Billy Wynne

Committee Advances Six Bills to Lower Health Care Costs and Increase Price Transparency; PATIENT Act Advanced with Site-Neutral Payments for Outpatient Drugs, PBM Reform and Reauthorization for Health Workforce Programs The House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Health Subcommittee convened a markup of bipartisan bills focused on lowering health care costs, strengthening Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)…

Agency Solicits Input and Expertise to Inform Measure Development for Medicaid HCBS and Medicare QPP The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently opened a public comment opportunity related to Medicaid home and community based services (HCBS) quality measure development, maintenance, and alignment. Details about the opportunity follow in the table below.   Measure…

Agency Proposes Medicaid Drug Rebate Program Transparency Requirements Including Drug Price Verification Survey The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to implement new policies in the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP) to increase transparency. What is it. The proposed rule establishes new requirements under the MDRP, including requirements for manufacturers,…

FAQs Explain What the End of the PHE Means For Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccines and Tests, and Flexibilities Related to Telehealth and Billing The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on waivers, flexibilities, and the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) that expired May…

New Actions Aimed Youth Mental Health and Online Safety Released The Biden Administration released a fact sheet on actions to protect youth mental health, safety, and privacy online. The White House asserts that social media use in schools is affecting students’ mental health and disrupting learning tackling the mental health crisis is a top priority…

Maternal Health Updates: HRSA Awards $65+ Million to Health Centers to Improve Maternal Health; HHS Announces Newborn Supply Kits and Website for New Families The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced $65 million in grants to help health centers address the maternal health crisis plus a partnership with Baby2Baby to support families…

Subcommittee Demonstrates Bipartisan Support for Increasing Access to Effective Behavioral Health Services The Senate HELP Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement convened a hearing to discuss gaps and opportunities in communities to increase access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. The hearing provided an opportunity for members to discuss community-driven solutions and…

FNS and FRAC Award $16 Million for WIC Outreach Projects The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced that it has partnered with the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) through a cooperative agreement to award $16 million in subgrants to improve outreach in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,…

Biden-Harris Administration Addresses Unsheltered Homelessness The Biden-Harris Administration announced the launch of the new ALL INside initiative to address unsheltered homelessness. Through this initiative, the US Interagency Council on Homelessness and its member agencies will partner with state and local governments to get unsheltered people into homes in six areas: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix…

Research Highlights the Economic Burden of Health Disparities to the US Economy A recent study funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) estimates the total cost of racial and ethnic health inequities to the US Economy in 2018 was $451 billion. Further, the study estimates the total cost of education-related…