POLICY BRIEFINGS

ARPA-H Launches Website, Social Media Accounts


The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) officially launched its website and social media accounts last week. The webpage highlights the new agency’s focus areas of accelerating better health outcomes and supporting the development of high-impact solutions to society’s most challenging health problems. ARPA-H’s Twitter account will provide regular updates on its current initiatives.


WHO to Rename Monkeypox ‘MPOX’


The World Health Organization (WHO) plans to rename monkeypox as “MPOX” to destigmatize the virus. WHO made the decision this summer to consider a new name designation for the virus. Public health experts, LGBT activists, and the Biden administration have called for changing the virus’ name, arguing that it is imprecise and worsens the stigma surrounding the virus, particularly among communities of color. Nearly 30,000 monkeypox infections have been recorded in the U.S. since the start of the outbreak that began in May, but daily national caseloads have fallen from more than 400 per day over the summer to just in the teens over the last week.


Republican States Push for Repeal of Health Worker Vaccine Mandate


Agroup of Republican-led states is arguing that the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for health care workers should be invalidated because of the significant difference between the current phase of the pandemic compared to the conditions under which the mandate was created and took effect, at the height of the delta variant. The states submitted an amended complaint to the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri that the mandate will only exacerbate health care staffing shortages, particularly in rural areas. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has previously reasoned that the mandate would assuage workforce shortages because employees would get sick less often.


Recently Introduced Health Legislation


S.5123 — A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to modify the registration requirements relating to research, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

S.5117 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the inclusion of information on prior authorization requirements and other utilization management techniques, and other information, in the Medicare & You annual notice. Sponsor: Marshall, Roger [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate - Finance

S.8 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a demonstration program to promote collaborative treatment of mental and physical health comorbidities under the Medicare program. Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D- CO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.6 —A bill to improve the requirements for making a determination of interchangeability of a biological product and its reference product. Sponsor: Lee, Mike [Sen.-R-UT]; Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.5 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure appropriate supervision requirements for outpatient physical therapy and outpatient occupational therapy. Sponsor: Carper, Thomas R. [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.Con.Res.49 — A concurrent resolution expressing support for the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family and urging that the United States be added as a signatory. Sponsor: Daines, Steve [Sen.-R-MT]; Committees: Senate - Foreign Relations

S.Res.842 — A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month. Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D- NH]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res.839 — A resolution expressing support for the goals of Stomach Cancer Awareness Month. Sponsor: Young, Todd [Sen.-R-IN]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

H.R.9354 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recognize nurse registries for purposes of the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Mast, Brian J. [Rep.-R-FL-18]; Committees: House - Veterans’ Affairs



November 28, 2022: | Page 1 Page 2

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