NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY for NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

H.R. 1319 - American Rescue Plan Act - support passage COVID-19 vaccine prioritization and distribution - supported policies ensuring people with conditions that placed them at a higher risk of severe covid-19 were able to be prioritized in CDC-ACIP recommendation and for vaccine distribution plans. Supporting updates and changes Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to increase the benefit to at least the federal poverty level, increase and index resource limits, eliminate marriage penalties, eliminate outdated rules about in-kind support from friends and family, and update outdated income disregards.

Contacted: SENATE; Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: H.R. 1319 (117th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

S.243- Legacy IRA Act - support passage H.R.1219/S.331- ABLE Age Adjustment Act- increases age threshold for tax-favored ABLE accounts- support passage

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Defense, Dept of (DOD); SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

Bills named: H.R. 1219 (117th), S. 331 (117th), S. 243 (117th)

Health Issues HCR

H.R. 1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 - support passage S. 898- Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2021 - support passage S. 368/H.R. 1332 - Telehealth Modernization Act - support passage H.R. 366 - Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2021 - support passage H.R. 4418 - SPIKE Act- "To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for drug manufacturer price transparency."- support passage S.2210-."Better Care Better Jobs Act"- support passage S.2164- "Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2021"- support passage S.1524/H.R. 3029- "Health Care PRICE Transparency Act"- support passage S.1428/H.R. 2891-"Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act"- support passage S.1427/H.R. 2869-"Increasing Access to Biosimilars Act of 2021"- support passage H.R.2846-"Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act of 2021"-support passage H.R.2843-"STOP GAMES Act of 2021"- support passage H.R.3-"Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act" - support passage H.R.2855-"Star Rating for Biosimilars Act"- support passage S.164-"Advancing Education on Biosimilars Act of 2021"- support passage H.R.19- "Lower Costs, More Cures Act of 2021"- support passage

Contacted: Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Defense, Dept of (DOD); SENATE; Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Bills named: H.R. 19 (117th), H.R. 3029 (117th), H.R. 1332 (117th), S. 1428 (117th), S. 898 (117th), H.R. 366 (117th), S. 1524 (117th), H.R. 2846 (117th), S. 1427 (117th), S. 2210 (117th), H.R. 2891 (117th), S. 2164 (117th), H.R. 2869 (117th), H.R. 3 (117th), H.R. 4418 (117th), H.R. 1319 (117th), H.R. 2843 (117th), S. 368 (117th), S. 164 (117th), H.R. 2855 (117th)

Medical/Disease Research/Clinical Labs MED

Prescription Drug User Fee Act- supporting goals of the Prescription Drug User Fee commitment letter between the Food and Drug Administration and industry partners and legislation to reauthorize the prescription drug user fee program at FDA and resulting initiative. Cures 2.0 discussion draft- supporting the goals of Rep. Upton/DeGette's Cures 2.0 initiative aimed at accelerating medical research, patient access to novel therapeutics and authorizing the Administration's Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) proposal. Supporting funding increase for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration in FY22 Appropriations bills and other research focus funding supplemental legislation.

Contacted: SENATE; Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Defense, Dept of (DOD)

Transportation TRA

Supporting Administration infrastructure package initial discussions including the American Jobs Act.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

H.R.3 - Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now, monitor legislation S.151- "COVID HCBS Relief Act of 2021"- support passage H.R. 4131- "To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand access to home and community-based services (HCBS) under Medicaid, and for other purposes."- support passage

Contacted: SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Defense, Dept of (DOD); Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

Bills named: H.R. 4131 (117th), H.R. 3 (117th), S. 151 (117th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

H.R.1319- The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 - support passage FY 22 House/Senate Defense Appropriations Act -Supporting -$20 million for the MS Research Program FY 22 House/Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Act-$500 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ),$10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) inclusive of $5 million for the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance Program authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act; $14.2 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program; Robust support for Medicare and Medicaid and protection of Medicaids current financing structure; and at least $46.1 billion for the National Institute of Health (NIH), full funding for the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI); and at least $13.5 billion for the Social Security Administrations administrative budget. FY 22 House/Senate - Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill - sustainable, predictable funding for the VA Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence. Additionally, we urge this Committee to include report language that expresses its support for all the Neurology Centers of Excellence in the FY22 appropriations report language. Our suggested language is below: Neurology Centers of Excellence. - The Committee recognizes the increasing number of Veterans affected by neurologic conditions, including but not limited to epilepsy, headache, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. The Department is directed to significantly increase its investment to maintain and expand existing centers of excellence within the VA dedicated to these conditions to enhance their value in coordinating innovative clinical care, education, and research efforts. No later than 120 days after enactment of this Act the Committee directs the Secretary to submit a report to the Committees providing details on opportunities to enhance care for veterans with neurologic conditions, including potential collaboration between the neurology centers of excellence.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); SENATE; Defense, Dept of (DOD); Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 1319 (117th)