News

White House to Announce New Task Force with Focus on Healthcare Costs

• The Biden administration is planning to announce a new federal task force that will focus on healthcare costs and cracking down on high prices. Officials from the Justice Department (DOJ), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be on the task force, with drug pricing and health provider costs among the top priorities and central focus of the group. This new task force is meant to dovetail with the Biden administration’s effort to bring more transparency to housing and rental prices while also focusing on competition and economic policy (Politico, March 4).

CDC Updates Respiratory Virus Guidance for Community Settings

• On March 1, the CDC released revisions to their respiratory virus guidance, with regards to best practices for staying up-to-date with immunizations, maintaining good hygiene, improving air quality, preventing further spread of viruses, testing, physical distancing, and masking. Additionally, the guidance provides readers with information about individuals possessing higher risk factors, such as older adults and people with disabilities, as well as how to lower the risk of infection and provide protection for themselves and those around them. This guidance also includes updates to isolation protocols for individuals displaying symptoms, suggesting that they stay home and away from others for at least 24 hours after a fever and overall symptoms subside. The CDC emphasized that the updated guidance is only intended for community settings and there are no changes to healthcare setting guidance (CDC, March 1).

Biden Administration to Hold Listening Session on PBMs

• Representatives of the Biden administration announced plans to hold a listening session on March 11 regarding the business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Invitees include the federal government and drug industry representatives. PBMs have come under some scrutiny recently for engaging in business practices that some say increase drug prices and hurt consumers and businesses that provide group health coverage to their employees. The upcoming listening session is part of the Administration’s initiative to lower healthcare costs (Health Payer Specialist, March 1).

House Considering Medicaid Primary Care, Broadband Bills Under Rules Suspension

• The House will consider several health-related bills during the week of March 4 while under suspension of the House rules. During this time, amendments cannot be proposed, floor debate is limited, and bill passage requires a two-thirds majority vote. One bill under consideration would clarify that state Medicaid programs can enter into a direct primary care arrangement with a healthcare provider. Supporters suggest that the Medicaid bill will address healthcare costs, workforce challenges, and improve preventive care. Also under consideration is the reauthorization of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which has not been reauthorized since 1992. This bill would allocate $62 million for two years and require the NTIA to work with other federal agencies to expand access to broadband. Other bills under consideration include addressing maternal mortality, expanding the dental workforce, and protecting the suicide hotline from cyberattacks (Inside Health Policy, February 29).

Federal Legislation

Congress Passes Another Continuing Resolution

• On February 29, Congress passed another continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open in the short-term, leaving lawmakers a narrow window to finalize funding for agencies and decide which policy riders to attach to the 12 appropriations bills. Congressional leaders agreed to pass another short-term extension of funding along with finalizing negotiations on six of the 12 funding bills for federal agencies, including funds for the FDA. Lawmakers will have until March 8 to pass these bills under the CR, and until March 22 to pass funding for the remaining agencies, including HHS (Inside Health Policy, February 29).

New Healthcare Spending Package Released

• On March 3, lawmakers released the healthcare spending package, which includes a proposed 1.68% payment increase to Medicare physician pay, 1.88% increase to Advance Payment Model bonuses, and $4.27 billion in funding for Community Health Centers. The bill also includes behavioral health reforms and a provision to make behavioral health treatments more streamlined for justice-involved Medicaid beneficiaries (Inside Health Policy, March 5).

Federal Litigation

Judge Denies AstraZeneca’s Lawsuit Against Medicare Drug Price Negotiations

• On March 1, U.S. District Judge Colm Connolly granted the federal government’s request for summary judgment against AstraZeneca in its lawsuit challenging Medicare drug price negotiations. Judge Connolly found that AstraZeneca failed to properly establish standing in filing the lawsuit against the federal government to block Medicare drug price negotiations. The drugmaker had also sought summary judgment relief in the case, asking the judge to find the federal government’s definition of “qualifying single source drug” and “bona fide marketing” under the Inflation Reduction Act to be contrary to the law. The company also sought to block guidance from CMS on the drug price negotiations and requested the court to have the negotiation program itself declared unconstitutional (The Hill, March 1).

Federal Studies & Reports

CMS Releases Latest Enrollment Figures

• On February 29, CMS released the latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. According to this report, as of November 2023 over 66.7 million people are enrolled in Medicare, an increase of about 154,000 people since the last report. Medicaid and CHIP have seen a decrease of over 1.5 million people with approximately 85.8 million total enrollees as of November 2023, The marketplace currently serves over 4 million consumers with state-based and federal marketplace plans (CMS, February 29).