Congress will be in recess through October 14. Please check our Twitter for any updates in the meantime.
The Headlines
- The Senate approved a short-term continuing resolution to fund the federal government before the new fiscal year begins October 1.
- House leaders are working to introduce a Cures 2.0 Act.
- Duke held its biennial State and District Staff Day for NC-based congressional staff.
- The American Hospital Association held an advocacy day in Washington, DC.
The Details
1. Senate approved a short-term funding bill
The new federal fiscal year begins October 1, and Congress has not enacted any of the 12 appropriations bill for FY 2020 that fund 15 federal departments and agencies. On September 26, the Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government at current levels through November 21 and avert a second government shutdown this year. Both North Carolina Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis voted for the bill. The president is expected to sign the bill.
House leaders announced they will open a formal impeachment inquiry on President Trump, which could lead to strain on the appropriations process. Senate Appropriations Chair Richard Shelby (R-AL) has said that impeachment proceedings could affect regular order in the Senate, and force “more and more continuing resolutions.”
2. Cures 2.0 in the works
Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) are working on a second iteration of the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 signed into law by President Barack Obama, which aims to reform the way drugs are approved and medical research is conducted. Specifically, the legislation increased funding to the National Institutes of Health, provided more authority to the Food and Drug Administration, and required more efficient information-sharing between providers and patients.
3. State and District Staff Day
On September 25, our office in coordination with the Duke University Office of Government Relations held our biennial State and District Staff Day for NC-based congressional staff. In the morning, staff spent time on the University side with President Vincent Price and others before attending health sessions after lunch.
During the afternoon presentations, they had the opportunity to meet with key health system leadership while learning about the care we deliver to active military and Veterans across the health system, including a tour by the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine & Environmental Physiology Medical Director Dr. Richard Moon. The group also met with Dr. Monte Brown, Vice President of Administration and Secretary for DUHS and Associate Dean of Veterans Affairs for the Duke University School of Medicine, about recently enacted legislation to make care more accessible for Veterans in non-VA settings. He also led a tour of the Duke Health campus, including a view of the new Duke Central Tower.
4. AHA Advocacy Day
On September 24, the American Hospital Association held an advocacy day for hospitals to meet with their congressional representatives on surprise billing, the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DHS) program, and site-neutral payment provisions. Duke Health supports protecting patients from surprise medical bills and allowing providers and health plans to negotiate payment rates for the services provided. In addition, Duke Health supports the continuing resolution that includes a provision to delay reductions in Medicaid DSH allotments, which are scheduled to take effect October 1, 2019.