Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with Senate Finance Committee (SFC) Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) released a discussion draft that would establish pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reporting requirements with respect to prescription drugs plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantages PDPs (MA-PDs) (press release). Overall, the bill would increase transparency of prescription drug… (Slifer, July 12, 2023) #Pharmacy Benefit Managers, #Transparency

The House Committee on Education and Workforce (E&W) leadership Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced the following package of bills aimed in increasing transparency in health care: The Transparency in Billing Act (H.R. 4509) – The bill, authored by Chairwoman Foxx and Ranking Member Scott, would require that insurers to only pay claims for items and services submitted by… (Slifer, July 11, 2023) #Insurance Reform, #Pharmacy Benefit Managers, #Transparency

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released a white paper that retroactively analyzed previous model evaluations to determine the models’ impacts on health equity. CMMI notes that models tested prior to 2021 were not explicitly designed to serve underserved populations and therefore the evaluations of such models did not focus on health equity-related outcomes. The white paper examined 17 models:… (Slifer, July 10, 2023) #Demonstration Programs, #Health Equity

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC) Program issued a request for supplemental evidence and data submissions (SEADs) to inform its review on Breastfeeding and Health Outcomes for Infants and Children. AHRQ commissioned the EPC Program to conduct a systematic review on the association between breastfeeding/human milk consumption and health outcomes for infants and children…. (Colocho, July 3, 2023) #Pediatrics, #Prevention, #Public Health, #Women’s Health

President Biden announced a series of actions to promote educational opportunity and diversity in colleges and universities following the Supreme Court’s rejection of affirmative action last week. The Administration considers this recent Supreme Court decision, which ruled that colleges cannot explicitly consider applicant’s race in admissions, could undermine efforts to advance racial equity and expand educational opportunities. The Biden-Harris Administration… (Colocho, July 3, 2023) #Health Equity, #Public Health

Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that describes the agency’s proposed actions to remedy the payment for 340B drugs for calendar years (CYs) 2018 through 2022 (press release).  What is it. In June 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that CMS’s differential payment of the average sales price (ASP) minus 22.5 percent for 340B drug was unlawful because… (Slifer, July 7, 2023) #340B

The Department of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (Departments) released a proposed rule to ensure short-term, limited duration insurance (STLDI) and fixed indemnity benefits coverage do not undermine consumer protections and requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (fact sheet). It is part of a new series of actions announced by the Biden Administration to “lower health care… (Llamas, July 7, 2023) #Insurance Coverage

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Treasury issued a request for information (RFI) on high-cost specialty financial products used to pay for health care (press release). The agencies are collaborating for the first time to explore whether health care provider and third-party efforts to promote products such as… (Colocho, July 7, 2023) #Costs, #Public Health, #Transparency

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) released a report on the projected impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on Medicare Part D out-of-pocket (OOP) spending.  This is part of a series of actions from the Biden Administration to lower health care costs and protect consumers. Pursuant to the IRA, the redesigned Part D… (Slifer, July 7, 2023) #Drug Pricing

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unveiled and are seeking feedback on a bipartisan discussion draft of the 2023 Reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (press release). Public comments are due July 10.   Policy Outlook. Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) plan to mark up their bipartisan bill in July…. (Llamas, McClurg, Lewis, July 3, 2023) #Public Health