Congress

Senate Finance Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said Wednesday (April 10) if senators cannot reach consensus on a package to lower prescription drug costs by June, such a package may not pass this year.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) bashed Medicare for All and other universal health care proposals Tuesday (April 9) at the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) annual meeting and urged hospital groups to lobby against the progressive Democrats’ proposals.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said on Tuesday (April 8) at the American Hospital Association’s annual meeting that action must be taken to ease the impact of scheduled Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital payment (DSH) cuts, calling for hospital groups to work with lawmakers on remedies.

The House Ways & Means Committee on Tuesday (April 9) unanimously approved drug-pricing legislation that would demand price transparency from drug makers and pharmacy benefit managers.

The new chairman of the Advanced Medical Technology Association’s (AdvaMed’s) board of directors, Kevin Lobo, says the most pressing issue facing the industry is the Affordable Care Act’s 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices, the latest moratorium on which ends next year.

Over 40 consumer groups asked Congress to ensure that any surprise billing legislation they pass applies to all insurance plans and care settings and takes steps beyond simply increasing transparency requirements for plans and providers.

Congressional Medicare advisers on Friday (April 5) mulled a proposal to fundamentally restructure the Medicare Part D coverage gap and catastrophic phase to prepare the system for an impending influx of high-cost specialty drugs.

Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) reintroduced their bill to add a Medicare-like, publicly operated health insurance option to the Affordable Care Act’s individual markets.

Senate health committee leader Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said Thursday (April 4) he hopes to bring a wide-ranging legislative package to reduce health care costs before his committee by June or July based on more-than 400 recommendations he received from provider groups, policy experts, health plans and others.