CONGRESS OF NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS for CONGRESS OF NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

S.470/H.R.977, Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act: To repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. S.4532/H.R. 8702), Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act: To streamline prior authorization in the Medicare Advantage program. H.R.2389, Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act: To provide for the distribution of additional residency positions H.R. 2474, Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act: To provide an update to a single conversion factor under the Medicare physician fee schedule that is based on the Medicare economic index. H.R. 4968, the GOLD CARD Act of 2023: Prior authorization reform in Medicare Advantage H.R. 9001, Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise certain physician self-referral exemptions relating to physician-owned hospitals and allow physician ownership of rural hospitals H.R.9805, Access to Claims Data Act: To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a process to expand access to claims data under certain Federal health plans in order to facilitate research and quality improvement. No bill: Graduate medical education policy reform ideas. No bill: Medicare physician payment reform policy ideas, need for legislation to prevent Medicare physician payment cuts and adopt an inflation-based payment update for 2025, modifications to Medicare's budget neutrality rules, increasing surgical global codes to incorporate increased RVUs for follow-up care w/in the global period, and improvements to value-based care payment models

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: S. 470 (118th), H.R. 9001 (118th), H.R. 9805 (118th), H.R. 2474 (118th), H.R. 977 (118th), H.R. 8702 (118th), S. 4532 (118th), H.R. 2389 (118th), H.R. 4968 (118th)

Health Issues HCR

S.4349, Electronic Prior Authorization for Prescription Drugs Act: To require private health plans to provide for secure electronic transmission of prior authorization requests for prescription drugs. HR 2819, Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act: To limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster. No bill: Feedback on Cures 2.0 Legislation, including enhancing the use of physician-led clinical data registries and reimbursement for innovative treatments.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 2819 (118th), S. 4349 (118th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

S. 4942/H.R. 9029, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Legislation: Funding for firearm safety research, BRAIN initiative, Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Device Consortia (PDC) Grant Program at FDA, and NIH funding.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: S. 4942 (118th), H.R. 9029 (118th)