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Federal Health Policy Updates for the Week of November 11, 2019

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The Headlines

  1. Congress continues to work towards funding the government for FY 2020.
  2. A House subcommittee approved legislation regarding flavored tobacco products and maternal health.
  3. A House Committee held a hearing on the health care workforce.

The Details

1. Federal funding and calendar update
Current government funding runs out on November 21, and Congress has yet to pass a single spending bill for FY 2020. Following a week-long recess in the House, congressional leaders returned to Washington and reportedly agreed to extend the current continuing resolution through December 20. The House also began public impeachment hearings in the House Intelligence Committee this week and will hold several more hearings next week.  

2. House markup on tobacco products and maternal health
The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee approved a slate of bills on November 13, including legislation (H.R. 2339) to ban flavored tobacco products, push the purchasing age up to 21 nationwide, and ban online sales. The subcommittee adopted an amendment from Rep. G.K. Butterfield (NC-01), whose district includes Duke Health, that would instruct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to focus on smoking cessation among underserved communities and racial minorities.

The Subcommittee also approved legislation (H.R. 4995) that would authorize grants to implement rural obstetric networks, maternal telehealth programs, and a rural maternal care training demonstration, as well as legislation (H.R. 4996) aimed at curbing maternal mortality rates by allowing states the option of extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum. All of the approved bills now await consideration by the full Committee.

3. House hearing on the health care workforce
On November 13, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing that analyzed ways the health care workforce can be trained to leverage new technologies to lower costs, incentivize start-ups, and provide quality care. Witnesses from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) testified.