Congress

Provider groups and plans are calling on Congress to give them greater access to claims data and to make the true cost of services transparent as the Senate health committee looks for possible solutions to driving down health care costs.

Congressional Medicare advisers blasted Congress for changes to the Medicare coverage gap last year and asked lawmakers to make plans responsible for a larger share of prescription drug costs in Part D.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) asked HHS Secretary Alex Azar to inform the Senate Finance Committee about any talks CMS is having with states on running their Medicaid programs through block grants, and the answer he got was no.

The lobby representing the nation’s dental plans and dozens of lawmakers from both parties are urging CMS to update healthcare.gov so that all Americans, including Medicare beneficiaries, can purchase stand-alone dental plans without having to first buy medical insurance.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar told Senate Finance Committee members Thursday (March 14) that the more than 18,000 Arkansas residents who lost Medicaid coverage after work requirements took effect is a normal level of churn.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar and House Republicans criticized the recently introduced Medicare For All bill at a House Energy & Commerce health subcommittee hearing Tuesday (March 12), saying it would eliminate Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, a claim that the office of Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said was true, but the office said the bill would cover everything MA does.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) said Wednesday (March 13) that drug-pricing policy proposals that are likely to pass in Congress this session would benefit Medicare more than the commercial market.

Democrats on the House Energy & Commerce Committee continued their effort to crack down on the Trump administration’s expansion of what they call “junk insurance,” launching an investigation into a dozen groups that market or offer short-term, limited-duration health plans.

Senate Finance Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is considering changing the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital pay formula, and his office told Inside Health Policy another delay of the cuts would simply be a budget gimmick.