate to improve interoperability of electronic health records; Letter to CMS urging use of existing authority to bring flexibility to the EHR Incentive Program and discussion about needed flexibility; Support H.R. 5164, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to extend the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals; Support S. 3129/H.R. 5613, legislation to extend through CY2016, the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals.
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran's Care Through the Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and to extend non-enforcement for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibility: advocating for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program,that Stage 3 not begin until no sooner than 2019 and that meaningful use requirements for hospitals and CAHs align with those for eligible clinicians in MACRA; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support S 629 and H.R. 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Urged limitations on Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs)that includes financial penalties for inaccurate audit decisions; Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513 Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process; Support S. 2141 Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT) Act, a bill for improved transparency of information about certified EHRs; Advocate to improve interoperability of electronic health records; Letter to CMS urging use of existing authority to bring flexibility to the EHR Incentive Program and discussion about needed flexibility; Support H.R. 5164, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to extend the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals; Support S. 3129/H.R. 5613, legislation to extend through CY2016, the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals.
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran's Care Through the Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI; Support Appropriations measures related to funding of our health care priorities (eg. nurse education, rural health, hospital preparedness, etc).
Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code. Urging issuance of more detailed instructions for completing schedule H; Support H.R.2229 - Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2015, Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the small issuer exemption from interest expense allocation rules for financial institutions to: (1) permanently increase from $10 million to $30 million the annual limit on the amount of tax-exempt obligations that a small issuer may issue, and (2) allow an inflation adjustment to such increased limit amount after 2015; Support S.3257 - A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently modify the limitations on the deduction of interest by financial institutions which hold tax-exempt bonds, and for other purposes.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Urged that attention be payed to the anti-competitive effects and consumer harms in the Anthem / Cigna deal that result from the BCBS affiliation of Anthem.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and to extend non-enforcement for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibility: advocating for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program,that Stage 3 not begin until no sooner than 2019 and that meaningful use requirements for hospitals and CAHs align with those for eligible clinicians in MACRA; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support S 629 and H.R. 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Urged limitations on Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs)that includes financial penalties for inaccurate audit decisions; Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513 Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process; Support S. 2141 Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT) Act, a bill for improved transparency of information about certified EHRs; Advocate to improve interoperability of electronic health records; Letter to CMS urging use of existing authority to bring flexibility to the EHR Incentive Program and discussion about needed flexibility; Support H.R. 5164, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to extend the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals; Support S. 3129/H.R. 5613, legislation to extend through CY2016, the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals.
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with Members of Congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients;Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome; Discussed S.1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning treatment; Supported expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Urged that HHS refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals in discussion about member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official that were confusing during a health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948, Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Support HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893, The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Letter asking for modifications to H.R. 3298 Medicare Post-Acute Care Value-Based Purchasing (PAC VBP) Act of 2015, the legislation would establish a value-based purchasing program for LTCHs, IRFs, SNFs and HH agencies. Worked to streamline and improve quality measures; Discussed how to implement the framework in the National Academy of Medicines Vital Signs report to streamline and focus quality measures used in Medicare programs; Discussed Opioid prescribing guidelines with the CDC to provide feedback on the opioid prescribing guidelines they were developing; Discussion with CMS regarding CAH designation status, negative impact of Insurance Consolidations on Medicare Advantage and for modifications to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model regarding aspects of the proposed rule; Discussion with CMS about the Emergency Preparedness final rule; Discussion with CMS regarding the 0.2 percent reduction to hospitals payments under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS); Support S. 524, the Johnson amendment and the Collins amendment, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, a bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; Support H.R. 4499, Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove consideration of certain pain-related issues from calculations under the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program; Support S. 2220, The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or Healthy MOM Act guarantees maternity coverage for women who are enrolled in the exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, as well as women who are covered by individual and group insurance plans and federal employee health benefit plans; Comments to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on how to improve the physician self-referral (Stark) law; Urged CMS to delay the April 2016 release of the hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Supported House and Senate letters urging CMS to delay release of hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Support H.R. 4771, Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, a bill that would reduce health care costs and promote access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans; Letter to Senate HELP Committee draft legislation addressing health information technology (IT) and electronic health records (EHRs); Comments to CMS regarding addressing section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Comments to House Energy & Commerce Committee regarding section 603 of the BBA of 2015 as well as site neutral payment policies in general; Statement for the record to House Energy & Commerce Committee on MACRA implementation; Statement for the record to Senate Finance Committee on MACRA implementation; Comments to the Senate Finance Committee Chronic Care document -Conversations with the CDC related to their opioid guidelines for chronic pain as well as a patient education piece about opioids; Discussions with CMS about CAH designation status Health Care Issues; Discussions with Rep. Hudson about H.R. 4365/ S. 2932, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act , a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services; Support H.R. 4650 and S. 2108, Preserving Patient Access to Post-Acute Hospital Care Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of certain Medicare long-term care hospital payment rules; Supported efforts to encourage Congress to send CMS letters on addressing the issue of colocation of facilities within a hospital; Discussions with Members of Congress on the potential implementation of Unique Device Identification on claims forms; Sponsored a Hill briefing on innovations in post-acute care;Supported House and Senate letters to CMS asking for flexibility when interpreting section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Support HR 5547, the Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2016, a bill to require the sharing of health care price information; Support HR 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016, a bill to address outstanding issues with section 603 of the BBA of 2015 and provide for a socioeconomic adjustment to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program; Supported a letter to CMS on implementation of Sec. 603 of the Bipartisan Budget Acts site neutral cuts for off-campus HOPDs; Support H. res. 699 promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2016; Support H.R.4641 - a bill to provide for the establishment of an inter-agency task force to review, modify, and update best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication; Support H.R. 4982, the Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act of 2016, a bill which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate and report on the capacity, availability and need for inpatient and outpatient treatment for opioid use disorders in the United States; Supports H.R. 3680, the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2015, a bill would establish federal grants to carry out co-prescribing of overdose reversal drugs in areas experiencing significant numbers of opioid overdoses and deaths; Support H.R. 3691, the Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015, a bill that would reauthorize essential residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women and provide grants to states to address the growing epidemic of infants suffering from opioid dependency; Support H.R. 4978, the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, a bill which would require a GAO evaluation of neonatal abstinence syndrome and the availability of treatment for this condition in the nations Medicaid programs; Support H.R. 4599, the Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016, a bill to permit partial filling of schedule II prescriptions under specific circumstances; Support H.R. 4976, the Opioid Review Modernization Act of 2016, a bill which would provide for more stringent Food and Drug Administration review of new opioids without abuse-deterrent properties, recommendations for labeling of pediatric opioids, and recommendations for prescriber education; Support the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2016, a bill for achieving fair and sustainable drug pricing; Supporting full alignment of 42CFR substance use records confidentiality requirements with HIPAA privacy rule; Support S. 3173 EHR Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a 90-day EHR reporting period for the determination of whether an eligible professional or eligible hospital is a meaningful EHR user and to remove the all-or-nothing approach to meaningful use; Support for H.R. 5713, The Sustaining Healthcare Integrity and Fair Treatment Act of 2016, a bill that would extend 25% rule relief and provide targeted relief to certain LTCHs struggling to meet the new criteria standards; Support for H.R. 6174, the Closing Loopholes for Orphan Drugs Act, a bill to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to limit the orphan drug exclusion under the drug discount program under section 340B of such title.
