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Health Policy Updates for the Week of May 13, 2019

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The Headlines

  1. The House and Senate introduced discussion draft legislation to address surprise medical billing.
  2. Leslie Mason, Pamela Edwards, Faith Waters and Denise Williams attended the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Advocacy Day. 
  3. Republican Dan Bishop will face Democrat Dan McCready in the September 10 election for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District.
  4. Over 300 House members presented a letter to House leadership urging them to delay the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts for at least two years.
  5. The House passes a package of bills aimed at lowering drug prices and strengthening the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 
  6. See below for this week's hearing updates.

The Details

1. Surprise Billing Legislation
On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders released draft legislation to address surprise billing. The “No Surprises Act” would: prohibit balance billing for emergency services; require written and oral notice about provider’s network status when scheduling appointments; establish a minimum payment standard set at median contracted geographic rates; and provide $50 million in grants for states developing or maintaining an all-payer claims database.  
 
On Thursday, a bipartisan Senate group also introduced legislation to prevent surprise medical bills. The Senate bill aims to prohibit balance bills for emergency services and for in network facilities with out of network providers. Both bills are considered discussion drafts, and are expected to evolve over the coming weeks.

2. American Organization for Nursing Leadership Advocacy Day
Leslie Mason, Pamela Edwards, Faith Waters and Denise Williams attended the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Advocacy Day, where they met with the NC Delegation to discuss Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development re-authorization and NIH National Institute of Nursing Research appropriations.

Nursing Leadership Advocacy Day

3. North Carolina’s 9th District Primary
State Senator Dan Bishop won the Republican nomination for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional district in the primary on May 14. He will now face Dan McCready in the general election on September 10.  
 
4. House Members Call for Delay of Medicaid DSH Cuts
On Monday, over 300 members of the House of Representatives urged leadership to delay the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts for at least two years. The cuts are currently scheduled to take effect October 1, 2019.

5. House Passes Drug Pricing and Affordable Care Act Package
On Thursday, the House approved along party lines a combined package of bills that aim to lower drug prices and strengthen the ACA. The package includes three bipartisan drug pricing bills and four ACA bolstering bills, which Republicans have resisted. The full package is unlikely to make it far in the Senate due to the inclusion of the ACA bills. 
 
6. Committee Hearings