K&L Gates Triage: An Insider’s Perspective on the Health Care Debate in Washington, DC
With the reconciliation package signed into law, the U.S. House of Representatives is in recess and will return on July 14, 2025. In the interim, the U.S. Senate will focus on the appropriations bills for fiscal year (FY)...more
Last Friday, President Trump declared the spread of COVID-19 to be a national emergency, ushering in new flexibilities for federal health care programs to address the crisis. Within hours of the announcement, the Centers for...more
On March 13, 2020, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act and made an emergency determination under the Stafford Act. This announcement follows the January 31, 2020,...more
On March 13, 2020, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation declaring a national emergency concerning the novel coronavirus disease (the “Emergency Declaration”). The president framed the emergency declaration as...more
This week in Washington: The House is not in session. The Senate will resume the impeachment trial on Tuesday....more
This week in Washington: Congress is in recess for the July 4th holiday. Upcoming Hearings/Markups... ...more
President Trump has issued an Executive Order instructing several federal agencies to begin rulemaking processes intended to increase the transparency of hospital pricing. Among other measures, the Executive Order directs the...more
In recent weeks, the states of California and Washington, and New York City have proposed expanding Medicaid eligibility for undocumented young adults. Given Medicaid’s combination of state and federal funding, House and...more
HOUSE TO VOTE ON DOZENS OF OPIOID BILLS WHILE SENATE READIES COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE - The House this week will begin considering some of the 70 different opioid bills that have been approved by eight different committees,...more
Foley & Lardner LLP’s (“Foley”) Bipartisan Public Policy Team is pleased to share our “Public Policy Weekly Health Care Newsletter” in which we compile the latest health care policy news and legislation....more
LAWMAKERS PRAISE, CRITICIZE TRUMP PLAN ON DRUG PRICES - On Capitol Hill, reaction to President Donald Trump’s “American Patients First” plan to bring down prescription drug prices fell predictably along partisan lines:...more
Foley & Lardner LLP’s (“Foley”) Bipartisan Public Policy Team is pleased to share our second “Public Policy Weekly* Health Care Newsletter” in which we compile the latest health care policy news and legislation. Please...more
The Trump Administration on Feb. 12 released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget request, titled "An American Budget." Unlike last year's budget, which was released in late May, the release of this budget conforms to the typical...more
• Congress amended current law to prevent CMS from applying the “MIPS” payment adjustment to separately billed items like drugs and biologics, which will drastically reduce the total amount of payment adjustments to clinical...more
The Trump administration and Republican-led Congress spent substantial time and political capital in 2017 on efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and enact sweeping Medicaid reform. By the end of the...more
Another Continuing Resolution. Or Two? Within days of passing the CR to reopen the government, multiple Members of Congress expressed the possibility of needing another CR to fund the government after February 8. ...more
On January 9th, the Senate Committee on Finance conducted its nomination hearing of Alex Michael Azar II, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Under President George W. Bush, Mr. Azar served...more
House Majority Leader McCarthy informed members on Thursday that they should be ready to vote this evening on a motion to go to conference with the Senate on tax legislation, despite the House not scheduled to be in session....more
Short-term Continuing Resolution Likely Needed to Fund Government Past December Deadline: Republicans are focused on tax reform through Thanksgiving, and when lawmakers return from the upcoming holiday recess, they will have...more
The Trump Administration released on May 23, 2017, its full Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget request, titled "A New Foundation for American Greatness." President Donald Trump's request builds off of the administration's March 16...more
Perspectives on Health Care and Life Sciences - Medicaid has been a vital part of the American health care safety net for more than 50 years. Today, Medicaid, along with the State Children’s Health Insurance Program...more
The total U.S. health care expenditure was $3.2 trillion in 2015, and is projected to grow to nearly $5.6 trillion by 2025. As our nation’s cost of care rises, both Democrats and Republicans recognize the overwhelming need to...more
ALERT: "No Contract" Disclaimer in Employee Handbook Upheld by Illinois CourtAuthor: Employee handbooks have long been a trap for the unwary employer that desires merely to establish a set of rules and policies without...more
As we enter the final stretch of the U.S. presidential election, health care remains one of the most contested issues with great potential for change, particularly to existing insurance and patient care systems. Compounding...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