POLICY BRIEFINGS

Booker Leads Letter to Reverse Trump’s WHO Decision


A group of thirty-four Democratic senators, led by Cory Booker (D-N.J.) are calling on the Trump administration to reverse its decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). “Now is not the time to take our eyes off the ball and engage in attacks on the one global institution that is working day-in and day-out to counter the threat posed by this disease,” the lawmakers argue, “we…urge you to reverse this short-sighted and dangerous decision, and to commit to reengagement with the WHO – and Congress - on collective efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic.”


FDA Announces New Regulations for Prescription Opioids


The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last week that it will begin requiring opioid manufacturers to include information about the overdose antidote naloxone on product labeling. The agency is also recommending that health care professionals discuss the availability of naloxone with patients and caregivers as a part of prescribing opioid pain medicine and medicine to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), both when beginning and when renewing treatment. The U.S. saw a record 71,000 overdose deaths in 2019, and early data for the first four months of 2020 shows an 11.4 percent year-over-year increase in fatalities.


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.


Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups


Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing “Oversight of COVID-19 Financial Relief Packages;” 10:00 a.m., virtual; July 28

Senate Finance Committee hearing “Part 1: Protecting the Reliability of the U.S. Medical Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Pandemic;” 10:15 a.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.; July 28

Joint Economic Committee hearing “Reducing Uncertainty and Restoring Confidence during the Coronavirus Recession;” 2:30 p.m., virtual; July 28

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Improving Access to Care: Legislation to Reauthorize Key Public Health Programs;” 10:00 a.m., Cisco Webex; July 29

House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee hearing “Who’s in Charge? Examining Oversight of State Veterans Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic;” 10:00 a.m., 210 House Visitors Center; July 29

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing “VA Telehealth During and Beyond COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural America;” 3:00 p.m., G50 Dirksen Bldg.; July 29

Senate Finance Committee hearing “Part 2: Protecting the Reliability of the U.S. Medical Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Pandemic;” 9:30 a.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.; July 30

House Oversight and Reform Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing “The Urgent Need for a National Plan to Contain the Coronavirus;” 9:00 a.m., 2154 Rayburn Bldg.; July 31


Recently Introduced Health Legislation


H.R.7674 — To require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a standardized method for State, Tribal, and local health departments to report to the Centers with respect to COVID-19, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Beyer, Donald S., Jr. [D-VA-8]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.7676 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for hospital and insurer price transparency; Sponsor: Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.7678 — To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 to direct the Secretary of Defense to include a description of programs to address and reduce the stigma associated with seeking assistance for mental health or suicidal thoughts in a report; Sponsor: Rep. Brindisi, Anthony [D-NY-22]; Committees: House - Armed Services

H.R.7686 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program to provide full compensation to any essential COVID-19 frontline worker who was seriously injured or died as a result of having COVID-19, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.7689 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to support research and programmatic efforts that will build on previous research on the effects of, adverse childhood experiences; Sponsor: Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA6]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce `

S.4216 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct studies and report to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance programs during the COVID-19 emergency; Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [RNE]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.4217 — A bill to amend the Small Business Act to include hospitals serving rural areas or areas of persistent poverty in the paycheck protection program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]; Committees: Senate - Small Business and Entrepreneurship

S.4225 — A bill to establish authority to destroy counterfeit devices offered for import, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY]; Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.4230 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to mental health services and certain evaluation and management services furnished through telehealth under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.4231 — A bill to strengthen and sustain on-shore manufacturing capacity and State stockpiles, and to improve the Strategic National Stockpile; Sponsor: Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN]; Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

H.Res.1057 — Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that in order to effectively address the high prevalence of those suffering from mental health conditions and substance use disorders, the United States needs to make historic financial investments into mental health and substance use disorder care and finally acknowledge such care as a priority in health care equal to physical health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.Res.1059 — Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.7695 —To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect, analyze, and report qualitative and quantitative data on the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency; Sponsor: Rep. Curtis, John R. [R-UT-3]; Committees: House - Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

H.R.7701 — To establish programs related to prevention of prescription opioid misuse, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8]; Committees: House - Ways and Means; Judiciary; Energy and Commerce; Education and Labor

H.R.7714 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reduce the floor on the deduction for medical expenses; Sponsor: Rep. Schweikert, David [R-AZ-6]; Committees: House - Ways and Means

S.Res.653 — A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that a United States withdrawal from the World Health Organization undermines United States global health leadership and the international COVID-19 response; Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]; Committees: Senate - Foreign Relations

S.4240 —A bill to prohibit the use of funds to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization; Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]; Committees: Senate - Foreign Relations

S.4242 — A bill to establish programs related to prevention of prescription opioid misuse, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.4246 — A bill to provide that the rules entitled “Religious Exemptions and Accommodations for Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act” and “Moral Exemptions and Accommodations for Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act” shall have no force or effect, and for other purposes;



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