Congress

Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine (VA) and Michael Bennet (CO) Wednesday (Feb.17) previewed an updated version of their legislation to create a new public option in the exchanges that relies on Medicare infrastructure and allows for higher reimbursement rates for rural hospitals than did earlier versions.

More than 150 Democratic members of Congress and 23 attorneys general are backing plaintiffs in an appeals case that seeks to prevent FDA from enforcing in-person prescribing restrictions for the abortion medication mifepristone.

House Energy & Commerce legislation to remove the cap on inflationary drug rebates in Medicaid would save taxpayers $15.9 billion over a decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

After a month of pressure from advocates who blamed Republicans for holding up the process, the Senate health committee has scheduled a confirmation hearing for HHS Secretary nominee Xavier Becerra on Feb. 23, and Senate Finance committee staff said they expect to announce a hearing for him later this week.

Senators should hold a confirmation hearing for President Joe Biden’s HHS Secretary nominee Xaiver Becerra once they return later this month from break, former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, among others, demanded in a press call Friday (Feb. 12), pointing out additional appointments to CMS and other agencies can’t be filled until the secretary is in place.

Two Florida-based medical organizations are asking Congress to extend the temporary 6.2% bump in federal Medicaid matching funds (FMAP) until at least June 30, 2022 -- six months more than when it’s currently expected to end -- arguing states need the increased funds beyond the pandemic so they can manage the thousands more enrolled in Medicaid and avoid cuts to hospitals and providers.

The House Way & Means Committee cleared its piece of the chamber’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 package, which would increase and enhance Affordable Care Act tax credits, provide maximum credits to anyone on unemployment in 2021, subsidize COBRA, and offer tax relief to Americans who would otherwise have to return ACA subsidy overpayments.

State Medicaid programs would see a temporary 7.35% increase in federal matching funds in order to improve their home- and community-based service options under the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s portion of Democrats’ pandemic relief bill, to be marked up Thursday (Feb. 11).

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on Thursday (Feb. 4) introduced an antitrust bill that could impact drug industry mergers and several drug industry practices, including product hopping and rebate walls, antitrust lawyers say.