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI; Support Appropriations measures related to funding of our health care priorities (eg. nurse education, rural health, hospital preparedness, etc).
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran's Care Through the Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority; Urged that attention be payed to the anti-competitive effects and consumer harms in the Anthem / Cigna deal that result from the BCBS affiliation of Anthem.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with Members of Congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients;Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome; Discussed S.1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning treatment; Supported expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Urged that HHS refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals in discussion about member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official that were confusing during a health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948, Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Support HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893, The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Letter asking for modifications to H.R. 3298 Medicare Post-Acute Care Value-Based Purchasing (PAC VBP) Act of 2015, the legislation would establish a value-based purchasing program for LTCHs, IRFs, SNFs and HH agencies. Worked to streamline and improve quality measures; Discussed how to implement the framework in the National Academy of Medicines Vital Signs report to streamline and focus quality measures used in Medicare programs; Discussed Opioid prescribing guidelines with the CDC to provide feedback on the opioid prescribing guidelines they were developing; Discussion with CMS regarding CAH designation status, negative impact of Insurance Consolidations on Medicare Advantage and for modifications to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model regarding aspects of the proposed rule; Discussion with CMS about the Emergency Preparedness final rule; Discussion with CMS regarding the 0.2 percent reduction to hospitals payments under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS); Support S. 524, the Johnson amendment and the Collins amendment, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, a bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; Support H.R. 4499, Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove consideration of certain pain-related issues from calculations under the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program; Support S. 2220, The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or Healthy MOM Act guarantees maternity coverage for women who are enrolled in the exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, as well as women who are covered by individual and group insurance plans and federal employee health benefit plans; Comments to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on how to improve the physician self-referral (Stark) law; Urged CMS to delay the April 2016 release of the hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Supported House and Senate letters urging CMS to delay release of hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Support H.R. 4771, Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, a bill that would reduce health care costs and promote access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans; Letter to Senate HELP Committee draft legislation addressing health information technology (IT) and electronic health records (EHRs); Comments to CMS regarding addressing section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Comments to House Energy & Commerce Committee regarding section 603 of the BBA of 2015 as well as site neutral payment policies in general; Statement for the record to House Energy & Commerce Committee on MACRA implementation; Statement for the record to Senate Finance Committee on MACRA implementation; Comments to the Senate Finance Committee Chronic Care document -Conversations with the CDC related to their opioid guidelines for chronic pain as well as a patient education piece about opioids; Discussions with CMS about CAH designation status Health Care Issues; Discussions with Rep. Hudson about H.R. 4365/ S. 2932, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act , a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services; Support H.R. 4650 and S. 2108, Preserving Patient Access to Post-Acute Hospital Care Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of certain Medicare long-term care hospital payment rules; Supported efforts to encourage Congress to send CMS letters on addressing the issue of colocation of facilities within a hospital; Discussions with Members of Congress on the potential implementation of Unique Device Identification on claims forms; Sponsored a Hill briefing on innovations in post-acute care;Supported House and Senate letters to CMS asking for flexibility when interpreting section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Support HR 5547, the Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2016, a bill to require the sharing of health care price information; Support HR 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016, a bill to address outstanding issues with section 603 of the BBA of 2015 and provide for a socioeconomic adjustment to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program; Supported a letter to CMS on implementation of Sec. 603 of the Bipartisan Budget Acts site neutral cuts for off-campus HOPDs; Support H. res. 699 promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2016; Support H.R.4641 - a bill to provide for the establishment of an inter-agency task force to review, modify, and update best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication; Support H.R. 4982, the Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act of 2016, a bill which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate and report on the capacity, availability and need for inpatient and outpatient treatment for opioid use disorders in the United States; Supports H.R. 3680, the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2015, a bill would establish federal grants to carry out co-prescribing of overdose reversal drugs in areas experiencing significant numbers of opioid overdoses and deaths; Support H.R. 3691, the Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015, a bill that would reauthorize essential residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women and provide grants to states to address the growing epidemic of infants suffering from opioid dependency; Support H.R. 4978, the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, a bill which would require a GAO evaluation of neonatal abstinence syndrome and the availability of treatment for this condition in the nations Medicaid programs; Support H.R. 4599, the Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016, a bill to permit partial filling of schedule II prescriptions under specific circumstances; Support H.R. 4976, the Opioid Review Modernization Act of 2016, a bill which would provide for more stringent Food and Drug Administration review of new opioids without abuse-deterrent properties, recommendations for labeling of pediatric opioids, and recommendations for prescriber education; Support the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act of 2016, a bill for achieving fair and sustainable drug pricing; Supporting full alignment of 42CFR substance use records confidentiality requirements with HIPAA privacy rule.
Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and to extend non-enforcement for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibility: advocating for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program,that Stage 3 not begin until no sooner than 2019 and that meaningful use requirements for hospitals and CAHs align with those for eligible clinicians in MACRA; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support S 629 and H.R. 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Urged limitations on Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs)that includes financial penalties for inaccurate audit decisions; Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513 Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process; Support S. 2141 Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT) Act, a bill for improved transparency of information about certified EHRs; Advocate to improve interoperability of electronic health records; Letter to CMS urging use of existing authority to bring flexibility to the EHR Incentive Program and discussion about needed flexibility; Support H.R. 5164, Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act, a bill to extend the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals; Support S. 3129/H.R. 5613, legislation to extend through CY2016, the enforcement moratorium on CMS direct supervision policy for CAHs and small, rural hospitals.
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI; Support Appropriations measures related to funding of our health care priorities (eg. nurse education, rural health, hospital preparedness, etc).
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran's Care Through the Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status; Support the H.R. 2745, Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER Act), a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority;Testified at three Insurance Consolidation Hearings to discuss the impact of the proposed acquisitions involving Aetna/ Humana and Anthem/Cigna; Urged that attention be payed to the anti-competitive effects and consumer harms in the Anthem / Cigna deal that result from the BCBS affiliation of Anthem.
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; HR 6, 21st Century Cures, a bill that accelerates the discovery and development of cures, and also includes provisions addressing interoperability of health IT and would provide additional money to NIH and the FDA; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in Medicare Telehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, legislation easing the shortage of psychiatric beds and extend and expand the CMS emergency psychiatric demonstration project; Comments on H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with Members of Congress; Advocate for funding by working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Hospital Preparedness Program staff on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients;Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging; Working with ASPR and CDC staff to define the impact of the Hospital Preparedness Program and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program on improving health care system preparedness; Support efforts to advocate on Ebola within a discussion with FDA regarding impact on access to chest tubes regarding the Atrium Medical Corp and Maquet consent decree ; Advocate for regulatory approach in a discussion with White House staff regarding new initiative promoting bystander involvement in stopping hemorrhage in injured civilians; Attended a roundtable discussion on Opioid-related dependence, overdose, and death at HHS; Advocate for changes to The Care Planning Act, a bill that would provide for advanced illness care coordination services for Medicare beneficiaries; Support HR 2878 and S 1461,a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Support S.799/HR 1462, Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, a bill to combat the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and neonatal abstinence syndrome; Discussed S.1349, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning treatment; Supported expansions to Medicare reimbursement for telehealth along with changes to the Health Care Connect Fund; Comments on S.1648, Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sustainable future for rural healthcare. Urged that HHS refrain from finalizing a stage 3 meaningful use rule; Advocate for Appropriate Surveyor Guidance on Calculated Hospitals in discussion about member concerns regarding remarks of CMS official that were confusing during a health lawyers association webinar; Discussion with CMS staff regarding proposed rule on establishing market-based payments for clinical laboratory tests; Discussion to rescind the proposed 2 percent cut to CY 2016 outpatient PPS conversion factor; Support H.R.2948, Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand telehealth coverage in three phases; Support HR 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015,A bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis;Spoke with Rep. Kinds office on legislation to address the opioid epidemic in America; Support HR 1604, Veterans Mental Health Care Access Act, a bill that expands access to mental health services for veterans; Support H.R. 3183, The Veterans Health Care Freedom Act, a bill which makes significant improvements to the Veterans Choice Program; Support S 1189 The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act, a bill that reauthorizes the Conrad 30 and makes other changes to the program to improve patient access to care; Discussed quality measurement, meaningful use and Conditions of Participation; Conversation with CMS about the IOM Vital Signs report and how its recommendations could make quality measurement more meaningful; Spoke with CMS urging the Agency to correct the misimpression that was created statements made during a National Association of Medical Staff Specialists webinar by a CMS employee; Discussion with CMS about proposals contained in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility PPS proposed rule urging CMS not to finalize two quality measures; Meeting at CMMI to discuss CCJR; Discuss S. 2141the Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology Act of 2015, the TRUST Act, a bill that includes a definition of information blocking and a framework to assess interoperability of certified health IT (a health IT ratings program); Support S.1461 and H.R. 2878 a bill to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2015; Oppose S. 1648 Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital ActTo establish an alternative payment model for CAHs and small, rural hospitals whereby they may transition to become a rural emergency hospital.; Oppose H.R. 3225 Save Rural Hospitals Act, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced payments to rural health care providers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Discuss S. 1945 Mental Health Reform Act of 2015, a bill to make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis. It would reauthorize certain federal mental health programs, revise the IMD exclusion, reform SAMHSA, and study parity in mental health laws. Support S. 1893, The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Letter asking for modifications to H.R. 3298 Medicare Post-Acute Care Value-Based Purchasing (PAC VBP) Act of 2015, the legislation would establish a value-based purchasing program for LTCHs, IRFs, SNFs and HH agencies. Worked to streamline and improve quality measures; Discussed how to implement the framework in the National Academy of Medicines Vital Signs report to streamline and focus quality measures used in Medicare programs; Discussed Opioid prescribing guidelines with the CDC to provide feedback on the opioid prescribing guidelines they were developing; Discussion with CMS regarding CAH designation status, negative impact of Insurance Consolidations on Medicare Advantage and for modifications to Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model regarding aspects of the proposed rule; Discussion with CMS about the Emergency Preparedness final rule; Discussion with CMS regarding the 0.2 percent reduction to hospitals payments under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS); Support S. 524, the Johnson amendment and the Collins amendment, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, a bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; Support H.R. 4499, Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove consideration of certain pain-related issues