Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senate Health Chairman To Steer Clear Of ACA As He Unveils Package Of Bills To Cut Health Care Costs
CQ: Alexander To Release Draft Health Costs Bill Thursday
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander said he expects to release a draft bill with proposals to lower health care costs on Thursday. “There could be as many as two dozen proposals in it, including surprise billing, rebates, a variety of areas that focus on transparency,” the Tennessee Republican told reporters. “If the proposals are not bipartisan, they won’t be in the draft.” (McIntire, 5/21)
The Hill: Senate Chairman Says Bipartisan Health Care Package Coming Thursday
After the failure of the Alexander-Murray bill to shore up ObamaCare last year, the new package is steering clear of the controversial health care law to focus on other areas where Alexander thinks there is more of a chance of passing bipartisan legislation. Those areas include protecting patients from getting massive “surprise” medical bills when they get care from a doctor outside of their insurance network during emergencies. Alexander said Tuesday the package would address discounts that drug companies give on their drugs, known as rebates, and “transparency.” (Sullivan, 5/21)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
The Associated Press: Harris' Bill Seeks To Address Racial Bias In Maternal Care
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris is offering a new bill to address racial disparities in maternal health care, one of several plans by 2020 Democratic presidential candidates on the issue. Harris' bill, first introduced in 2018, would create some $150 million in grant programs to medical schools and states to fight implicit racial bias in health care for women. The legislation, co-sponsored in the House by Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., is aimed at improving medical care for groups of women who, research suggests, might be denied first rate care because of their race. (5/22)
CQ: House Panel Joins Debate On Surprise Medical Bills
The Ways and Means Health Subcommittee on Tuesday was debating ways to prevent patients from receiving surprise medical bills, an issue that has picked up steam across the Capitol over the past two weeks. The hearing comes as efforts on Capitol Hill to stop patients from receiving surprise medical bills are ramping up after President Donald Trump called on lawmakers to pass legislation earlier this month. Several lawmakers have proposed different ways to prohibit so-called “surprise bills,” and more could be released in the next few weeks. (McIntire, 5/21)
