The Headlines
- Congress continues to work towards funding the government for FY 2020.
- Congressional districts in North Carolina must be redrawn.
- The House and Senate approved various legislation to strengthen the health care workforce.
- Rep. GK Butterfield (NC-01) cosponsored legislation in support of pediatric researchers.
- A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers introduced telehealth legislation.
The Details
1. Federal funding update
Congress has until November 21 to agree on FY 2020 appropriations bills before the current continuing resolution expires. As of October 1, the House had passed 10 of 12 annual spending measures, and the Senate this week approved its first four spending bills. Among other things, the pending impeachment inquiry and funding for the president’s border wall continue to be sticking points for negotiations.
2. State judges order new maps for congressional districts
On October 28, a three-judge panel ruled that North Carolina’s current 13 congressional districts show signs of “extreme partisan gerrymandering” and must be redrawn by the legislature before the next election. The state’s 2020 primary elections are set for March 3, 2020.
3. House and Senate committee approves slate of public health bills
On October 31, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved a host of public health bills, including legislation to reauthorize Title VIII nursing workforce development programs and legislation to control and eradicate tickborne viruses. The latter was renamed for former North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan, who recently died due to encephalitis caused by the tickborne Powassan virus. Both bills now await action by the full Senate.
On October 28, the House approved five bills that aim to improve the nation’s health care system. They now await action by the Senate.
- H.R. 2781, the EMPOWER for Health Act of 2019, would reauthorize funding at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for health profession workforce, education, and training programs. The legislation would expand efforts to increase diversity, improve geriatrics education and training, and grow the pediatric health care workforce. The bill also would create a new authorization of $5 million to increase workforce diversity in the professions of physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, and speech-language pathology.
- H.R. 728, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019, would reauthorize funding for federal nursing workforce development grant programs administered by HRSA for five years. These programs include traineeships, loan repayment, and scholarships for nurses to attain advance practice status and to become nursing faculty.
- H.R. 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, would improve education, health care professional training, and research into palliative care and hospice care through grant programs that create Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers, support projects to fund training of physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine, and which promote the career development of academic hospice and palliative care physicians.
- H.R. 2115, the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act, would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make public the aggregate rebates, discounts, and price concessions that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) negotiate with drug manufacturers. Additionally, Medicare prescription drug plan sponsors would implement an electronic, real-time benefit tool that is capable of integrating with at least one prescriber's electronic prescribing system or electronic health record so beneficiaries have access to better information about their drug plan at the point of prescribing.
- H.R. 1781, the Payment Commission Data Act of 2019, would provide the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) with access to drug pricing and rebate data under Medicare Parts B and D, as well as under Medicaid.
4. Pediatricians Accelerate Childhood Therapies (PACT) Act
Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have long been concerned about the challenges associated with recruiting and retaining early-career researchers. Most recently, there have been cuts in the number of training slots in NIH-supported programs, including a 60% reduction in the Child Health Research Center program and a 40% reduction in the Physician Scientist Development Program.
Last week, Rep. Butterfield cosponsored H.R. 4519, the PACT Act, which would support the next generation of pediatric researchers. The bill has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration and would:
- Establish a NIH-wide grant to support early-career pediatric researchers.
- Direct NIH to work with pediatric stakeholders to identify specific areas of need, including aligning with existing NIH pediatric research goals and emerging areas.
- Make awards to promising scientists who have not yet achieved research independence, with special consideration given to those from historically underrepresented population.
- Provide support for diverse array of research related activities, including mentoring, laboratory staff, and technical assistance.
5. Telehealth legislation introduced
A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers reintroduced the CONNECT for Health Act to expand payment for telehealth services. Specifically, the bill would remove geographic restrictions on payment for various services, including for virtual mental health treatment, and it would allow patients to get coverage for treatment they receive at home.