Billy Wynne

ERISA’s 50th Anniversary: The Path to Higher Quality, Lower Cost Health Care The House Education & Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions convened a hearing to discuss ways to build upon and strengthen the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and address stakeholder feedback received through a recent request for information…

Departments Finalize Rules to Strengthen Parity Requirements for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits Today, the Departments of the Treasury, Labor (DOL), and Health and Human Services (HHS) (collectively, the Departments) released final rules intended to strengthen parity requirements for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) benefits provided by group health plans and…

Commission Discusses Enhancements to Quality Measurement for Rural Medicare Providers The Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) convened a session to discuss the measurement of the quality of care provided to Medicare beneficiaries by rural providers. MedPAC staff introduced core principles for quality measurement, which focus on a patient-centered approach designed to improve outcomes through enhanced…

Commission Reviews Context for Medicare Policy Discussions and Recommendations Over the 2024-2025 Meeting Cycle The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) convened a session to discuss a draft of the Commission’s context chapter on Medicare payment policy and financing. Principal Policy Analyst Rachel Burton detailed that the chapter serves as the backdrop for MedPAC discussions and…

Agency Releases Updated Data on Household Food Security and SNAP Participation The Department of Agriculture (USDA) released reports on household food security in 2023 and on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) household characteristics in fiscal year (FY) 2022. Highlights are included below. Household Food Security in the U.S. in 2023 In 2023, USDA found that 86.5…

HRSA Seeking Nominations for the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking nominations to the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV). ACCV comprises nine voting members with expertise in childhood vaccines, including three health professionals, three general public representatives, and three attorneys. The ACCV meets four times a…

Sen. Rounds Introduces AI Policy Package for Potential Inclusion in the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act; Calls for Centralized Biomedical Data Exchange Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced a package of five artificial intelligence (AI)-focused bills for the Senate to consider when it reconvenes in September. The legislation targets the use of AI in financial services,…

Federal Minimum Age for Sale of Tobacco Increased to 21 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule that will establish a new Federal minimum age of sale for tobacco products. This change is required by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Appropriations Act), and includes increasing the minimum age of sale for…

Biden-Harris Administration Awards Over $558 Million to Strengthen Maternal Health and Expand Home Visiting Programs and Maternal Mortality Review Committees The Biden-Harris Administration, through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced over $558 million in funding to improve maternal health, reinforcing its commitment to reducing the high maternal mortality rate in the U.S.…

SAMHSA Announces $65.7 Million for Substance Use Disorder Grants Including Provider Training and Treatment for Individuals at Risk of Becoming Unhoused The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced $65.7 million in grant awards for substance use prevention services, enhancing the behavioral health workforce and behavioral health care for children and those at risk of…