Taking the pulse: Examining health care in 2021 Table of Contents VA makes great strides in uncertain times building trust, Cut out the middleman and get prescription forward thinking . 3 drug prices down . 14 Secretary Denis McDonough U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville Pandemic proves government closest to the Let states innovate for Medicaid programs that put people serves the people best . 4 patients first . 15 Governor Spencer J. Cox U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. Resurgent healthcare option poses challenge to Promising therapies for terminal patients advance while Obamacare . 5 approval remains stagnant . 16 Mike Sharman, Cost Sharing Solutions U.S. Sen. Mike Braun ARPA-H: Building on the lessons of fighting COVID . 6 Standing up for bipartisanship against government U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt takeover of prescription drug prices . 17 U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie Public health infrastructure must strengthen our biodefense . 7 A healthy community links social services with U.S. Rep. Tom Cole medical providers . 18 U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan It’s time to care for the caregivers . 8 U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell Legislative lifeline for children’s mental health needs . 19 Upgrade telehealth to connect patients with U.S. Rep. Rick Allen es doctors during COVID-19 and beyond . 9 TIM U.S. Rep. Young Kim Congress must act to reform the military n health system . 20 GTO Shipping vaccine intellectual property abroad undermines n U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, M.D. HI American ingenuity and innovation . 10 AS Whip Steve Scalise and The battle against PTSD demands Congressional W e U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. bipartisanship and Israeli partnership . 21 U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz T TO TH T TO Look to Utah’s example for more accessible and en affordable healthcare . 11 End veteran suicide, safeguard our heroes’ physical M e U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens and mental health . 22 PPL U.S. Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino su Millions in rural America deserve hospital access and G n I CDC support . 12 It’s our duty to pass the PAWS for Veterans s RTI U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith Therapy Act . 23 e V Former Rep. Steve Stivers ad A zip code shouldn’t determine the quality of L a maternal care . 13 CI e P U.S. Reps. Cindy Axne and Dan Newhouse s a THE WASHINGTON TIMES THE WASHINGTON | Tony Hill Larry T. Beasley Thomas P. McDevitt David Dadisman Patrick Crofoot DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING CEO CHAIRMAN GENERAL MANAGER GRAPHICS SUPERVISOR & INTEGRATED SALES Christopher Dolan Joseph E. Teipe, Jr. Lea Anne Foster Advertising Department: PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE VICE SPECIAL SECTIONS 202-636-3027 EXECUTIVE EDITOR PRESIDENT FREELANCE EDITOR SPECIAL SECTIONS Special Sections are multipage tabloid products that run in The Washington Times daily newspaper and are posted online and in PDF form onits website. Sponsors and Wednesday • June 30 2021 Wednesday advertisers collaborate with The Times’ advertising and marketing departments to highlight a variety of issues and events. Unless otherwise identified, Special Sections 2 are prepared separately and without involvement from the Times’ newsroom and editorial staff. VA makes great strides in uncertain times by building trust, forward thinking telehealth program. During the first attend hearings with the Board of Vet- spouses, caregivers, and some children and worst days of the pandemic, VA erans Appeals, we created virtual tele- between the ages of 12 and 17. proved it could still safely deliver care hearings, ensuring that Veterans would Those successes, along with the to Veterans, providing primary care, be able to receive appellate decisions sacrifice of our caregivers, has led specialty care, and mental health care on benefits and services. to unprecedented trust in VA among appointments at previously unthink- And when claims ballooned at the Veterans. As of today, nearly 80% of able levels. beginning of the pandemic, and VA Veterans trust VA to deliver the world- The number of telehealth appoint- waited on 80,000 files from the National class health care and benefits they’ve ments peaked above 47,000 in a single Personnel Records Center (NPRC), earned — a 24% leap from 2016. By Secretary Denis McDonough Department of Veterans Affairs t the height of the pan- demic, Marine Corps Veteran Michael Novi- elli developed fatigue, aches, and a fever. He’d never “felt this sick [in his] whole life,” and his diagnosis was exactlyA what he feared. Like millions of others over the past year, Michael had contracted COVID-19. After four days at Northport VA Medical Center, Michael was doing well a s P enough to be discharged — but we at e