EPILEPSY FOUNDATION for EPILEPSY FOUNDATION

Health Issues HCR

-H.R. 6074, Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, support funding for agencies like the NIH, FDA and CDC to research, better treat and raise awareness and education about COVID-19, as well as support providing authority to relax restrictions in Medicare for telehealth services and reimbursement. -H.R. 6201, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, support various provisions relevant to people with epilepsy including increased federal support for state Medicaid programs; funding for agencies to research, better treat and raise awareness and education about COVID-19; expansion of paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave; and free COVD-19 testing regardless of insurance type. -H., CR. 748, CARES Act, support various provisions relevant to people with epilepsy and nonprofit support including access of up to a 90-day supply of medications through the pandemic; funding for agencies to research, better treat and raise awareness and education about COVID-19; prohibiting waivers of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and providing funding to ensure that special education needs are met through the pandemic; eligibility of Social Security beneficiaries for Economic Impact Payments and payments for Social Security beneficiaries without filing tax returns; grants to providers of Home and Community-Based Services; and allowing 501(c)(3) organizations and organizations that provide Medicaid services to apply for small business loans. -H.R. 2279/S. 2546, Safe Step Act, support passage -H.R. 3, Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, support specific provisions such as an out-of-pocket cap in Medicare Part D and addition of language to ban the use of QALYs -H.R. 3630, No Surprises Act; S. 1895, Lower Health Care Costs Act; S. 1531, the Stopping the Outrageous Practice of Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2019; H.R. 5800, Ban Surprise Billing Act; H.R. 5826 Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act, support passage of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical billing that holds patients harmless -S. 2543, the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019, support specific provisions such as an out-of-pocket cap in Medicare and improvements to the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, as well as permanent authorization of the Money Follows the Person program. (Nicole and I did a bunch of these visits together since the two issues got linked). -S. 1895, Lower Health Care Costs Act, support provisions to increase transparency and address anticompetitive practices in the prescription drug market -H.R. 712, VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, support addition of epilepsy -H.R. 2093/S. 1028, STATES Act, support passage -H.R. 127, Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act, support passage -H.R. 4322/S. 2400, Expanding Cannabis Research and Information Act, support passage -FDA-2019-N-1428, Scientific Data and Information about Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-Derived Compounds, support preservation of meaningful access to cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including CBD tinctures with therapeutic levels of the cannabinoid, and creation of a regulatory framework that ensures that there is consistency in available products, manufacturing, safety, testing, and labeling standards, and increases the availability of important information such as potential side effects and drug interactions so that consumers and practitioners may be better informed -H.R. 2035/S. 995, Lifespan Respite Reauthorization Act, support passage.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

Bills named: H.R. 5800 (116th), S. 1028 (116th), H.R. 2279 (116th), H.R. 6201 (116th), S. 1531 (116th), S. 2400 (116th), H.R. 712 (116th), H.R. 5826 (116th), H.R. 4322 (116th), S. 2543 (116th), H.R. 127 (116th), S. 2546 (116th), H.R. 3 (116th), H.R. 2035 (116th), H.R. 3630 (116th), H.R. 6074 (116th), H.R. 2093 (116th), S. 1895 (116th), S. 995 (116th)

Civil Rights/Civil Liberties CIV

-H.R. 1549, Air Carrier Access Amendments Act, support passage to make air travel more accessible for people with disabilities

Contacted: Food & Drug Administration (FDA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 1549 (116th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

-Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021, support funding for epilepsy programs and research including $11.5 million for the CDCs Epilepsy program, $44.7 billion for the NIH and $5 million for the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System. -Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2021, support robust funding for the Food & Drug Administration. -Defense Appropriations Act, 2021, support robust funding for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)