from calculations under the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program; Support S. 2220, The Healthy Maternity and Obstetric Medicine Act or Healthy MOM Act guarantees maternity coverage for women who are enrolled in the exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, as well as women who are covered by individual and group insurance plans and federal employee health benefit plans; Comments to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on how to improve the physician self-referral (Stark) law; Urged CMS to delay the April 2016 release of the hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Supported House and Senate letters urging CMS to delay release of hospital star ratings on the Hospital Compare Website; Support H.R. 4771, Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, a bill that would reduce health care costs and promote access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans; Comments on Senate HELP Committee draft legislation addressing health information technology (IT) and electronic health records (EHRs); Comments to CMS regarding addressing section 603 of the BBA of 2015 in regulation; Comments to House Energy & Commerce Committee regarding section 603 of the BBA of 2015 as well as site neutral payment policies in general; Statement for the record to House Energy & Commerce Committee on MACRA implementation; Comments to the Senate Finance Committee Chronic Care document -Conversations with the CDC related to their opioid guidelines for chronic pain as well as a patient education piece about opioids; Discussions with CMS about CAH designation status Health Care Issues; Discussions with Rep. Hudson about H.R. 4365, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act , a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services; Support H.R. 4650 and S. 2108, Preserving Patient Access to Post-Acute Hospital Care Act of 2016, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of certain Medicare long-term care hospital payment rules; Supported efforts to encourage Congress to send CMS letters on addressing the issue of colocation of facilities within a hospital; Discussions with Members of Congress on the potential implementation of Unique Device Identification on claims forms; Sponsored a Hill briefing on innovations in post-acute care.
Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and to extend non-enforcement for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibility: advocating for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program and that Stage 3 not begin until 75 percent of EHs, CAHs and EPs attain Stage 2.; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support S 629 and H.R. 1784, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Urged limitations on Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs)that includes financial penalties for inaccurate audit decisions; Support ICD-10 delay and advocate to maintain the Oct. 1, 2015 transition date for ICD-10; Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513 Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process; Support S. 2141 Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT) Act, a bill for improved transparency of information about certified EHRs; Advocate to improve interoperability of electronic health records.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Supporting clarification and further explanation in final regulations establishing 501(r) requirements for hospitals. Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status.
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran 5 Care Through Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015. Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability. Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
HALO letter sent to Congress about the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) for physician payment; Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and to extend non-enforcement for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibility: advocating for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program and that Stage 3 not begin until 75 percent of EHs, CAHs and EPs attain Stage 2.; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support HR 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and strengthen Medicare access by improving physician payments and making other improvements, to reauthorize the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Support HR 1470, SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and improve Medicare payments for physicians and other professionals; Support S 629, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Oppose Recovery Audit Contracts (RACs)Section 3 that imposes financial penalties on RACs; Support ICD-10 delay and advocate to maintain the Oct. 1, 2015 transition date for ICD-10; Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 1295, Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015because the inclusion of the Medicare sequestration offset; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process; Support S. 2141 Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT) Act, a bill for improved transparency of information about certified EHRs; Advocate to improve interoperability of electronic health records.
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI.
Supporting clarification and further explanation in final regulations establishing 501(r) requirements for hospitals. Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to include on the forms first page the value of hospitals contribution related to housing services as community benefit. Supporting preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals. Opposing requirement that hospitals provide to patients a detailed list of all the individual providers that are covered by the individual hospitals financial assistance policy to satisfy the obligation under 501(r) of the Code.
HALO letter sent to Congress about the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) for physician payment; Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, which provide incentives and penalties to encourage meaningful use of EHRs by hospitals and physicians and to extend non-enforcement instruction for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibilityadvocate for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support HR 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and strengthen Medicare access by improving physician payments and making other improvements, to reauthorize the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Support HR 1470, SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and improve Medicare payments for physicians and other professionals; Support S 629, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Oppose Recovery Audit Contracts (RACs)Section 3 that imposes financial penalties on RACs; Support ICD-10 delay and advocate to maintain the Oct. 1, 2015 transition date for ICD-10; Discussions to oppose site neutral payments. Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 1295, Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015because the inclusion of the Medicare sequestration offset; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program; Discuss S. 861, Preventing and Reducing Improper Medicare and Medicaid Expenditures Act of 2015 or the PRIME Act of 2015 with the Senate Finance Committee to reform the Medicare audits and appeals process.
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services to veterans under S. 759. Enhancing Veteran 5 Care Through Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015. Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability. Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Opposing OFFCPs exercise of federal subcontractor oversight and enforcement for hospitals receiving federal reimbursement for providing health care services; Outlining hospitals views of the barriers, obstacles to EHR interoperability; Supporting update of standards for antitrust examination of hospital mergers that includes assessment of future competitive benefits of the arrangement; Opposing OFCCPs exercise of regulatory and enforcement authority over health care providers providing services to veterans under S. 759 Enhancing Veteran 5 Care Through Veteran Care Agreements Act of 2015.
Support H.Con. Res. 27,S. Con. Res. 11, and H. Res. 163Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2016, Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025; Express concern to House Appropriations Committee regarding funding levels for AHRCQ and CMMI.