the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) CI a L placed him on our telehealth program ad to monitor his symptoms. That decision V e likely saved Michael’s life. RTI He shared his temperature, oxygen s I n levels, and heart rate every day for two VA has long been at the forefront of health care innovation in America, G weeks via telehealth. Then his VA nurse, with VA doctors performing the first successful liver transplant, su Marjorie Rogers, noticed something inventing the first cardiac pacemaker, and developing the first Nicotine PPL unusual in his heart rate. She called and e M told him to visit the emergency room patch — and that legacy continued during the pandemic. en immediately, where he was diagnosed T with pneumonia and admitted for an- day, which is more than were provided VA benefits experts brainstormed a fix That’s the sign of a job well done TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES THE WASHINGTON other two weeks. during an entire month before the pan- that decreased wait times for Veterans but we won’t pat ourselves on the back TH e “Marjorie saved my life,” he said. “If I demic. This was only possible because by nearly 40% and cut the previously because much more work is on the W wasn’t on telehealth, I would have stayed VA had a strong foundation in place, skyrocketing backlog by 90%. horizon. We owe this level of dedica- AS HI home with pneumonia.” There’s no tell- allowing for exponential growth and VA has also proven that we can tion and attention to our Vets, their n ing what would have happened then. cutting-edge innovation in its virtual lead on the most important effort for families, caregivers, and survivors. We GTO Michael’s story is just one example care delivery. Veterans and all Americans right now: will continue to “fight like hell” for n of the many lives that caregivers at VA Another important component of our getting shots into arms. We have vac- each one of them as they have done for TIM have saved throughout the pandemic. pandemic response has been innova- cinated more than 3.4 million Veterans each one of us. es | They have stepped up time and again tion. VA has long been at the forefront of and employees because our medical Wednesday throughout this trying year, risking health care innovation in America, with center staff have worked tirelessly The Honorable Denis Richard Mc- their lives and leaving their families to VA doctors performing the first success- to turn entire hallways, exam rooms, Donough was nominated by President serve the brave men and women who ful liver transplant, inventing the first classrooms and auditoriums into Biden to lead the Department of Vet- served our country. cardiac pacemaker, and developing the makeshift, rapid vaccination clinics. erans Affairs (VA), confirmed by the • And now, as we continue to fight first Nicotine patch — and that legacy VA also set up special walk-in clinics Senate, and sworn in the following day June COVID, we are working to learn from continued during the pandemic. and special weekend vaccinations at a as the 11th Secretary of VA. He served successes of the last 18 months to make When personal protective equip- time when many had trouble finding a previously in the Obama Administra- 30 sure that we don’t just go back to pre- ment stock was dwindling across location to get vaccinated. tion as White House Chief of Staff • pandemic operations moving forward, America — putting the lives of doctors, These efforts were supercharged by and Principal Deputy National Security 2021 but instead create a VA that takes better nurses, and caregivers at risk — VA in- the SAVE LIVES Act, which provided Advisor where helped lead the Obama- care of our Vets than ever before. vented a new type of reusable PPE and VA with the authority to offer COVID- Biden Administration’s work on behalf One of the ways we can do that is mobilized 3D printers to create it. 19 vaccinations to all Veterans, regard- of military families and Veterans. by learning from the success of our When Veterans could no longer less of enrollment status, plus Veteran 3 Pandemic proves government closest to the people serves the people best together and participating in sports and job training programs, like “SkillUpU- and civic-minded attitude of Utahns. other afterschool activities. Utah’s “Test tah,” that help displaced workers gain It’s been said that something good to Stay” and “Test to Play” guidelines new skills and pivot to industries in comes out of every crisis and while have gained national attention, but most need of workers. We learned that we there have been plenty of hardships importantly, benefited our children. can do hard things together. these past 15 months, the pandemic On the economic front, we chose While Utah has fared better than reinforced for me Thomas Jefferson’s to keep Utah open for business by many other states, COVID-19 laid bare deep wisdom: that government closest launching a “Stay Safe to Stay Open” significant gaps in our healthcare sys- to the people serves the people best.