Two long weeks until August recess -
This is the last week with both chambers in session until September, and things are relatively slow as lawmakers count down the days to the month-long August recess. With reconciliation...more
7/22/2025
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Trump Administration
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
- OBBBA implementation begins. While the administration focuses on implementing the new law, some lawmakers are already discussing adjustments to health provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act...more
7/21/2025
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MIPS ,
New Legislation ,
OPPS ,
Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Proposed Rules ,
Senate Committees ,
Technology ,
Telehealth ,
Trump Administration
Government Is Funded, Congress at Home for the Week. On March 15, 2025, President Trump signed a continuing resolution (CR) into law that funds the government and provides short-term extensions of certain healthcare programs...more
3/24/2025
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Trump Administration
Attention Turns to Government Funding -
Last week, after some drama on the floor, the House passed its version of a budget resolution in a 217 – 215 vote, a week after the Senate passed its “skinny” resolution. For the...more
3/4/2025
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Trump Administration
A lot has happened in the last three weeks, so here’s a high-level recap:
Congress successfully, albeit rockily, passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government through March 14, 2025. That legislation...more
1/7/2025
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Trump Administration ,
U.S. House
Watchful Waiting: Three Weeks Left in Lame Duck -
Congress returns on Tuesday to begin the remaining three weeks of the lame duck session. Lawmakers have a packed agenda, and they have 18 days to pass a bill funding the...more
12/3/2024
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Deadlines ,
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Disaster Aid ,
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Healthcare ,
Lame Duck Session ,
Medicare ,
NDAA ,
Telehealth
Congress Begins Disaster Relief Efforts, Continues Organizing for 119th Congress. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, lawmakers are focused on funding an emergency supplemental disaster relief package. President...more
11/25/2024
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DEA ,
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Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Lame Duck Session ,
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Patents ,
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Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine ,
Trump Administration
Congress Votes on CR, Health-Related Legislation. After reaching a deal over the weekend, both chambers passed a CR to avoid a government shutdown and fund the federal government through December 20, 2024. This tees up a push...more
9/30/2024
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HRSA ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid Drug Rebate Program ,
New Legislation ,
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Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
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State Bans ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine
Senate Judiciary Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Georgia Abortion Ban. The field hearing examined how Georgia’s abortion ban impacts women’s health, and featured patient and physician witnesses....more
9/23/2024
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Artificial Intelligence ,
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Georgia ,
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Human Rights ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part D ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Proposed Regulation ,
State Bans ,
Telehealth
Congress Returns. The House and Senate will be back in session on September 9, 2024, with a joint focus on completing consideration of a continuing resolution (CR) to maintain government funding beyond the end of fiscal year...more
9/6/2024
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SCOTUS ,
Telehealth
House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Value-Based Care. The hearing examined the challenges and opportunities associated with delivering better health outcomes and Medicare savings through value-based care....more
7/1/2024
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U.S. House
Both chambers of Congress are out of session today and return for the rest of the week.
Most healthcare priorities remain out of the congressional spotlight this week, but telehealth is still top of mind. As we...more
5/14/2024
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Laboratory Developed Tests ,
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Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine
Both chambers of Congress are in session this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Senate is out today, and the House is out on Friday.
Both chambers will also hold healthcare-related hearings on Wednesday morning...more
Senate Finance Health Subcommittee Holds Roundtable on Substance Use Disorder Care. Panelists and members discussed how to improve treatment in federal health programs.
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds...more
4/15/2024
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Chronic Care Managment (CCM) ,
Federal Health Care Programs (FHCP) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) ,
Long-Term Care ,
Medicare ,
Proposed Rules ,
Prospective Payment System (PPS) ,
Substance Abuse ,
Telehealth
House Energy and Commerce Committee Holds Hearing on Healthcare Costs. The hearing included discussion on what factors are causing cost increases for individuals, for the healthcare sector, and for federal health programs...more
2/2/2024
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Medicare Part D ,
Mental Health ,
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SAMHSA ,
Senate Committees ,
Substance Abuse ,
Telehealth ,
U.S. House
What does December 31, 2024, mean to you? New Year’s Eve? Post-2024 election? Too far away to know?
Our answer: December 31, 2024, is when we will go over a “telehealth cliff” if Congress fails to act before that date,...more
Senate Finance Committee Examines Drug Shortages. The hearing addressed concerns and explored potential solutions related to drug shortages in the United States, particularly focusing on essential medications. The hearing...more
12/11/2023
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March-In Rights ,
NIST ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Price Transparency ,
Request For Information ,
Telehealth ,
U.S. Commerce Department
Congress Passes Two-Tiered CR to Fund Government into Early 2024. In the absence of final passage of any of the 12 annual appropriations bills for FY 2024, Speaker Johnson (R-LA) unveiled a short-term CR, H.R. 6363, the...more
CONGRESS -
Senate Finance Committee Holds Markup on Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act. The bipartisan package includes Medicare and Medicaid extenders, provisions to expand the mental health...more
11/10/2023
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Mental Health ,
National Institute of Health (NIH) ,
Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Physician Fee Schedule ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
Telehealth ,
U.S. House
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
Uncharted Territory in the House: The House voted to remove Rep. McCarthy (R-CA) as Speaker of the House, then recessed until at least October 11, when the House is slated to reconvene to elect a new...more
10/9/2023
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Extensions ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Laboratory Developed Tests ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Over The Counter Drugs (OTC) ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Preventive Health Care ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Request For Information ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine ,
Temporary Regulations ,
U.S. Treasury
The House and Senate were both in session this week, with healthcare activity at the committee level. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on innovation and a markup of 15 healthcare bills. The Senate...more
7/24/2023
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Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP Act ,
Legislative Agendas ,
MCOs ,
Medicare ,
Proposed Legislation ,
SAMHSA ,
Senate Committees ,
Technology ,
Telehealth ,
U.S. House ,
Vaccinations
The House and Senate were both in session this week, with healthcare activity continuing at the committee level. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings on the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA)...more
6/16/2023
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HELP ,
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Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
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Regulatory Agenda ,
Telehealth ,
Transgender
On June 3, President Biden signed the debt limit legislation into law, averting default and allowing Congress to return to regularly scheduled business. However, that return was short-lived in the House when a small group of...more
6/9/2023
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GAO ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
HELP ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
Investment ,
Mental Health ,
Opioid ,
Social Security ,
Telehealth
Debt Limit Extended . . . Now What?
Late last week, Congress reached a bipartisan, bicameral deal to suspend the debt ceiling into 2025. Over the weekend, President Biden signed the bill into law, preventing the United...more
6/6/2023
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