Wait. No shutdown threat?
What are we going to do?
Just everything else
The Rundown
- Congress returns to work with a long to-do list
- E&C Subcommittee hears from CDC Director Cohen on respiratory disease readiness
- E&C Subcommittee on Health examines AI in healthcare
- Updates on our NC delegation
- President Biden announces new NCI Director
- The latest from our desks
- Join the Duke Health Advocacy Network!
Federal Updates
Back to December and back to work
The House and Senate came back into session this week, kicking off a quieter than normal December sprint until Christmas and the New Year’s holiday. Since Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) in mid-November, for the first time in a decade, there won’t be a year-end government funding bill this month, which in past years has also been an opportunity to move other heath policies.
So, what will they be working on if they don’t have a year-end government funding bill? We’re so glad you asked!
Most of the focus right now is on the Biden Administration’s $105 billion supplemental funding request related to aid for Israel and Ukraine, federal disaster relief, and border funding. All indications suggest that a deal on this supplemental funding request is contingent on a bipartisan group of senators coming to an agreement on changes to asylum policies and border-security measures.
Other issues for consideration over the next few weeks include FISA foreign surveillance authority, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization, and the annual defense authorization bill. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) formally authorizes broad programmatic and spending initiatives at the Department of Defense (DOD), including the Defense Health Program, which supports and funds DOD medical research, as well as the Defense-supported medical workforce.
E&C Subcommittee hears from Director Cohen on respiratory disease readiness
This week, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing entitled, “Unmasking Challenges CDC Faces in Rebuilding Public Trust Amid Respiratory Illness Season.” Dr. Mandy Cohen, Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and former Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, served as the witness for the hearing. The focus of the hearing (according to majority leadership) was to give members the opportunity to evaluate the agency’s readiness and preparedness plans for the current respiratory disease season, as well as future public health crises, and examine the effectiveness of the CDC’s recent reorganization efforts.
In her testimony, Director Cohen discussed CDC’s core capabilities across three domains that have been put into action during this year’s fall and winter respiratory season: rapidly detecting and responding to health threats; providing timely commonsense evidence-based solutions to protect and improve health; and building toward a broader integrated effective system that protects the public’s health. She discussed tools such as the respiratory disease forecast and a new respiratory disease website, which supports faster and more transparent information, noting that these provide a combined view of COVID-19, flu, and RSV. She discussed the importance of strengthening the infrastructure and systems built during the pandemic response, including the importance of a data system integrated with healthcare, and jurisdictional partners noting that the end of the public health emergency has limited ability to show county level information for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. She said the CDC is working to put agreements with partners to address this, but still needs support and resources from Congress. She further discussed the Bridge Access program to address gaps in vaccine access.
It’s AI, again: E&C Subcommittee on Health looks at healthcare AI
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing this week on “Understanding How AI is Changing Healthcare.” This was the subcommittee’s first hearing on artificial intelligence (AI) as Congress has become increasingly interested in regulating the technology.
Committee members heard from industry and academic medicine witnesses about how AI is currently being utilized in healthcare and how regulatory efforts may impact innovation, application, and development.
While there was some consensus on the potential risks of AI, committee members and witnesses had different approaches to potential solutions, particularly about the size and scope of the role of the federal government in setting guidelines and oversight. The hearing was yet another opportunity for committee leadership to talk about the need for establishing a national data privacy law, which has been a priority for full Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).
Ahead of the hearing, our team reached out to the office of Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC-09), a member of the subcommittee, to share the work of Duke AI Health for the congressman’s mention and committee’s reference.
What’s up, NC Delegation?
This week, Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC-03) introduced the “No Fees for EFTs Act” to prohibit health insurers from charging fees for standard electronic fund transfers to pay health care providers for services. “Fees associated with electronic transactions for physician services are an unnecessary and costly burden on providers and patients," said Murphy. "Greedy health insurers attempt to scalp doctors and patients every step of the way throughout the care process to line their pockets. We don't tolerate paying fees to receive direct deposit of a paycheck, likewise, doctors and patients should not be forced to pay predatory fees on electronic payments on essential health services."
Before Congress recessed for the Thanksgiving holiday, Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11) announced that he had been appointed to the House Appropriations Committee. He is currently the only member of the NC delegation on the Committee, which is also a rare feat for a first-term Member. In his statement, Rep. Edwards said, “I am truly honored that my House colleagues looked at my business background and experience in the North Carolina Senate and saw that I could contribute in this significant way in Washington...I am also proud to be following in the footsteps of former Congressman Charles Taylor to use this position to help make a difference for Western North Carolina. I have always said we need to bring more of NC to DC, and I plan to do that in this role.”
ICYMI: President Biden announces new NCI Director
President Biden announced his intention to appoint W. Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D., to lead the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Rathmell currently serves as the Hugh Jackson Morgan Chair in Medicine, Chair of the Department of Medicine, and Physician-in-Chief at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In a statement applauding this appointment, NIH’s new Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, who previously led NCI, stated that “Dr. Rathmell is an ideal candidate to lead NIH’s efforts to end cancer as we know it. She has spent her career driving efforts to boost support and improve outcomes for those facing a cancer diagnosis, living the principles of President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative.” Dr. Bertagnolli also expressed her admiration for Dr. Rathmell’s dedication to mentorship and training the next generation of physician-scientists.
From our desk(s): Duke Health GR this week
This week, our office accompanied Duke University Health System CEO Dr. Craig Albanese to DC for meetings with several members of the North Carolina congressional delegation. Dr. Albanese had the opportunity to meet with Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC-03), in addition to senior staff for Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC-09). The meetings included conversations about how our health system cares for patients and its workforce while also expanding access in more Duke Health locations across our region.
We advocated for cosponsorhip and support of the “Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act,” which aims to reduce barriers and improve access to cancer screenings by requiring state Medicaid programs, Medicare, and private insurers to cover annual screenings for all eligible individuals based on guidance and recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force without cost-sharing. The bill would also prohibit prior authorization for lung cancer screenings. At our urging, Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) agreed to co-sponsor the bill.
We coordinated support for a Dear Colleague letter to House and Senate leadership urging quick legislative action to prevent the 3.37% cut to Medicare reimbursement scheduled for Jan. 1, 2024. Thus far, Reps. Ross and Don Davis (D-NC-01) are supporting the effort. The letter does not close until December 12.
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