Supporting HJ Res 29 and SJ Res. 8 to nullify NLRBs expedited union elections rule; Opposing NLRBs change in standards for determining joint employer status.
HALO letter sent to Congress about the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) for physician payment; Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, which provide incentives and penalties to encourage meaningful use of EHRs by hospitals and physicians and to extend non-enforcement instruction for the Medicare direct supervision requirement for therapeutic hospital outpatient services for CAHs and rural hospitals ; Meaningful use flexibilityadvocate for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support HR 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and strengthen Medicare access by improving physician payments and making other improvements, to reauthorize the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Support HR 1470, SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and improve Medicare payments for physicians and other professionals; Support S 629, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Oppose Recovery Audit Contracts (RACs)Section 3 that imposes financial penalties on RACs; Support ICD-10 delay and advocate to maintain the Oct. 1, 2015 transition date for ICD-10; Discussions to oppose site neutral payments. Provide input to CMS on implementation of quality measures required under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014; Analyze and develop suggested changes to the Personalize Your Care Act of 2015, a bill that would provide coverage of voluntary advance care planning consultation under Medicare and Medicaid; Oppose HR 2895, Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 2015, a bill that would establish parity under the Medicare program for ambulatory cancer care services furnished in the hospital outpatient department and the physician office setting; Oppose HR 1295, Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015because the inclusion of the Medicare sequestration offset; Oppose HR 976 and HR 2513Promoting Access, Competition, and Equity Act of 2015(PACE) Act of 2015, a bill to allow an increase in, and expansion of, physician-owned hospitals eligible for Medicare reimbursement; Support S 1148 and HR 2124Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, a bill to increase the number of Medicare-supported physician residency slots; Urged SFC Chronic Care Working Group to consider expanding access to telehealth, removing legal barriers to clinical integration, and better engaging beneficiaries in their health and health care;Testified at the Observation status, Improving competition in Medicare and Prompt payment hearings; Support HR 2156, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the practices of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.
Supporting clarification and further explanation in final regulations establishing 501(r) requirements for hospitals; Urging reconfiguration of Schedule H to account for housing services as a community benefit; Urging simplification of the 501(r)-related requirement to list individually all providers subject to the hospitals financial assistance policy; We urged preservation of tax exempt status for hospitals.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), SENATE, White House Office
HALO letter sent to Congress about the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) for physician payment; Support HR 672 and S 607, Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act of 2015, a bill that will extend the demonstration for five more years, will ensure that RCH continues to help Americas communities in many ways, especially by allowing hospitals to expand and improve the services rural communities need. Also enables hospitals with fewer than 51 beds to test the feasibility of cost-based reimbursement. Affects 23 small, rural hospitals nationwide. Demo included in MMA, extended and expanded in ACA and Budget neutral; Support HR 663 and S 332, Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015, a bill that would make permanent both the Medicare-dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the enhanced low-volume Medicare adjustment for prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, which are vital programs for rural hospitals and the patients and communities they serve; Support S 257 and HR 1611, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTs)Act of 2015, a bill that would provide hospitals relief from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations with respect to direct supervision of outpatient therapeutic services; Support HR 270,Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2015, a bill that requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a necessary adjustment to how it implements the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, which provide incentives and penalties to encourage meaningful use of EHRs by hospitals and physicians; Meaningful use flexibilityadvocate for a shorter meaningful use reporting period and other flexibilities that would increase hospitals ability to meet Stage 2 and move forward with the program; Support S. 377 and HR 745, Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase access to ambulance services under the Medicare program and to reform payments for such services under such program; Support S. 688 and HR 1343, Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support HR 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and strengthen Medicare access by improving physician payments and making other improvements, to reauthorize the Childrens Health Insurance Program; Support HR 1470, SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and improve Medicare payments for physicians and other professionals; Support S 629, Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act, a bill to enable hospital-based nursing programs that are affiliated with a hospital to maintain payments under the Medicare program to hospitals for the costs of such programs; Oppose Recovery Audit Contracts (RACs)Section 3 that imposes financial penalties on RACs -- top ask given contingency fees are a no go; Support ICD-10 delay and advocate to maintain the Oct. 1, 2015 transition date for ICD-10; Discussions to oppose site neutral payments.
Support S 258 and HR 169, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, a bill that would remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement as a condition of payment for critical access hospitals (CAHs); Support HR 293, a bill to exempt certain journals and text books used in continuing medical education (CME) from manufacturer transparency reporting requirements; Participated in the Hearing, Examining the 340B Drug Pricing Program and submitted testimony about the 340B program, a federal drug discount program to Subcommittee members who will review the functionality of the program to ensure it is meeting its intended goals; Two midnight discussion with several members of Congress; Support, Advancing Telehealth Opportunities in MedicareTelehealth, submitted a letter outlining the benefits of telehealth and showcases successful hospital and health system efforts. It also outlines barriers to greater use of telehealth; Submitted letter pertaining to interoperabilty within the hospital communities; Support S. 599, Improving Access to Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2015, a bill that is an important step toward easing the shortage of psychiatric beds in communities across the nation and revise the length of the emergency psychiatric demonstration project that is currently limited to three years; Support H.R.1458, BACPAC Act of 2015, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide bundled payments for post-acute care services under parts A and B of Medicare, and submitted a statement for a hearing on HR 1458 (re bundled payments for post-acute and other post-hospital services); Discussed Equity of Care Issues with members of congress; Working with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) on ensuring adequate Ebola hospital funding; Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on ongoing Ebola-related issues and guidance; Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that hospitals continue to be able to use blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMS) on hospitalized patients; Discussion of the impact of FDA draft guidance on laboratory developed tests (LDTs); Discussion of draft guidance on drug compounding and repackaging.
Supporting clarification and further explanation in final regulations establishing 501(r) requirements for hospitals.
