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

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Risk Corridors; Reinsurance; Regional PPO Language

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

Pharmacy PHA

Pharmaceutical Innovation; Patent Reform; HELP Cures Bill Information

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

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Medicare/Medicaid Issues: Medigap; Medicare Advantage; CHIP Reform; Chronic Care Reform 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.

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

Bills named: H.R. 6 (114th)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Health Insurance Tax; IRC section 833(b) tax provisions; Medical Loss Ratio definition to qualify for 833(b) tax deduction; Cadillac tax HR 928 Introduced February 12, 2015 by Charles Boustany (R-LA) To repeal the annual fee on health insurance providers enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. S 183 Introduced January 16, 2015 by John Barrasso (R-WY) Jobs and Premium Protection Act 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: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Treasury, Dept of; SENATE; White House Office; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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

Health Issues HCR

Affordable Care Act; Delivery System Reform; Implementation; Cybersecurity; Appropriations Language; Small Group Expansion; Opioid Abuse; Medical Loss Ratios; Exchanges; HELP Cures Bill; Funding Issues for Puerto Rico Public Health; Payment Reform; Plan Innovation; ACA Regulations; Risk Corridors 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; Alternative structures for the FEHBP. 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 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. 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.

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

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