The Headlines
- Congress continues to work towards funding the government for FY 2020.
- The Trump Administration released rules on price transparency.
- The House passed legislation regarding workplace violence.
- A group of bipartisan Senators introduced bills to reauthorize PCORI and to make available new residency slots to address the opioid epidemic.
- The North Carolina General Assembly approved new congressional maps for the 2020 elections.
The Details
1. Federal funding and calendar update
Current government funding was set to run out on November 21, but with hours to spare, Congress approved and the president signed into law another short-term continuing resolution that will expire on December 20. The House also resumed public impeachment hearings in the House Intelligence Committee this week.
2. Transparency rules released for hospitals and insurers
On November 15, the Trump Administration announced new rules aimed at making it easier for consumers to learn how much hospitals charge health insurers. One proposed rule targets health plans in both the exchanges and employer-sponsored insurance market. Plans would have to disclose the rates they negotiate with providers in their networks, as well as the amounts they allow for out-of-network care. Insurers would also have to tell patients through an online tool what they would owe out-of-pocket for all covered health care services.
The administration also finalized a separate rule for hospitals that is effective January 2021. Hospitals would have to disclose rates negotiated with insurers; what the hospital is willing to accept in cash from a patient and the minimum and maximum negotiated charges. The requirement would apply for all items and services and be available online in a single data file. Hospitals would have to post that information online for 300 common services such as X-rays and lab tests in an easily understandable format or face fines of up to $300 per day. Four major groups, including the American Hospital Association, are planning a legal challenge.
3. Workplace violence legislation passes the House
The House approved H.R. 1309, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, which would direct the Department of Labor to mandate a new standard requiring health care and social service employers to develop and implement a plan for protecting their employees from workplace violence. It now awaits action by the Senate.
4. PCORI reauthorization bill and Opioid Workforce Act introduced
This week, a group of bipartisan Senators introduced legislation that would reauthorize the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) through FY 2029. Among other things, the bill would add four slots to the PCORI Board for private payers and would require collection of clinical and patient-centered outcomes data related to burden and economic impact. The Opioid Workforce Act (S. 2892) would address the freeze on Medicare support for graduate medical education and make available 1,000 new residency positions to hospitals that have or are in the process of establishing approved programs in addiction medicine, addiction psychiatry, or pain medicine. Both bills await action by the Senate Finance Committee.
5. New congressional maps approved
The North Carolina General Assembly recently approved a replacement map for the state's congressional districts for use in the 2020 elections. Under the new map, the current 10-3 margin held by House Republicans could be narrowed to 8-5, with the 2nd and 6th Districts leaning more Democratic as drawn. However, this week a panel of state court judges announced it would meet on December 2 to consider next steps and that no one can file when the filing period opens that day. North Carolina's primaries are scheduled for March 3, 2020.