Filing targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), SENATE
Support The Importance of Rural Health Access for American Communities and the need for rural hospitals and their value to rural areas; Support of HR 1326 Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2013, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for increased price transparency of hospital information and to provide for additional research on consumer information on charges and out-of-pocket costs; Support CMS proposed rule aimed at reducing burden and promoting efficiency for hospitals,critical access hospitals and other providers. The rule addresses stakeholder concerns about governance-related provisions in the most recent changes to the Medicare Conditions of Participation; Support S 689 Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Support S 961 Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2013, a bill to improve access to emergency medical services; Oppose HR 2027 Expanding Patients' Access to Quality Care Act of 2013, a bill to amend section 1877 of the Social Security Act to modify the requirements for hospitals to qualify for the rural provider and hospital exception to physician ownership or investment prohibition in order to take into account hospitals that were under construction or development at the time of imposing such requirements, hospital expansions, and hospitals in financial distress; Support 340B Drug Program; Support Rep. Lynn Jenkins(R-KS) H. Res 356 in support of rural hospitals and rural health care providers. The resolution calls access to rural hospitals and other health care providers essential to the survival and success of communities; Support for the current October 1, 2014 implementation date for adoption of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modifications (ICD-10-CM) for all health care providers, as well as the adoption of the Procedure Coding System of ICD-10 for hospital reporting of inpatient procedures; Encourage HHS to speed up processing of CAC applications and discussed questions about the new Marketplaces; Participated in the White House National Mental Health Conference and had several discussions on how hospitals can help raise awareness about mental health in their communities with ACA; Discussions with the Senate Finance Committee in response to the Committees outreach to behavioral health stakeholders seeking input to help improve the behavioral health care system; Helping to shape agencys forthcoming compliance initiative related to hospitals reporting obligations to the National Practitioner Data Bank; Support S. 2196 Good Samaritan Health Professional Act, by extending to licensed, volunteer health professionals the same protective standards included in the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997, this legislation takes critical steps to help victims have access to critical onsite medical attention during declared federal disasters; Support S 2501 Hospital Readmissions Program Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014, to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in determining a hospital's excess readmission ratio for purposes of making payments for discharges starting in FY2016, to risk adjust readmissions to account for patient socioeconomic status; Requested that the Secretary issue a written statement on behalf of the entire department confirming that the HHS is not discouraging hospital-affiliated or other charitable foundations from subsidizing premiums purchased through the new Health Insurance Marketplaces (exchanges) or cost-sharing expenses for needy enrollees; Support HR 4067, to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2014; HR 4810 Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014 and H.R.3230 Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, support specific provisions in the two bills and to address this issue and allow veterans to more easily secure care from civilian providers. We urge Congress to move expeditiously to resolve differences between the House and Senate bills and look forward to working with our VA colleagues, Congress and the Administration to ensure veterans receive the care they need when they need it. Discussed with the VA the implementation of the Act. Discussed with HHS the use of electronically-readable smart cards by hospitals and health systems; Discussed with HHS meaningful use program, certification program for EHRs and interoperability of health information.
Submitted comments on the Hatch Entitlement Reform in support of the several key reforms proposed for the Medicare program as alternative reductions to provider payments; Support S 351 Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act, a bill to repeal the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act providing for the Independent Payment Advisory Board; Support HR 297 and S1557, Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2013, the bill would reauthorize the CHGME program for an additional five years through fiscal year (FY) 2017; Support HR 1250 and S 1012 Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve operations of recovery auditors under the Medicare integrity program, to increase transparency and accuracy in audits conducted by contractors; Support S. 596 Fostering Independence Through Technology Act of 2014, a bill to establish pilot projects under the Medicare program to provide incentives for home health agencies to furnish remote patient monitoring services that reduce expenditures under such program; Support HR 1787 and S 842 Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Support HR 1920 and S 1555 DSH Reduction Relief Act of 2013, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a delay in the implementation schedule of the reductions in disproportionate share hospital payments;AHA submitted a statement to the Presidents and Other Bipartisan Proposals to Reform Medicare Post-Acute Care Payments hearing to provide input on proposals to reform Medicares post-acute care payment systems; AHA submitted a statement to the Program Integrity: Oversight of Recovery Audit Contractors hearing supporting increased oversight of Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs); Support HR 2578 Rural Hospital Fairness Act of 2013, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend for one year the hold harmless provision for small rural hospitals and sole community hospitals under the Medicare prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services related to enhanced physician supervision requirements; AHA submitted a statement to the Health Care Quality: The Path Forward hearing in support of improving transparency for the public, continuing and enhancing support of efforts to improve the safety and quality of the care delivered,and reduce unnecessary hospital expenditures; Support HR 2931 Fairness in Health Care Claims, Guidance and Investigations Act, a bill to amend the false claims provisions of title 31, United States Code, with respect to health care programs; Request additional guidance on and delay of two-midnight rule from CMS; Request issue corrected data on OPPS proposed rule and delay comment period from CMS; Discussion of ACAs patient safety evaluation system with CMS; Discussed the improvements to the National Practitioner Data Bank and new compliance efforts at HRSA; Discussions of Medicaid presumptive eligibility; Medicaid DSH; and request release of DSH audit rule with CMS; Follow up on GPO exclusion related to 340(b) entities; discussions to help shape upcoming proposed rule on 340B with HRSA; Discussed the Qualified Health Plans (QHP) 90day grace period with HHS and its implications for hospitals; Support HJ Res 59, a continuing Appropriations Resolution for 2014, which includes a provision that averts Medicare physician payment cuts as Congress continues to work on a replacement of the flawed SGR formula; Support HR 3444 Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2013, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare program; Support H.R.3698 and S. 2037 Two-Midnight Rule Delay Act of 2013, to delay the enforcement of the Medicare two-midnight rule for short inpatient hospital stays until the implementation of a new Medicare payment methodology for short inpatient hospital stays; Requested CMS and ONC to extend the EHR Incentive program regulatory timelines for 2014 and allow all providers greater flexibility in Stage 2 by giving all hospitals the option to make the transition to the 2014 Edition Certified EHR and the Stage 2 requirements (or the revised Stage 1 requirements, as applicable) over the course of 2014 or 2015; Support HR 3991 and S 2037 Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2014, amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services under which a physician must certify that a patient may reasonably be expected to be discharged or transferred to a hospital within 