K&L Gates Triage: An Insider’s Perspective on the Health Care Debate in Washington, DC
U.S. House of Representatives committees are scheduled to begin markups on additional portions of the budget reconciliation package on May 13, 2025. Both the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on Energy...more
Earlier this week, Congress released the text of a continuing resolution that includes a more-robust-than-anticipated healthcare package. While the bill’s primary purpose is to keep the government open through March 14, 2025,...more
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Legislative Hearing on Improving Medicaid Access. Daniel Tsai, deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), testified. Members...more
Congress was in session for a final week of legislative business before the two-week Independence Day recess. The House brought a small-business-focused healthcare bill to the floor, approving it along party lines....more
Americans who are poor, middle-class, chronically or mentally ill, disabled, frail, elderly and young — most of us, really — may need to keep our fingers crossed that the relentless attacks on health care access fail again....more
Congress moved one step closer to avoiding a government shutdown on Feb. 6, voting overwhelmingly (245-182) to pass a short-term, GOP-backed government funding bill (text; section-by-section) that would keep the federal...more
On January 20, 2017, businessman Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States following a contentious and unconventional 2016 presidential election. Republicans also successfully maintained control...more
December is often the busiest time in Washington, and this year is no different as Congress races toward the holiday finish line. There is still a multitude of problems to solve before members can head back to their...more
Following weekend passage of the Senate tax bill, we return this week with Congress needing to pass a government-spending bill. While it’s widely expected that this will be a two-week continuing resolution (CR), giving...more
The culmination of the year’s legislative activity all comes down to the month of December – so buckle up. Congress will need to pass a government spending bill by December 8th, and this bill is expected to carry a...more
As the Republican-controlled Congress rams through a national budget and a package of changes to the tax system, President Trump and his partisans are staying true to course. They’re determined to slash taxes for the rich,...more
As the late, sultry diva Peggy Lee used to croon: Is that all there is? The Republicans in Washington, after seven years of trying and dozens of faux earlier votes, have failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care...more
In a recent post, we provided additional details on the structure, funding, and evaluation of the Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood, Home Visiting (MIECHV) program. In this post we will go into detail on the background and...more
If Congress chose to do nothing other than what it absolutely has to address, it would have three very consuming legislative policy issues on its plate in 2017: the various User Fee Acts (UFAs) reauthorization, the...more
With Congress back in session, attention in the health care policy universe is directed squarely at Washington, where Republicans in Congress and the Trump Administration are debating how to repeal and replace the Affordable...more
This Week: Medicaid program takes financial hits as the House looks for “savers” and acts on a budget... while the Senate sees no reason to do a budget... The Senate focuses on ACA oversight and mental health and opioid abuse...more
This Week: The President took a victory lap in Wisconsin, announcing that 20 million people have gained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act... That figure includes people newly covered through insurance...more
On February 3, 2016, Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced a bipartisan bill that would expand telehealth...more
This Week: The House and Senate were out for Presidents’ Day recess... The Senate to vote on FDA Commissioner nominee Califf after 5:30 today... Medicare Advantage rates announced....more
On Oct. 8, the House Republican caucus did not select a candidate for Speaker of the House and selection has been delayed. The current Speaker, John Boehner (R-OH), had announced that he would step down and retire from...more
On September 25, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule entitled “Medicare Program: Medicare Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests Payment System”. This proposed rule would...more
This Week: FDA Begins Device User Fee Talks with Patients and Consumers Sept. 15... CMS Extends Partial Enforcement Delay of Two-Midnight Policy Through 2015... Alaska Legislature Sues Governor Over Medicaid Expansion....more
This Week: House E&C Releases Discussion Draft of 21st Century Cures Legislation Ahead of Legislative Hearing... FDA Finalizes Biosimilar Guidance Documents... CMS Updates Wage Index and Payment Rates for the Medicare Hospice...more
After a decade of short-term actions, congressional leaders are pushing this week to permanently repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that governs Medicare physician payment rates, and replace the system with one...more
In This Issue: - President Obama Releases FY2016 Budget Proposal - Implementation of the Affordable Care Act - Other Federal Regulatory Initiatives - Congressional Initiatives - Other Health...more