VIZIENT, INC. for VIZIENT INC
What was lobbied
4 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Medicare/Medicaid MMM
Medicaid Disproportionate Hospital (DSH) payment cuts - Urged Congress to avoid Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment cuts scheduled to begin in FY 2024. Urged passage of Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act (H.R. 2665). Supported temporary delay of Medicaid DSH cuts in continuing resolution (H.R. 6363). Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (H.R. 5378) - Opposed adoption of site-neutral payment policies for drug administration and increased fines related to price transparency requirements for hospitals. Urged Congress to redirect its focus from site-neutral payment policies to reducing administrative burdens and increasing, rather than reducing, payments for care delivery in rural areas. The Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the Low Volume Hospital Payment Adjustment (LVA) - Supported passage of The Rural Hospital Support Act (S. 1110) Medicare Area Wage Index - Supported passage of the Save Rural Hospitals Act (S. 803/H.R. 3635) Rural health care - Responded to House Ways and Means Committees Request for Information on ways to improve healthcare in rural and underserved areas. Urged Congress to consider utilizing the Vizient Vulnerability Index to help identify key challenges different rural communities face. Supported passage of the Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act (S. 1571) and the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4924/S. 665). Urged further changes to Rural Emergency Hospital designation. Proposed Medicaid Managed Care Rule - Joined several other hospital advocacy organizations in signing a letter to CMS urging the agency not to finalize proposals related to provider-supported funding in the Medicaid Managed Care Proposed Rule. Supported CMSs proposal to establish the Average Commercial Rate (ACR) as the upper payment limit for inpatient and outpatient hospital services in the context of state directed payments. Medicare-supported Graduate Medical Education - Supported passage of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 2389/S. 1302). Medicare Home Infusion - Supported passage of the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act (S. 1976/H.R. 4104). Issues related to pharmacy benefit managers; monitoring the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act (S.2973) Issues related to hospital and provider payment
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ALEXANDRIA LEIGH ICENHOWER | — |
| SHOSHANA KRILOW | — |
| STEVEN RIXEN | — |
| JENNA STERN | — |
| DARREN WEBB | — |
Health Issues HCR
Hospital Group Purchasing - Advocated to highlight the value that hospital group purchasing organizations provide to hospitals and suppliers. Provided education on how GPOs work in the healthcare supply chain and the role they play in delivering value to healthcare providers. Endorsed passage of Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act (H.R. 5819/S.1378). Preparing for All Hazards and Pathogens Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4421) and Preparedness and Response Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4420) - Supported passage of legislation to reauthorize the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act. Advocated for including provisions to increase transparency in the healthcare supply chain and improve hospital and health system emergency preparedness. Payer-mandated White Bagging - Urged support for policy updates related to payer-mandated white bagging for medications. Drug shortages -Supported elements to increase transparency in prescription drug supply chain and increase reimbursement for generic prescription drugs; issues related to compounding; issues related to buffer inventory. Endorsed passage of the Drug Origin Transparency Act (H.R. 3810). Endorsed passage of the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act (S. 2305). Supported passage of the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act (S. 1355/H.R. 2940). Supported passage of the Biologics Competition Act (H.R. 1790). Endorsed passage of Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act (S.2305) 340B Drug Pricing Program - Continued to urge action to ensure covered entities have access to 340B discounted prices through contract pharmacies. Highlighted critical importance of the 340B program for hospitals. Endorsed passage of the Preserving Rules Ordered for The Entities Covered Through (PROTECT) 340B Act (H.R. 2534). Opposed legislation (H.R. 3290/S. 1133) that would place cumbersome reporting obligations on 340B covered entities. Buffer inventory - Engagements with CMS on reimbursement for hospitals that stockpile buffer supplies of essential medicines Mental and Behavioral Health - Highlighted during congressional briefing how hospitals are providing mental and behavioral health treatment and support for their communities. Highlighted the need for legislation to address significant challenges to mental and behavioral health treatment, including increased demand for services, limited access to treatment, and clinician shortages. Healthcare Workforce - Supported passage of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 2389 / S. 1302), the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act (H.R. 2584/S. 2768) and the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (H.R 6205/S. 3211); Monitored development and introduction of the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act (S.2840) Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) - Urged Congress to reauthorize CHGME program through the Childrens Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 3887). Offered support for providing $738 million in funding the CHGME program. Unique Device Identification (UDI) - Continued engagement to improve data standards and validation and support opportunities for the improved use of unique device identification and the Global UDI database (GUDID). Telehealth - Continued supporting passage of the CONNECT for Health Act (S. 2016/H.R. 4189). Continued to advocate for the adoption of permanent telehealth policies to extend flexibilities beyond the current 2024 expiration date. Social Determinants of Health - Encouraged Congress and agencies to ensure tools like the Vizient Vulnerability Index are being utilized to understand and identify social drivers of health at the neighborhood level. Medical Device Sterilization - Conducted education and outreach on the potential negative impact on the healthcare supply chain of pending regulations limiting the use of Ethylene Oxide as a medical device sterilant. Issues related to pharmacy benefit managers
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ALEXANDRIA LEIGH ICENHOWER | — |
| SHOSHANA KRILOW | — |
| STEVEN RIXEN | — |
| JENNA STERN | — |
| DARREN WEBB | — |
Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX
Not-for-Profit Hospital Tax-exemption - Provided education and information on hospital tax exemption and what is required to justify and maintain tax-exempt status.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ALEXANDRIA LEIGH ICENHOWER | — |
| SHOSHANA KRILOW | — |
| STEVEN RIXEN | — |
| JENNA STERN | — |
| DARREN WEBB | — |
Tariff (miscellaneous tariff bills) TAR
Sec. 301 China Tariffs - Continued to advocate for clarity around the expiration of tariff exclusions for products necessary to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supported extending exclusions for key healthcare products.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ALEXANDRIA LEIGH ICENHOWER | — |
| SHOSHANA KRILOW | — |
| STEVEN RIXEN | — |
| JENNA STERN | — |
| DARREN WEBB | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.