96 hours after admission to the critical access hospital; Support HR 4188 Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support H.R. 2801 and S1143 Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTS) Act of 2013, a bill to adopt a default standard of general supervision for outpatient therapeutic services, develop a reasonable exceptions process with provider input to identify specific procedures that require direct supervision, ensure that, for CAHs, the definition of direct supervision is consistent with the CAH conditions of participation that allow a physician or NPP to present within 30 minutes of being called and prohibit enforcement of CMSs retroactive reinterpretation that the direct supervision requirements applied to services furnished since January 1, 2001; S.1932/H.R. 3890 Better Care, Lower Cost Act , AHA has not taken position on the bill, but did establish an AHA working group to analyze the legislation to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare Better Care Program to provide integrated care for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions; requested that the increasing number of hospital compliance reviews performed by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Audit Services in which the OIG has extrapolated audit findings to estimate Medicare overpayments to the hospitals and the hospitals Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs)have sought to recover the extrapolated overpayment amounts be halted without delay; Support HR 5481, The Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-It) Act, a bill to continue the use of a 3-month quarter EHR reporting period for health care providers to demonstrate meaningful use for 2015 under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payment programs. Senate briefing on legal barriers to providers' ability to manage risk, particularly with respect to Medicare ACO programs. Support HR 4656 and S2276, Caring for America's Heroes Act, a bill to improve access to mental health services under the TRICARE program; Funding for Ebola treatment and preparedness as part of the FY15 Omnibus Appropriations Act. Met to discuss the HHS calculator issue to ensure employers cannot offer health plans that exclude inpatient hospital care.
Support HR 803 Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, a bill to reform and strengthen the workforce investment system of the Nation to put Americans back to work and make the United States more competitive in the 21st century. Support HR 3633 Protecting Health Care Providers from Increased Administrative Burdens Act, clarifies Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) within the Department of Labor jurisdiction over hospitals participating in TRICARE ;Support HR 1406 Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013, a bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide compensatory time for employees in the private sector; Support HR 2346 Secret Ballot Protection Act, a bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to ensure the right of employees to a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board; Urging IRS for purposes of section 4980H of the code to treat "on-call" hours consistent with the treatment of "on-call" under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act; discussion with FTC Commission about the importance of clinical integration in the changing health care delivery environment and how that the FTCs current merger/acquisition model is not compatible with the clinical integration delivery model.
Supporting framework for revising Stark/anti-kickback to permitting gainsharing arrangements; Monitoring the hospitals concerns about the impact of FTCs strategy related to retrospective review of hospital mergers; Discussed how HIPAA protects privacy and security of health information within hospital and other covered entities and their business associates and whether FTC has a role in protecting health information that is not otherwise protected by HIPAA.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), SENATE, Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
Supporting framework for revising Stark/anti-kickback to permitting gainsharing arrangements; Monitoring the hospitals concerns about the impact of FTCs strategy related to retrospective review of hospital mergers; Discussed how HIPAA protects privacy and security of health information within hospital and other covered entities and their business associates and whether FTC has a role in protecting health information that is not otherwise protected by HIPAA.
Support The Importance of Rural Health Access for American Communities and the need for rural hospitals and their value to rural areas; Support of HR 1326 Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2013, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for increased price transparency of hospital information and to provide for additional research on consumer information on charges and out-of-pocket costs; Support CMS proposed rule aimed at reducing burden and promoting efficiency for hospitals,critical access hospitals and other providers. The rule addresses stakeholder concerns about governance-related provisions in the most recent changes to the Medicare Conditions of Participation; Support S 689 Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013, a bill to reauthorize and improve programs related to mental health and substance use disorders; Support S 961 Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2013, a bill to improve access to emergency medical services; Oppose HR 2027 Expanding Patients' Access to Quality Care Act of 2013, a bill to amend section 1877 of the Social Security Act to modify the requirements for hospitals to qualify for the rural provider and hospital exception to physician ownership or investment prohibition in order to take into account hospitals that were under construction or development at the time of imposing such requirements, hospital expansions, and hospitals in financial distress; Support 340B Drug Program; Support Rep. Lynn Jenkins(R-KS) H. Res 356 in support of rural hospitals and rural health care providers. The resolution calls access to rural hospitals and other health care providers essential to the survival and success of communities; Support for the current October 1, 2014 implementation date for adoption of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modifications (ICD-10-CM) for all health care providers, as well as the adoption of the Procedure Coding System of ICD-10 for hospital reporting of inpatient procedures; Encourage HHS to speed up processing of CAC applications and discussed questions about the new Marketplaces; Participated in the White House National Mental Health Conference and had several discussions on how hospitals can help raise awareness about mental health in their communities with ACA; Discussions with the Senate Finance Committee in response to the Committees outreach to behavioral health stakeholders seeking input to help improve the behavioral health care system; Helping to shape agencys forthcoming compliance initiative related to hospitals reporting obligations to the National Practitioner Data Bank; Support S. 2196 Good Samaritan Health Professional Act, by extending to licensed, volunteer health professionals the same protective standards included in the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997, this legislation takes critical steps to help victims have access to critical onsite medical attention during declared federal disasters; Support S 2501 Hospital Readmissions Program Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014, to amend title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in determining a hospital's excess readmission ratio for purposes of making payments for discharges starting in FY2016, to risk adjust readmissions to account for patient socioeconomic status; Requested that the Secretary issue a written statement on behalf of the entire department confirming that the HHS is not discouraging hospital-affiliated or other charitable foundations from subsidizing premiums purchased through the new Health Insurance Marketplaces (exchanges) or cost-sharing expenses for needy enrollees; Support HR 4067, to provide for the extension of the enforcement instruction on supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals through 2014; HR 4810 Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014 and H.R.3230 Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, support specific provisions in the two bills and to address this issue and allow veterans to more easily secure care from civilian providers. We urge Congress to move expeditiously to resolve differences between the House and Senate bills and look forward to working with our VA colleagues, Congress and the Administration to ensure veterans receive the care they need when they need it.
