Take heart in challenge
You’re uniquely qualified
To meet it as you
(I wrote my first haiku in this space in May 2020. After four and half years and over 150 original haikus, this is my last for the newsletter and Duke Health. It’s been an honor – and so much fun. Thank you for reading. ~ James)
And from Catherine and the Government Relations team to James:
Poet laureate
Writing about politics
He is one of one
We wish James the very best in his next chapter and are all better people for having worked with and learned from him! We are thankful for his friendship and mentorship, his patience and collegiality, his unique obsession with Chevron and other legal rulings, and his next role that keeps him firmly in the healthcare advocacy community. And we are thankful for our great Duke Health family and all that you do for our families and communities. Happy Thanksgiving to a very special team!
Publication Notice: Congress will take a brief recess next week for the Thanksgiving holiday – and so will our newsletter. We will resume our regular publication schedule the week of December 2nd.
The Rundown
- Congress prepares for year-end debates; Trump names key nominees
- DEA extends tele-prescribing flexibilities through 2025
- What’s up, NC delegation?
- From our desks
- Join the Duke Health Advocacy Network!
Federal Updates
Trust no (days) under 30?
The current continuing resolution countdown clock is running and now under thirty days – and Congress will recess next week for the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s shaping up to be a December to remember no matter how long the two chambers remain in session or the scope of their work. Among the issues is reaching basic agreement on a federal funding strategy. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has indicated preferences for a shorter-term continuing resolution (CR) extension into early next year so that a Republican-led Congress and administration can make decisions on final spending and related policy priorities.
However, leaders of both parties in the Senate, as well as many rank-and-file members, are not yet ready to concede the possibility of a much broader spending deal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 that would cover the remainder of the fiscal year through the end of September. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has suggested that newly minted majorities may be better served by clearing the decks of as much outstanding business as possible so that the 119th Congress can more quickly pivot to the Trump administration’s first 100 days agenda. With no public resolution in sight, and no formal endorsement for a path forward from the President-elect yet, a vanishing calendar may dictate what happens next. The current CR expires December 20th, and neither chamber is eager to remain in session beyond that date.
Outside of keeping the federal government’s lights on, what else might “ride” on a year-end legislative package? Some healthcare priorities appear to be leading contenders, including bipartisan efforts to “fix” impending Medicare physician payment cuts and extensions of current flexibilities for telehealth under Medicare and the Acute Care Hospital at Home Program. Many other big issues, including reauthorizations of federal programs, including pandemic preparedness, may slip to next year.
Separately, President-elect Trump’s transition team has released a flurry of nominees to potentially serve in cabinet-level and agency leadership positions this week. Former presidential candidate, attorney, and businessman Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has been nominated to succeed Xavier Becerra as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Physician, television personality, and former Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz has been nominated to replace Chiquita Brooks-LaSure as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Even with a 53-47 seat Republican majority in the Senate, all confirmable nominees will receive scrutiny and face confirmation hearings. Process will determine what happens next, not necessarily the wishes of the President-elect. This is true for every incoming administration, regardless of the balance of power in the Senate.
Our team is gathering intel and coordinating with our partners across the country to strategically plan for 2025 – and we look forward to engaging with you as we learn more.
For now, there’s still time on the clock for 2024. Let’s go.
DEA extends tele-prescribing flexibilities through 2025
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has announced that it will be extending current flexibilities for the tele-prescribing of controlled substances through December 31, 2025. Prior to the announcement, the public health emergency-era rules for tele-prescription were set to expire at the end of this year.
The extension is the result of ongoing disagreements between DEA and HHS over safety provisions and the scope of a final rule. DEA is also reportedly considering establishing a special registration process that would allow qualifying providers and controlled substances to be prescribed via telehealth without certain in-person evaluation requirements.
An updated proposed rule could be published in early 2025 but will be subject to review by the incoming Trump administration.
What’s Up, NC Delegation?
On November 15th, Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) introduced a resolution to designate November 4 – November 10 as National Forensic Nursing Week. For survivors of violence and abuse, forensic nurses provide specialized care that addresses the specific needs of the individual. Along with providing health care for survivors, forensic nurses often provide other critical support for victims of violence, including law enforcement reporting. Text of the resolution is available here.
The House passed legislation (Veterans Employment Readiness Yield (VERY) Act (HR 7653)) introduced by Rep. Don Davis (D-NC-01) and Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) to make it easier for disabled Veterans to access employment and other services provided by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC), and Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the Biden administration to release its emergency disaster supplemental funding request to Congress in the wake of the devastation left behind in NC and neighboring states and communities following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The White House subsequently sent a $100 billion disaster recovery request to Congress on Monday, November 15th.
Senator Tillis also signed a letter circulating in the Senate urging that chamber’s leadership to not only stop the 2.8% cut to the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) but also provide physicians with a payment update that reflects inflation. Our office asked Senator Tillis to support this effort and we are grateful for his support.
From our desks
This week, our team held a virtual conversation with Duke Health team members about the outcomes of the 2024 election, implications for state and federal legislative issues that impact Duke Health, and the importance of engagement. Thank you to all who attended. We appreciate your questions and encourage you to stay in touch with our teams as we transition to a new administration and the 119th Congress in January.
We continue to support advocacy efforts urging Congress to avoid a potential “telehealth” cliff at the end of the year and extend flexibilities for Medicare reimbursed telehealth and the Acute Care Hospital at Home program beyond the current December 31, 2024 expiration date.
Our office participated in the monthly meeting of the National Association of ACOs to hear the latest policy updates and share information. Our office has also continued outreach to congressional offices urging support of Duke Health’s priorities in a final government funding bill.
Join the Duke Health Advocacy Network!
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We encourage you to explore the channel, as we will post relevant news items, policy updates, questions, advocacy resources, and opportunities for engagement. As importantly, this is your space to do the same and to help grow the community.
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