Each week, C-TAC compiles the latest legislative and regulatory updates affecting the serious illness care field, combined with insider analysis from our policy experts. Here’s what you need to know for the week ahead:
- House Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package
- Biden Administration Issues Guidance Requiring Plans and Issuers to Cover COVID-19 Testing without Cost Sharing
- HHS Nominee Xavier Becerra Commits to Working on End-of-Life Care Pilot
- Medicare Payment Advisory Committee Holding Public Meeting This Week
House Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package
On Feb. 27, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the latest coronavirus stimulus bill, which is being taken up by the Senate this week. The $1.9 trillion package allots $10 billion for Defense Production Act spending in order to replenish reserves of medical supplies and equipment. The bill would also boost federal spending on Medicaid home-and-community based supports (HCBS) by about $9 billion for one year, and would allocate $1.4 billion in funding for programs authorized under the Older Americans Act, including support for nutrition programs, community-based support programs and the National Family Caregiver Support Program. The legislation also includes a number of provisions aimed at supporting health care workers’ emotional well-being and mental health. The bill text is available here.
Biden Administration Issues Guidance Requiring Plans and Issuers to Cover COVID-19 Testing without Cost Sharing
New guidance from the Biden-Harris Administration, released on Feb. 26, aims to eliminate barriers to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and vaccinations and strengthening requirements that plans and issuers cover diagnostic testing without cost sharing. Under the new guidance issuers and private health plans “generally cannot use” use medical screening criteria to deny coverage for COVID-19 tests to someone who is asymptomatic and has had no known or suspected exposure to the coronavirus. The guidance aims to allow people to determine if they are COVID-19 negative without a financial barrier.
C-TAC applauds this action by the administration, which expands access to critical diagnostic testing. More information is available here.
HHS Nominee Xavier Becerra Commits to Working on End-of-Life Care Pilot
During last week’s confirmation hearings, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Xavier Becerra said that he looks forward to working on an end-of-life care pilot designed to improve patient and family satisfaction while reducing costs. The statement was prompted by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who hopes to work on the pilot with Becerra and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. C-TAC commends Becerra’s commitment to supporting the sickest and most vulnerable among us and we look forward to continuing our work with CMMI to improve the lives of those with serious illness and their families. To learn more, click here. The full recording of the hearing is available here.
Medicare Payment Advisory Committee Holding Public Meeting This Week
The Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) will be holding a public meeting on March 4-5. Areas of focus will include streamlining the CMS portfolio of alternative payment models, balancing efficiency with equity in Medicare Advantage benchmark policy, and Medicare’s vaccine coverage and payment. The meeting will be held in three sessions, two on March 4 followed by a morning session on March 5. To learn more and register, click here.
