WHITE HOUSE:

The White House focused this past week on fostering international trade relations with India, reproductive health, with a new executive order on access to family planning services, and highlighting more infrastructure projects across the country. One item of indirect interest:

• They announced $575 million for a Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. This challenge, under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will invest in efforts to build more resilience to climate change impact in communities across the country. While not directly aimed at facilities, if you operate in coastal regions or areas impacted by wildfires, this can be an opportunity for the local community to tap into federal funding to upgrade the region.

CONGRESS:

With Congress heading out of town for a two-week recess, it was quiet in DC this week. The challenges for Speaker McCarthy in building consensus among the GOP are real, especially as more conservative members of the party take increasingly hardline positions. The infighting is also present on the Democratic side, and the recess is a welcome chance to ease the tensions. For now, the appropriations process has begun in the Senate. As with the debt ceiling fight, we’re not likely to see a resolution until Congress has no other choice. Elsewhere in the political arena:

• We’ve been tracking the nascent federal efforts to regulate AI. Senator Schumer joined the fray this week with the SAFE framework (PDF). In the meantime, the White House continues to work toward a cohesive policy.

• A vast collection of nearly 300 Congressional Representatives and Senators are urging CMS to strengthen their proposed Prior Authorization rule. You can access a copy of the letter here(PDF).

• A look at the role Super PACS are playing in campaigns as we draw closer to the 2024 elections.

• Roll Call explored the relatively few Congressional districts that won’t have an incumbent in 2024.

Two useful CRS reports this week (links are directly to the PDF):

• R47602 describes all the different federal actions related to the Older Americans Act as part of the federal government’s Covid-19 response. As mentioned last week, HHS is looking to modernize the Older Americans Act for the first time in 35 years.

• R47604 explores the healthcare related pieces of legislation that are scheduled to expire during this legislative Congressional session.

AGENCIES:

CMS missed their self-imposed deadline of the “end of spring” to issue a staffing mandate, highlighting their internal struggle on how to issue a mandate that works. The reality is that a universal mandate is unfeasible in practice and a one-size fits all approach simply cannot address the complexities of the issue. For now, we’re in a holding pattern until CMS decides to release the rule.

CMS released a new “pathway” for Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies (TCET). The goal is to build a better and more efficient path for new medical technologies to reach Medicare beneficiaries. The proposed rule is scheduled to be published to the Federal Register on June 27^th, at which point comments can be submitted for 60 days. For now, you can access a copy of the notice here (PDF).

CMS also announced details of their plans related to the slew of promising Alzheimer’s drugs scheduled to reach the market over the next few years and how to make them available to Medicare beneficiaries.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) analyzed CMS’ care compare system for SNF’s and found that it does an adequate job to give consumers insight into SNF’s. The overview can be found here (PDF). The full report can be accessed here (PDF).

The lawsuits against the plan to give Medicare the right to negotiate drug prices continue to grow as PHARMA, the pharmaceutical industry’s lobbying group, became the latest to file a lawsuit.

FROM THE NOTEBOOK:

• While this has no practical impact at the federal level, a Pennsylvania legislator introduced a resolution calling on Congress and CMS to get rid of the three-day stay rule. The resolution is worth a read and can be found here (PDF). (Thanks to PHCA Executive Director Zach Shamberg for sending this our way.)

• Health Affairs ran a two-part series exploring how CMS’ proposed managed Medicaid rules would impact the dual eligible population. You can access part one here and part two here.

• California is about to invest $35 billion into their Medicaid system as they rethink every element of how the state provides medical care.

• Another look at the research supporting immigration as a key part of the solution to the healthcare staffing shortage.

• The ongoing fight in NYC regarding the city’s plan to shift employees to MA plans took another turn this week with the introduction of city council legislation that would automatically put all retirees on a traditional Medicare plan.

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