On The Hill

Pelosi Outlines Priorities in Weekly Presser

With the election only days away, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) discussed upcoming House priorities during a press conference on Thursday (Oct. 29). Pelosi said she hopes a COVID-19 relief package will be passed in the lame duck session following the election, and explained the House will likely start the 117th Congress with a campaign finance and ethics bill. Notably, Pelosi also discussed Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s tax plans.

To view a transcript of the press conference, click here.

 

CMS Finalizes Price Transparency Rule

On Thursday (Oct. 29), the Trump Administration unveiled final policies aimed at increasing price transparency in the healthcare system. The rule will require health insurers to provide patients with complete pricing information prior to a service being rendered and builds off an earlier price transparency rule that requires hospitals to publish their negotiated rates.

Beginning in 2022, insurers will be required to publish data on prices they have historically paid providers as well as final negotiated rates for out-of-network services. The following year, insurers will have to provide public pricing information for common medical services. The rule also includes a requirement that patients be informed of their out-of-pocket prescription drug costs when a medication is prescribed.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma and other administration officials believe price transparency mechanisms, like those included in the rule, will increase competition in the healthcare marketplace and lead to lower health costs.

House Republican leaders Greg Walden (R-OR) and Kevin Brady (R-TX) applauded the announcement.

“Americans will never see lower health care costs until they know the prices,” Brady said in a press release.

“This is a major step in the direction of consumer rights, and I call on Congress to make this type of required transparency permanent,” he added.

Health insurers, however, worry the new rule’s requirement that insurers publish negotiated rates will reduce incentives to negotiate lower rates and actually lead to higher prices.

“Health insurance providers strive every day for workable, consumer-friendly transparency that ensures health care information is personalized, easy-to-understand, accurate, and actionable, focusing on care for which Americans can actually shop,” Matt Eyles, CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans, said.

“But requiring health insurance providers to publicly release all in-network negotiated rates, information on out-of-network payments and prescription drug negotiated prices in machine-readable formats will fail to deliver what Americans want – lower costs and high quality health care,” he added.

To view the CMS announcement, click here.

To view a factsheet on the rule, click here.

To view the final rule, click here.

 

House GOP Unveils New COVID Legislation

On Friday (Oct. 30), House Ways and Means Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX),Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), and Appropriations Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX) released H.R. 14, the “Commitment to Defeat the Virus and Keep America Healthy Act” Friday (Oct. 30).

The legislation is comprised of over 50 bipartisan bills and provides a series of targeted proposals on pandemic preparedness, domestic manufacturing and supply chain, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), public health infrastructure, COVID-19 health disparities, COVID-19 health impacts on mental health and substance use. The bill also includes a number of healthcare related tax incentives.

The $47 billion package includes $31 billion for COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, surge capacity, and telehealth. The remaining $16 would be dedicated to additional testing and contact tracing efforts.

To view the legislative text, click here.

To view a section-by-section summary, click here.

 

FDA Publishes List of Essential Medicines

On Friday (Oct. 30), the FDA finalized its list of essential medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs. The list, which was required by President Trump’s August ‘Buy American’ executive order (EO), includes 223 drug and biological products and 96 medical devices deemed crucial to reduce U.S. medical dependence on foreign nations.

To view the FDA announcement, click here.

To view the complete list of essential medicines, click here.

 

Admin Ensures Access to COVID Treatments, Vaccines

CMS released a new interim final rule on Wednesday (Oct. 28) to ensure a COVID-19 vaccine will come at no cost to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The rule will cover any FDA authorized vaccine either through an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or licensed under a Biologics License Application (BLA). The new rule will also cover any COVID-19 therapeutics for those who cannot receive a vaccine. CMS will also allow pharmacies, schools, and other entities that may be non-traditional providers to apply as ‘Medicare mass immunizers.’

The Medicare payment rates will be $28.39 to administer single-dose vaccines. For a COVID-19 vaccine requiring a series of two or more doses, the initial dose(s) administration payment rate will be $16.94, and $28.39 for the administration of the final dose in the series.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we have developed a comprehensive plan to support the swift and successful distribution of a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19,” CMS Administrator Seema Verma said.

“As Operation Warp Speed nears its goal of delivering the vaccine in record time, CMS is acting now to remove bureaucratic barriers while ensuring that states, providers and health plans have the information and direction they need to ensure broad vaccine access and coverage for all Americans,” she added.

CMS will begin seeking comments on the interim final rule as soon as it is posted in the Federal Register. The comment period will remain open for 30-days following its appearance in the register.

To view the CMS announcement, click here.

To view a fact sheet on the interim rule, click here.

 

The Hill Hosts Supply Chain Webinar

On Tuesday (Oct. 27), The Hill held a webinar on COVID-19 and a responsive Rx supply chain. Various lawmakers, former government officials, and industry representatives participated in the event.

Representative Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), lead sponsor of the “Strengthening America’s Strategic Stockpile Act,” said her legislation is bipartisan and would help improve public-private partnerships to address surge capacity issues related to medical supplies and pharmaceuticals. She also stressed the importance of moving medical supply chains back to the U.S., and discussed the national security implications of an overreliance on foreign manufacturing.

Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA) highlighted his legislation, the “Made in America Act of 2020,” and said the U.S. has been overly dependent on other countries for pharmaceuticals for a long period of time. He noted his bill would attract companies to come back to the U.S. through Opportunity Zones, tax incentives, and patriotism. Carter added it was critical to “make it worth it” for companies to return back to America. Additionally, he said Congress needs to ensure PPE and pharmaceuticals are manufactured in the U.S. to avoid the issues that occurred early on in the pandemic.

To view the Q&A from the event, click here.

To view the webinar in full, click here.