Tag archives: President Trump

Medicaid update

Photo of Jeff Wurzburg (US)By Jeff Wurzburg (US) on Posted in News from DC
The Trump Administration took several steps this past week in support of its efforts to transform the Medicaid program.… Continue reading

DOJ announces Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud Task Force

Photo of Yvonne Puig (US)Photo of Jeff Wurzburg (US)By Yvonne Puig (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on Posted in Enforcement
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

CMS suspends 2017 benefit year risk adjustment payments

Photo of Jeff Wurzburg (US)By Jeff Wurzburg (US) on Posted in News from DC
On Saturday, July 7, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the suspension of risk adjustment payments for the 2017 benefit year until the resolution of risk adjustment litigation following the decision in New Mexico Health Connections v. United States Department of Health and Human Services et al., in the United States … Continue reading

Department of Labor publishes final rule to expand access to Association Health Plans

Photo of Jeff Wurzburg (US)By Jeff Wurzburg (US) on Posted in Regulatory
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule on June 19 that relaxes the regulation of, and expands access to, association health plans (AHPs).  President Donald J. Trump’s October 12, 2017 Executive Order instructed the DOL to consider expanding access to association health plans and the Department released a proposed rule on … Continue reading

Recent effort to regulate pharmaceutical pricing deemed unconstitutional by Fourth Circuit

Photo of Robin Adelstein (US)By Robin Adelstein (US) on Posted in Enforcement, FDA & Food Safety, News from DC, Regulatory
In the absence of federal action, states have attempted to rein in high pharmaceutical pricing by enacting laws aimed at regulating drug pricing. Following what now has become a trend, on March 13, 2018, Oregon became the newest state to enact such legislation, The Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act, H.B. 4005. But many of these … Continue reading

Budget Act codifies Stark liberalizations

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)Photo of Joseph Keillor (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) and Joseph Keillor (US) on Posted in News from DC, Regulatory
As we previously reported, on February 9, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives approved the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (the “Act”) and President Trump subsequently signed the bill into law.  Section 50404 of the Act includes several amendments to the Stark Law.  Specifically, Section 50404 endorses recent liberalizations of the Stark Law requirements … Continue reading

US Congress agrees to and President Trump signs budget deal that includes health care provisions

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in News from DC
Early this morning, Friday, February 9, the US Senate voted 71 – 28 to approve a budget proposal.  Subsequently, the House of Representatives passed by a 240 – 186 vote the budget package and President Trump has signed the bill into law.  The legislation reportedly:  (i) funds federal agencies until March 23; (ii) includes US$89.3 … Continue reading

FDA relaxes FSMA enforcement

Health Law PulseBy on Posted in FDA & Food Safety
On January 5, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) released guidance entitled Policy Regarding Certain Entities Subject to the Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Preventive Controls, Produce Safety, and/or Foreign Supplier Verification Programs: Guidance for Industry. The guidance states that FDA will exercise enforcement discretion for certain parts of the Food Safety Modernization … Continue reading

The US Department of Labor proposes expanded access to association health plans

Photo of Jeff Wurzburg (US)By Jeff Wurzburg (US) on Posted in Regulatory
Pursuant to President Donald J. Trump’s October 12, 2017 Executive Order instructing the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to consider expanding access to association health plans (AHP), the DOL published a proposed rule on January 5, 2018 that would modify ERISA regulations to increase the availability of AHPs.  Association health plans have been defined as … Continue reading

U.S. Senate passes tax bill eliminating penalties for failure to comply with ACA individual health insurance mandate

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in News from DC
On December 2, the U.S. Senate passed a tax bill by a 51-49 vote.  The legislation would not repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual health insurance mandate but instead would eliminate tax penalties for con-compliance with the mandate.  Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) announced her support for the bill in a press release in which … Continue reading

340B drug discount program payment reductions challenged; Alex Azar nominated as next HHS Secretary

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in News from DC
On November 13, the American Hospital Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, America’s Essential Hospitals, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, Henry Ford Health System, and Fletcher Hospital filed a lawsuit in United States District Court for the District of Columbia seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, including a preliminary injunction preventing the reduction in payments for 340B … Continue reading

President Trump announces end of cost-sharing reduction payments to insurers; President signs executive order promoting association health plans

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in News from DC
On October 12, President Trump announced in a filing by the Department of Justice in the ongoing litigation challenging the cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments that such payments will no longer be made to insurers. CSR payments help offset deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses for Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) exchange health insurance coverage for approximately … Continue reading

CBO releases report on effects of terminating ACA cost-sharing reduction payments; CMS proposes to end two incentive payment models

Health Law PulseBy on Posted in News from DC
On August 15, the Congressional Budget Office (“CBO”) released a report on the effects of terminating payments to insurers for cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) in 2017. The CBO estimated that by 2018, insurance premiums for silver plans would increase by 20 percent and leave 5 percent of Americans living in areas … Continue reading

CMS extends deadline for health insurers to file 2018 rate requests; bipartisan group of experts advocates certain health reform initiatives

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in Regulatory
On August 11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sent a memorandum to insurers announcing an extension of the deadline by almost three weeks until September 5 for insurers to file their 2018 rate requests.  Insurers are wrestling with whether to participate in the Affordable Care Act exchanges/marketplaces in 2018, and if so, the … Continue reading

Health care reform discussions continue in U.S. Senate; CMS issues multiple rules relevant to payments to and policies for hospitals, hospices, and skilled nursing facilities

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in News from DC
On August 1, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Minority Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions announced that the committee will hold hearings the week of September 4th on actions that Congress could take in an attempt to stabilize and strengthen the individual insurance markets in … Continue reading

U.S. Senate rejects health care reform legislation; CMS releases home health proposed rule for CY 2018

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in News from DC
Last week the U.S. Senate rejected three health care reform proposals intended to repeal all or parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence cast the deciding vote 51-50 for the Senate to begin debate on legislation to repeal significant parts of the ACA.  Later Tuesday evening, however, the Senate … Continue reading

News from DC – Immigration

Health Law PulseBy on Posted in News from DC
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

News from DC – Reducing Regulations

Health Law PulseBy on Posted in News from DC
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

A first look at the healthcare industry under President Trump

Photo of Thomas Dowdell (US)By Thomas Dowdell (US) on Posted in News from DC, Regulatory
The “100 Day Action Plan” of President-elect Donald Trump promised to bring broad and sweeping change to the current laws governing the healthcare industry in the US Specifically, Trump’s 100 Day Action Plan called for the full repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) and its replacement with health savings accounts, cross-states … Continue reading
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