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H Ealth Policy Briefing Price Begins HHS Secretary Confirmation Process ast week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) LCommittee held the first confirmation hearing for Rep. Tom Price, M.D. (R-Ga.), who has been nominated by President Trump to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). During the nearly four-hour hearing, Price was repeatedly questioned by committee Democrats about his stock trades and investment in biotechnology companies at discounted prices. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) had previously written to Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) asking him to delay the hearing in order to fully investigate reports about Rep. Price’s investments in health care companies and subsequent support for legislation that would help those companies. Their remarks echoed those of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has called for an investigation of Rep. Price’s alleged conflicts of interest by the Office of Congressional Ethics. During the hearing, Rep. Price maintained that the investments were made by a broker. ep. Price responded to many questions about the administration’s plans for Rreplacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Republican committee members expressed support for waiting to repeal the health care law until the GOP had coalesced around a replacement plan. Price agreed with Republican calls to stabilize the insurance market in the short-term, and to move forward with repeal and replacement at a moderate pace. In an interview with the Washington Post last week, President Trump said that he was in the process of finalizing an ACA replacement plan that would include “insurance for everybody.” Since the interview, the Vice President and others in the administration have clarified that the plan will make insurance affordable for everyone. Rep. Price echoed these remarks during his confirmation hearing before the Senate HELP Committee, but few other specifics about the administration’s Inside replacement plan were Sanders to Introduce Drug Negotiation Legislation ....2 offered. He did voice support for policies such New CBO Report with ACA Repeal Estimates as health savings accounts Released..........................................................................2 (HSAs) and high risk pools. Collins to Continue as Head of NIH..............................2 When questioned about Trump Signs Executive Order on ACA...........................3 maintaining popular parts Trump Administration Staff Announcements................3 of the ACA like coverage for preexisting conditions Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Meetings.........3 Health Policy Briefing Policy Health and allowing young people Recently Introduced Health Legislation..........................4 to stay on their parents’ Appendix: Trump Administration Key Policy January 23, 2017 plans until age 26, Rep. Price Personnel........................................................................6 Appendix: Guide to the 115th Congress.........................13 Hart Health Strategies Inc. 2 noted that many of the issues at hand would be decided by lawmakers in Congress, not the administration. rice did not directly answer questions regarding overhaul of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. In the past, Rep. PPrice has proposed changes to the programs that would result in funding cuts, while President Trump has vowed to protect the entitlement programs. Although Price would not commit to supporting negotiation of drug prices in the Medicare program, he did agree on the need for more transparency around drug pricing. In response to questioning about the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), Price said that he saw the potential of the agency but was opposed to the mandatory nature of some previously proposed demonstrations. rice’s work in Congress as a doctor-lawmaker was applauded by his Republican colleagues, who expressed strong Psupport for his nomination. Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) announced that the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on Rep. Price’s nomination on Tuesday. Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) opposes the scheduled hearing, and has accused his Republican colleagues of rushing the nomination process to avoid a thorough examination of their ethics concerns. The HELP hearing was a courtesy hearing; the Finance Committee has the responsibility to vote on Price’s nomination to advance the nomination for consideration by the full Senate. HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said that he expects Price to be confirmed by mid-February. Sanders to Introduce Drug Negotiation Legislation en. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced that he will be introducing legislation to allow the Medicare program to negotiate Sdrug prices. Donald Trump has expressed support for such a policy, and Sanders called on the President to support his legislation. Sen. Sander’s bill is also expected to include provisions to allow for the importation of drugs from Canada and other countries. He said that he will be working with both his Republican and Democratic colleagues to address concerns members have about the safety of imported medication in order to begin making prescription medications more affordable. New CBO Report with ACA Repeal Estimates Released epealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without a replacement would leave as many as 32 million people without Rhealth insurance by 2026, according to a new estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The non-partisan budget agency also estimates that repeal of the law could result in an increase in premiums for policies purchased through the marketplace or directly from insurers of 20 to 25 percent in the plan year following enactment of repeal. The latest CBO report was requested by congressional Democrats, and is based on the 2015 repeal bill passed by Congress but vetoed by President Obama. Collins to Continue as Head of NIH urrent Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Francis Collins has been asked by President Trump to Ccontinue leading the agency, according to an NIH spokesman. Collins has been at the head of NIH since 2009. Congressional leadership, including Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), urged President Trump to keep Collins in the position. Collins has previously said that he would remain in the role if asked to do so by the new administration. Hart Health Strategies Inc. 3 Trump Signs Executive Order on ACA onald Trump signed an executive order to ease the burden of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as one of his first official Dacts as president on Friday. The executive order did not direct any specific actions, but rather gives broad authority to regulatory agencies to ease requirements of the 2010 health care law, particularly those that impose a fiscal burden on states or a regulatory burden on individuals or business. The extent of the effects that could result from the order are unclear. Congressional action will still be required to make most major changes to the law. The new administration also ordered a regulatory freeze until new cabinet secretaries and agency leadership have assumed their positions. A memo issued by the President’s chief of staff Reince Priebus tells federal agencies not to send any regulations to the Federal Register until the rule is reviewed and approved by their new appointed agency head. Rules that have already been sent to the Federal Register but have not yet been published will be withdrawn, and rules that were published in the last 60 days will be delayed for at least another 60 days. Excluded from the memo are any rules in response to an emergency situation or urgent circumstance. Trump Administration Staff Announcements he Trump administration announced that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Assistant TSecretary Norris Cochran, a financial expert on budgetary matters, will begin overseeing the department as acting secretary. Colleen Barrows will assume the position of Acting Deputy Secretary. Patrick Conway will become Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Conway was previously the Deputy Administrator for Innovation and Quality, as well as CMS’ Chief Medical Officer. Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Meetings Senate Finance Committee hearing to consider the anticipated nomination of the Honorable Tom Price to be Secretary of Health and Human Services; 10:00 a.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.; January 24 House Budget Committee hearing on “The Failures of Obamacare: Harmful Effects and Broken Promises;” 10:15 a.m., 1334 Longworth Bldg.; January 24 Oversight Subcommittee of House Ways and Means Committee hearing on “Examining the Effectiveness of the Individual Mandate under the Affordable Care Act;” 2:00 p.m., 1100 Longworth Bldg.; January 24 Hart Health Strategies Inc. 4 Recently Introduced Health Legislation H.R.521 (introduced by Rep. Mark E. Amodei): To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an exemption to the individual mandate to maintain health coverage for individuals residing in counties with fewer than 2 health insurance issuers offering plans on an Exchange; Ways and Means H.R.537 (introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs): To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an exemption to the individual mandate to maintain health coverage for individuals residing in counties with fewer than 2 health insurance issuers offering plans on an Exchange; to require members of Congress and congressional staff
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