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 health disparities for individuals with less than a college degree in 2018 was $978 billion, roughly twice… (Marceno, Slifer, May 16, 2023) #Health Equity, #National Institutes of Health, #Social Determinants of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a study that finds that among US adults, the incidence of chronic pain is higher than that of diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and other common chronic conditions. Chronic pain was defined as pain felt every or most days during the past three-month period. Through analysis of 2019 and 2020 National Health Interview… (Marceno, Slifer, May 16, 2023) #Chronic Diseases, #Mental and Behavioral Health, #Opioids

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently issued a request for state and stakeholder comments on updates proposed to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Technical Guidance initially published under the 2015 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMSHA) CCBHC Notice of Funding Opportunity. CCBHCs provide community-based substance use disorder treatment and mental health… (Marceno, Llamas, May 15, 2023) #Demonstration Programs, #Mental and Behavioral Health

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Health convened a hearing to discuss how current legislation, regulations and other agency actions are shaping pharmaceutical and medical device innovation, prices and patient access. Topics discussed include praise for lower out-of-pocket costs as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) yet concerns about the unintended impact of IRA… (Joyce, May 15, 2023) #340B, #Affordable Care Act, #Biosimilars, #Costs, #COVID-19, #Demonstration Programs, #Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH), #Drug Pricing, #Food and Drug Administration, #Generic Drugs, #Insurance Coverage, #Medical Devices, #Pharmacy Benefit Managers, #Rural Health

The Department of Health and Human Services provided additional details on the Biden-Harris Administration initiative called Project NextGen, which involves an initial investment of $5 billion to accelerate the development of the next generation of vaccines and treatments through public-private collaborations. The project aims to stay ahead of COVID-19 and ensure that the United States is prepared for future pandemics…. (Colocho, May 15, 2023) #COVID-19, #Prevention, #Public Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a request for nominations for members to serve on the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HIPAC).   HICPAC is tasked with providing advice and guidance to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the CDC regarding the practice of infection control and strategies for surveillance, prevention, and control… (Llamas, April 28, 2023) #Public Health

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced the award of over $147 million to 49 recipients to support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative. The initiative is part of the Administration’s efforts to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the United States by at least 90 percent by 2030. The EHE… (Colocho, April 28, 2023) #Grants, #Prevention, #Public Health

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) convened a session on Friday entitled Denials and Appeals in Managed Care Plans as part of their ongoing analysis of the topic.   In January, MACPAC staff focused on their literature review, federal policy review and state scan.  Friday’s meeting shared findings from MACPAC’s state and stakeholder interviews.  In September, the… (Joyce, April 18, 2023) #Primary Care

As Black Maternal Health Week wraps up, a round table with Secretary Becerra and a range of leaders was held on Monday, HHS announced more than $468 million in funding to improve maternal and infant health, NIH will be hosting a multi-day event entitled Innovative Approaches to Improve Maternal Health on May 8-9, and comments are currently being accepted regarding… (Joyce, April 18, 2023) #Grants, #Health Equity, #Hospitals, #Physicians, #Prevention, #Primary Care, #Public Health, #Social Determinants of Health, #Women’s Health, #Workforce

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) convened a session to discuss the Commission’s findings from its ongoing analysis of Part D data on drug rebates and discounts. Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriation Act (CAA) of 2021, MedPAC was granted access to direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fee data reported to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Additionally, the… (Colocho, April 14, 2023) #Cost-Sharing, #Drug Pricing, #Generic Drugs, #Medicare Part D