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

Health Issues HCR

Affordable Care Act - -Chronic Care Innovations; Small Group Expansion; Payment reform; CBPP; 2017 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters; ACA Regulations; Co-ops; Innovations for Healthier Americans Act; Implementation; Cyber Security; Open Enrollment; Market Stability; Agency Health Research Quality (AHRQ) 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 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) 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 1314 Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015 Introduced March 4, 2015 by Patrick Meehan (R-PA) To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse determinations of tax-exempt status of certain organizations. 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. HR 2646 Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015 Introduced May 4, 2015 by Tim Murphy (R-PA) To make available needed psychiatric, psychological, and supportive services for individuals with mental illness and families in mental health crisis, and for other purposes. HR 3463 Aligning Childrens Dental Coverage Act Introduced September 9, 2015 by H. Griffith (R-VA) To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to clarify the treatment of pediatric dental coverage in the individual and group markets outside of Exchanges established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and for other purposes. as introduced. 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. S. 1347 Electronic Health Fairness Act of 2015 Introduced May 14, 2015 by John Isakson (R-GA) bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act with respect to the treatment of patient encounters in ambulatory surgical centers in determining meaningful EHR use, and for other purposes.

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

Bills named: H.R. 1314 (114th), H.R. 1624 (114th), H.R. 2646 (114th), S. 1099 (114th), S. 1347 (114th), H.R. 928 (114th), H.R. 3463 (114th), H.R. 6 (114th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Risk Corridors; Reinsurance; Regional PPO Language

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

Pharmacy PHA

Pharmaceutical Innovation; Patent Reform; Cures;

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

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

833; Health Insurance Tax (HIT Tax); Cadillac Tax; IRA 2015-68 Notice 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.

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

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

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Medicare/Medicaid Issues: Medigap; Medicare Advantage; CHIP Reform; Chronic Care Reform; Exchanges; ICD-10; Site-neutral Payments; Medicare Fraud; Nondiscrimination Delivery System Reform; Provider Lookup Tool; Enrollee Experience Survey-Technical Expert Panel; Quality Improvement Strategy for QHPs 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. S. 2425 Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act Introduced December 18, 2015 by Robert Portman (R-OH) A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to improve payments for complex rehabilitation technology and certain radiation therapy services, to ensure flexibility in applying the hardship exception for meaningful use for the 2015 EHR reporting period for 2017 payment adjustments, and for other purposes

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

Bills named: S. 2425 (114th), H.R. 6 (114th)