Opposing cuts to hospital payments in the Senate and House FY 2014 budget resolutions as savings to pay for replacement of sequester reductions. Monitoring develpoments related to HR 933 The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, a bill making appropriations for the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other departments and agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013.
Submitted comments on the Hatch Entitlement Reform in support of the several key reforms proposed for the Medicare program as alternative reductions to provider payments; Support S 351 Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act, a bill to repeal the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act providing for the Independent Payment Advisory Board; Support HR 297 and S1557, Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2013, the bill would reauthorize the CHGME program for an additional five years through fiscal year (FY) 2017; Support HR 1250 and S 1012 Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve operations of recovery auditors under the Medicare integrity program, to increase transparency and accuracy in audits conducted by contractors; Support S. 596 Fostering Independence Through Technology Act of 2014, a bill to establish pilot projects under the Medicare program to provide incentives for home health agencies to furnish remote patient monitoring services that reduce expenditures under such program; Support HR 1787 and S 842 Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program; Support HR 1920 and S 1555 DSH Reduction Relief Act of 2013, a bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a delay in the implementation schedule of the reductions in disproportionate share hospital payments;AHA submitted a statement to the Presidents and Other Bipartisan Proposals to Reform Medicare Post-Acute Care Payments hearing to provide input on proposals to reform Medicares post-acute care payment systems; AHA submitted a statement to the Program Integrity: Oversight of Recovery Audit Contractors hearing supporting increased oversight of Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs); Support HR 2578 Rural Hospital Fairness Act of 2013, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend for one year the hold harmless provision for small rural hospitals and sole community hospitals under the Medicare prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services related to enhanced physician supervision requirements; AHA submitted a statement to the Health Care Quality: The Path Forward hearing in support of improving transparency for the public, continuing and enhancing support of efforts to improve the safety and quality of the care delivered,and reduce unnecessary hospital expenditures; Support HR 2931 Fairness in Health Care Claims, Guidance and Investigations Act, a bill to amend the false claims provisions of title 31, United States Code, with respect to health care programs; Request additional guidance on and delay of two-midnight rule from CMS; Request issue corrected data on OPPS proposed rule and delay comment period from CMS; Discussion of ACAs patient safety evaluation system with CMS; Discussed the improvements to the National Practitioner Data Bank and new compliance efforts at HRSA; Discussions of Medicaid presumptive eligibility; Medicaid DSH; and request release of DSH audit rule with CMS; Follow up on GPO exclusion related to 340(b) entities; discussions to help shape upcoming proposed rule on 340B with HRSA; Discussed the Qualified Health Plans (QHP) 90day grace period with HHS and its implications for hospitals; Support HJ Res 59, a continuing Appropriations Resolution for 2014, which includes a provision that averts Medicare physician payment cuts as Congress continues to work on a replacement of the flawed SGR formula; Support HR 3444 Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2013, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare program; Support H.R.3698 and S. 2037 Two-Midnight Rule Delay Act of 2013, to delay the enforcement of the Medicare two-midnight rule for short inpatient hospital stays until the implementation of a new Medicare payment methodology for short inpatient hospital stays; Requested CMS and ONC to extend the EHR Incentive program regulatory timelines for 2014 and allow all providers greater flexibility in Stage 2 by giving all hospitals the option to make the transition to the 2014 Edition Certified EHR and the Stage 2 requirements (or the revised Stage 1 requirements, as applicable) over the course of 2014 or 2015; Support HR 3991 and S 2037 Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2014, amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services under which a physician must certify that a patient may reasonably be expected to be discharged or transferred to a hospital within 96 hours after admission to the critical access hospital; Support HR 4188 Establishing Beneficiary Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program Act, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the Medicare hospital readmission reduction program to respond to patient disparities; Support H.R. 2801 and S 1143 Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTS) Act of 2013, a bill to adopt a default standard of general supervision for outpatient therapeutic services, develop a reasonable exceptions process with provider input to identify specific procedures that require direct supervision, ensure that, for CAHs, the definition of direct supervision is consistent with the CAH conditions of participation that allow a physician or NPP to present within 30 minutes of being called and prohibit enforcement of CMSs retroactive reinterpretation that the direct supervision requirements applied to services furnished since January 1, 2001; S.1932/H.R. 3890 Better Care, Lower Cost Act , AHA has not taken position on the bill, but did establish an AHA working group to analyze the legislation to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare Better Care Program to provide integrated care for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions; requested that the increasing number of hospital compliance reviews performed by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Audit Services in which the OIG has extrapolated audit findings to estimate Medicare overpayments to the hospitals and the hospitals Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs)have sought to recover the extrapolated overpayment amounts be halted without delay; Support HR 5481, The Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-It) Act, a bill to continue the use of a 3-month quarter EHR reporting period for health care providers to demonstrate meaningful use for 2015 under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payment programs.
Filing targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), SENATE