BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION for BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION

Budget/Appropriations BUD

ACA Risk Corridors, Federal Health Employee Benefit Program (FEHBP) offerings; Government contribution to FEHBP premiums;Reinsurance; Regional PPO Language

Contacted: Labor, Dept of (DOL); White House Office; Treasury, Dept of; SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Health Insurance Tax; IRC section 833(b) tax provisions; Medical Loss Ratio definition to qualify for 833(b) tax deduction; Tax ID number reporting; Cadillac tax; Tax extenders; Device tax repeal; Tax reform HR 928 Introduced February 12, 2015 by Charles Boustany (R-LA) To repeal the annual fee on health insurance providers enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. S 183 Introduced January 16, 2015 by John Barrasso (R-WY) Jobs and Premium Protection Act This bill repeals a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that imposes an annual fee on a health insurance provider based on its net premium income.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; White House Office; Treasury, Dept of

Bills named: H.R. 928 (114th)

Health Issues HCR

Affordable Care Act Issues: Small group expansion; Risk Corridors; Delivery system reform; Consumer experience; Back end issues; Implementation issues; Regulations; Premiums; Exchanges; Supreme Court decision implications Other Major Health Care Related Issues: Cybersecurity; Medicare Advantage; Reinsurance; Health care quality issues; Community health management; Site-neutral Payments; Dialysis care funding mechanism; Patient reform; Payment reform; Opioid abuse; Medical Loss Ratios; Mental health parity implementation Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) regarding proposals to allow additional types of carriers including regional PPOs to be included in the coverage options offered by OPM; Alternative structures for the FEHBP. S 123 Introduced January 8, 2015 by Marco Rubio (R-FL) Obamacare Taxpayer Bailout Prevention Act Repeals the provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and administer a program of risk corridors for calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016 under which a qualified health plan offered in the individual or small group market is required to participate in a payment adjustment system based on the ratio of the allowable costs of the plan to the plans aggregate premiums. S. 1099 Introduced April 27, 2015 by Tim Scott (R-SC) A bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide States with flexibility in determining the size of employers in the small group market HR 221 Introduced January 8, 2015 by Andy Harris (R-MD) Taxpayer bailout of health insurers HR 928 Introduced February 12, 2015 by Charles Boustany (R-LA) This bill repeals a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that imposes an annual fee on a health insurance provider based on its net premium income. HR 1624 Introduced March 25, 2015 by Brett Guthrie (R-KY) To amend title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to revise the definition of small employer.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); White House Office; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Treasury, Dept of

Bills named: H.R. 221 (114th), H.R. 928 (114th), H.R. 1624 (114th), S. 1099 (114th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Medicare/Medicaid Issues: Chronic care improvement ideas; Medicare A & B; Delivery System Reforms; Benefit Restructuring ; Medigap; Medicare Advantage Risk Delay; Community Health Management; Medicare fraud; Cybersecurity; ICD-10; Medicare Prescription Drug Integrity; Provider directories HR 6 21st Century Cures Act Introduced May 19, 2015 by Fred Upton (R-MI) This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through FY2018. The NIH Innovation Fund is established to fund a strategic plan, early stage investigators, and high-risk, high-reward research. The NIH may require scientific data to be shared if the research is fully funded by the NIH. The NIH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must implement a system that allows further research on clinical trial data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must expand surveillance of neurological diseases. The Council for 21st Century Cures is established to accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of innovative cures, treatments, and preventive measures. The Department of Health and Human Services must monitor the use of antibacterial and antifungal drugs and resistance to these drugs. HR 928 Introduced February 12, 2015 by Charles Boustany (R-LA) To repeal the annual fee on health insurance providers enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Treasury, Dept of; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); White House Office; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 928 (114th), H.R. 6 (114th)

Pharmacy PHA

Laboratory developed tests 21st Century Cures HR 6 21st Century Cures Act Introduced May 19, 2015 by Fred Upton (R-MI) This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through FY2018. The NIH Innovation Fund is established to fund a strategic plan, early stage investigators, and high-risk, high-reward research. The NIH may require scientific data to be shared if the research is fully funded by the NIH. The NIH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must implement a system that allows further research on clinical trial data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must expand surveillance of neurological diseases. The Council for 21st Century Cures is established to accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of innovative cures, treatments, and preventive measures. The Department of Health and Human Services must monitor the use of antibacterial and antifungal drugs and resistance to these drugs

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Treasury, Dept of; White House Office

Bills named: H.R. 6 (114th)