Even With Impeachment In The Air, Aides To Pelosi And Trump Meet To Discuss Details Of Drug Pricing Bills

The Associated Press: Trump And Pelosi Aides Talk Drug Costs Despite Impeachment
Even as the impeachment battle rumbled, senior White House and Democratic aides sat down Tuesday to discuss details of drug pricing legislation, officials on both sides said. Passing a law to curb prescription drug prices remains a top policy priority for President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, despite her decision to launch an impeachment inquiry into the president’s efforts to get a foreign leader to investigate political rival Joe Biden. Both sides stressed they were not negotiating during Tuesday’s meeting at the White House, but instead were exchanging information and asking questions. Joe Grogan, a top domestic policy adviser to Trump, called it “a very cordial and productive working session.” (Alonso-Zaldivar, 10/1)

The Hill: Democratic Chairman Proposes New Fix For Surprise Medical Bills
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) is proposing a new way to move forward on crafting rules to protect patients from surprise medical bills. Members of both parties have made it a priority to protect patients from getting massive bills when they go to the emergency room and are treated by one or more doctors who turn out to be outside their insurance network. But the effort has stalled amid a fierce lobbying push from doctors and hospitals. (Sullivan, 10/1)

Politico Pro: Ways And Means Readies New 'Surprise' Medical Bill Approach
Yet, the new framework could further complicate efforts for Congress to coalesce around a consensus over how to end surprise medical bills. Under Neal’s approach, three departments — HHS, Labor and Treasury — and stakeholders would form a committee to identify standards for rates for surprise bills and decide whether to allow an option for providers and health plans to dispute payments. Then, the committee will send recommendations to agency secretaries to develop a proposed rule, with a comment period for more public feedback. (Roubein, Diamond and Cancryn, 10/1)

The Associated Press: Gun Control Risks Losing Momentum As Impeachment Fever Rises
After back-to-back mass shootings in Ohio and Texas this summer, gun control burst back on the scene as a major political issue for Democrats. Now it risks taking a back seat as impeachment fever overtakes Washington. Gun control advocates are determined to prevent that from happening. (Ronayne, 10/2)

CQ: Chris Collins Enters Guilty Plea In Insider Trading Case
Former Rep. Chris Collins pleaded guilty to insider trading charges Tuesday, ending a seven-year congressional career marked by a breach of public trust that pushed the House to craft rules prohibiting members from serving on public company boards. The New York Republican pleaded to two of eight counts he was charged with: conspiracy to commit securities fraud and false statements to the FBI, each of which carry a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, the New York Daily News reported. Under the plea deal, Collins agreed to not appeal a judge’s sentence ranging from 46 to 57 months, the newspaper reported. (Marquette, 10/1)

Buffalo (N.Y.) News: 'I Let Them Down,' Chris Collins Says Of Constituents, Family After Pleading Guilty
Former Rep. Chris Collins Tuesday pleaded guilty to two felony counts tied to an insider trading scheme in a deal with prosecutors that calls for him to spend up to 57 months in federal prison. In doing so, Collins – whose resignation from Congress took effect Tuesday – essentially admitted he had been lying when he insisted for the past 14 months that he was innocent. ... in an agreement with prosecutors, Collins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and one count of making false statements to the FBI. (Zremski, 10/1)