Weekly Legislative & Regulatory Round-up
Week of January 17 - 23
| GAO reports |
VA Health Care: Long-Term Care Strategic Planning and Budgeting Need Improvement GAO-09-145
| OIG reports |
| Bills introduced |
|
Number/ Title |
Date Introduced | Sponsor | Description |
S. 275 |
1/16/09 |
MAX BAUCUS (D-MT) |
An original bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes; from the Committee on Finance; placed on the calendar |
S. 276 |
1/16/09 |
DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA) |
A bill to establish a National Commission on Entitlement Solvency; Referred to the Committee on Finance |
H.R. 598 |
1/16/09 |
CHARLES RANGEL (D-NY) |
A bill to provide for a portion of the economic recovery package relating to revenue measures, unemployment, and health; Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Science and Technology, Education and Labor, and Financial Services. |
S. 295 |
1/16/09 |
JEFF BINGAMAN (D-NM) |
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the quality and efficiency of the Medicare program through measurement of readmission rates and resource use and to develop a pilot program to provide episodic payments to organized groups of multispecialty and multilevel providers of services and suppliers for hospitalization episodes associated with select, high cost diagnoses; Referred to the Committee on Finance |
H.R. 614 |
1/21/09 |
MIKE PENCE (R-IN) |
A bill to amend title X of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit family planning grants from being awarded to any entity that performs abortions, and for other purposes; Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. |
H.R. 616 |
1/21/09 |
MARION BERRY (D-AR) |
A bill to amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an exemption of pharmacies and pharmacists from certain Medicare accreditation requirements in the same manner as such exemption applies to certain professionals; Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means. |
H.R. 619 |
1/21/09 |
EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (D-TX) |
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to remove the exclusion from medical assistance under the Medicaid Program of items and services for patients in an institution for mental diseases; Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. |
H. Con. Res. 24 |
1/21/09 |
BARBARA LEE (D-CA) |
Concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress on the need for a national AIDS strategy; Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce |
S. 301 |
1/22/09 |
CHARLES E. GRASSLEY (R-IA) |
A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for transparency in the relationship between physicians and manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals, or medical supplies for which paym ent is made under Medicare, Medicaid, or SCHIP; Referred to the Committee on Finance |
S. 305 |
1/22/09 |
CHARLES SCHUMER (D-NY) |
A bill to amend title IV of the A A billl to amend title IV of the Public Health Service Act to create a National Childhood Brain Tumor Prevention Network to provide grants and coordinate research with respect to the causes of and risk factors associated with childhood brain tumors, and for other purposes; Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. |
S. 307 |
1/22/09 |
RON WYDEN (D-OR) |
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare program and to exempt from the critical access hospital inpatient bed limitation the number of beds provided for certain veterans; Referred to the Committee on Finance. |
S. 310 |
1/22/09 |
BARBARA BOXER (D-CA) |
A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that safety net family planning centers are eligible for assistance under the drug discount program; Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. |
H.R. 636 |
1/22/09 |
MICHELLE BACHMANN (R-MN) |
A bill to amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to allow funds provided under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families to be used for alternative-to-abortion services; Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. |
H.R. 646 |
1/22/09 |
MAURICE HINCHEY (D-NY) |
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of qualified acupuncturist services under part B of the Medicare Program, and to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for coverage of such services under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program; Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform. |
H.R. 653 |
1/22/09 |
BARBARA LEE (D-CA) |
A bill to amend title IV of the Public Health Service Act to create a National Childhood Brain Tumor Prevention Network to provide grants and coordinate research with respect to the causes of and risk factors associated with childhood brain tumors, and for other purposes; Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. |
| Federal Register notices |
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
· Food and Drug Administration
Risk Assessment of the Public Health Impact From Foodborne
Listeria monocytogenes in Some Ready-to-Eat Foods Sliced, Prepared,
and/or Packaged in Retail Facilities; Request for Comments and for
Scientific Data and Information
ACTION: Notice; request for comments and for scientific data and
Information.
· Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information
Technology (ONC), HHS; Notice of Availability: Secretarial Recognition
of Certain Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP)
Interoperability Specifications and the Standards They Contain as
Interoperability Standards for Health Information Technology
SUMMARY: By publication of this document, we are informing the public
of the Secretary's recognition of certain Healthcare Information
Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) ``HITSP Interoperability
Specifications'' and the standards they contain as ``Interoperability
Standards'' for health information technology. The Secretary accepted
these Interoperability Standards in January of 2008, and hereby
recognizes them in updated versions one year later, effective January
16, 2009. The lists of recognized Interoperability Standards are
provided below and are available at http://www.hitsp.org; click on the
``View by Status'' tab.
No relevant notices.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
· Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) is publishing the following summary of proposed
collections for public comment. Interested persons are invited to send
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1)
The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for
the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of
the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology to minimize the information collection burden.
· Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Approval of the Accreditation
Commission for Health Care, Incorporated for Continued Deeming
Authority for Home Health Agencies
ACTION: Final notice.
SUMMARY: This notice announces our decision to approve the
Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Incorporated (ACHC) for
continued recognition as a national accreditation program for home
health agencies (HHAs) seeking to participate in the Medicare or
Medicaid programs.
· Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Medicaid Program; Town Hall Forum on Access to Dental Care for
Medicaid-Eligible Children; April 6, 2009
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
SUMMARY: This notice announces a town hall forum to discuss access to
dental care for Medicaid eligible children. Beneficiaries, providers,
dentists, industry representatives, and other interested parties are
invited to this meeting to present their views, concerns, and
recommendations related to oral health issues. The forum is open to the
public, but attendance is limited to space available.
DATES: Meeting Date: The town hall forum will be held on Monday, April
6, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., eastern daylight time (e.d.t.).
Deadline for Meeting Registration: Registrations must be received
by Wednesday, April 1, 2009, by 5 p.m., e.d.t.
ADDRESSES: Meeting Location: The town hall forum will be held in the
auditorium at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500
Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244.
· Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Medicare Program; Meeting of the Practicing Physicians Advisory
Council, March 9, 2009
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: This notice announces a quarterly meeting of the Practicing
Physicians Advisory Council (the Council). The Council will meet to
discuss certain proposed changes in regulations and manual instructions
related to physicians' services, as identified by the Secretary of
Health and Human Services. This meeting is open to the public.
DATES: Meeting Date: Monday, March 9, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
e.d.t.
· Office of the Secretary
Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: This notice provides an update of the HHS poverty guidelines
to account for last calendar year's increase in prices as measured by
the Consumer Price Index.