On January 28, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order entitled Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (“Executive Order”). “In light of the exceptional circumstances caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic”, the Executive Order creates a special enrollment period in states that operate Federally-facilitated exchanges from February 15, 2021 – May … Continue reading
On January 20, 2021, Joseph R. Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Within hours of taking the oath, President Biden signed an executive order entitled Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing that requires wearing masks and encouraging social distancing in Federal buildings and on Federal … Continue reading
This past week the United States surpassed the grim milestone of 200,000 COVID-19 deaths and seven million cases of COVID-19. The spread of the virus has altered the way we work, live, and play around the world and will soon touch on one of the most treasured times of the year, the holiday season. The … Continue reading
President Trump signed a controversial Executive Order on September 13, 2020 entitled Executive Order on Lowering Drug Prices by Putting America First with the intention of tying drug costs paid by the Medicare program to the costs borne by countries that have national health systems. The Executive Order provides that “[i]t is the policy of … Continue reading
On August 6, 2020 President Trump signed an Executive Order on Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs are Made in the United States. The Executive Order states that “the domestic supply chains must be capable of meeting national security requirements for responding to threats arising from CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) threats … Continue reading
On Friday, July 24, 2020, President Trump issued three executive orders, and announced a potential fourth executive order, with the stated intention of lowering the cost of prescription drugs in the United States. The general consensus among legal commentators is that the executive orders are not self-executing and implementation of the policies therein will, therefore, … Continue reading
The Texas Medical Board (“TMB”) has adopted an emergency rule based on Governor Greg Abbott’s April 17, 2020 Executive Order, which permits certain elective procedures beginning at 11:59 p.m. on April 21, 2020. The emergency rule incorporates a violation of the Executive Order to the definition of “Unprofessional and Dishonorable Conduct” under 22 Texas Administrative … Continue reading
On April 7, 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (“FEMA”) released a final rule pursuant to the Defense Production Act (“DPA”) and Executive Orders issued by President Trump prohibiting the export of the scarce or threatened materials identified by President Trump on April 3, 2020. HL Pulse summary is available here. Specifically, the Executive Order … Continue reading
On March 25, in response to President Trump’s Executive Order, HHS issued a Notice of Designation a list of health and medical resources necessary to respond to COVID-19 that are necessary to combat the spread of the disease. The Defense Production Act “prohibits any person from accumulating designated materials (1) in excess of the reasonable … Continue reading
On March 23, 2020 President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Secretary of HHS, under the authority of the Defense Production Act, to “prevent hoarding of health and medical resources necessary to respond to the spread of COVID-19 within the United States.” It also delegates to the Secretary of HHS the: [A]uthority to prescribe … Continue reading
On Thursday, October 3, 2019, President Trump signed an executive order that aims to expand the Medicare Advantage program. Medicare Part C, commonly known as Medicare Advantage, is administered by private insurers in which CMS pays the health insurer on a fee per beneficiary basis and the insurer in turn pays providers a negotiated rate … Continue reading
On July 11 the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a new Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud. The wide-ranging Task Force will be chaired by the Deputy Attorney General and work towards: [T]he investigation and prosecution of cases involving fraud on the government, the financial markets, and consumers, including cyber-fraud and other … Continue reading
On January 27, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Protection Of The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States,” (EO) barring foreign nationals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days, and if refugees, for 120 days except for Syrian refugees whose … Continue reading
Repeal and Replacement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) On January 12 and 13, 2017, the 115th Congress set the stage for the Trump administration by passing a budget resolution to repeal major provisions of the ACA with a simple majority vote. On January 27, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order … Continue reading
January 20, 2017 Memorandum from Reince Priebus On January 20, 2017, the White House issued a memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies. In the memorandum, Reince Priebus, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, provided a directive including the following: Do not send any regulations to the Office of the Federal … Continue reading