POLICY BRIEFINGS

FDA Permits Expanded Hospital Compounding


The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will allow hospitals to compound sedatives to prevent shortages of products used for coronavirus patients. Because of pressures on the global supply chain stemming from COVID-19, the agency will relax its compounding rules to permit hospitals to make 13 drugs given to individuals on ventilators, including forms of fentanyl, hydromorpohone, and ketamine. Hospitals have expressed increasing concerns about low supplies of such products.


Trump to Use DPA for Testing Swabs


President Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to compel an unnamed company to produce an additional 20 million coronavirus testing swabs every month. States and public health officials have repeatedly warned about the impact of swab shortages on efforts to increase COVID-19 testing across the country. The DPA gives the federal government the authority to direct the production and distribution of goods during emergency situations.


Hart Health Strategies COVID-19 Resources


Hart Health Strategies Inc. continues to update the following resources related to the coronavirus pandemic. Please remember to clear your cache to ensure you download the most recent documents.


Recently Introduced Health Legislation


H.Res.918 — Promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2020, which include bringing attention to the health disparities faced by minority populations of the United States during the novel coronavirus global pandemic; Sponsor: Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6474 — To provide for the expansion of the Rural Health Care Program of the Federal Communications Commission in response to COVID-19, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6475 — To amend the Small Business Act to expand eligibility for the paycheck protection program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]; Committees: House - Small Business

H.R.6476 — To amend the CARES Act to establish a loan program to provide liquidity to eligible lenders for the purpose of providing loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]; Committees: House - Small Business; Financial Services

H.R.6480 — To require the President, after the World Health Organization declares a global pandemic, to report to the Congress on the status of Federal planning to respond to the pandemic; Sponsor: Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Financial Services

H.R.6482 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to maintain a list of the country of origin of all drugs marketed in the United States, to ban the use of Federal funds for the purchase of drugs manufactured in China, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Gallagher, Mike [R-WI-8]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

H.R.6484 — To require employers to pay hazard pay to health care employees during public health emergencies, and to provide a tax credit for the cost of such pay; Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]; Committees: House - Ways and Means; Education and Labor

H.R.6486 — To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a special enrollment period during the COVID-19 emergency period, to require the Secretary to carry out outreach and educational activities for such special enrollment period, to require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage without any cost sharing for certain items and services furnished during any portion of such emergency period, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Labor

H.R.6487 — To increase the ability of nursing facilities to access telehealth services and obtain technologies to allow virtual visits during the public health emergency relating to an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]; Committees: House - Appropriations; Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Budget

H.Res.924 — Promoting minority health awareness and supporting the goals and ideals of National Minority Health Month in April 2020, which include bringing attention to the health disparities faced by minority populations of the United States during the novel coronavirus global pandemic; Sponsor: Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6495 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to eliminate the general Medicaid funding limitations for territories of the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Sablan, Gregorio Kilili Camacho [D-MP-At Large]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6500 — To reduce Federal spending and fund the acquisition of unexpired personal protective equipment (including face masks) for the strategic national stockpile by terminating taxpayer financing of Presidential election campaigns; Sponsor: Rep. Gallagher, Mike [R-WI-8]; Committees: House - Ways and Means; House Administration

H.R.6503 — To provide housing support services to the elderly and individuals with disabilities living in Federal Government housing or federally subsidized housing during the Pandemic or Declared Public Health Emergency; Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]; Committees: House – Appropriations

H.R.6504 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to develop a plan to improve surveillance with respect to diseases that are viral pandemic threats, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6505 — To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to clarify the role of the National Biosurveillance Integration Center of the Department of Homeland Security regarding an emerging highly communicable infectious disease event of national concern, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]; Committees: House - Homeland Security; Energy and Commerce

H.R.6506 — To amend the Small Business Act to modify the paycheck protection program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]; Committees: House - Small Business

H.R.6508 — To amend title VI of the Social Security Act to expand the permissible use of funds under the Coronavirus Relief Fund; Sponsor: Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]; Committees: House - Oversight and Reform

H.R.6511 — To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to require coverage under the Medicaid program and Children’s Health Insurance Program for vaccines and treatment for COVID-19 without the imposition of cost sharing requirements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6514 — To provide premium assistance for COBRA continuation coverage and furloughed continuation coverage for individuals and their families during the COVID-19 emergency period and 180-days thereafter, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Scott, Robert C. “Bobby” [D-VA-3]; Committees: House - Education and Labor; Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means



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