|
DGR Telephone:
703-907-7800 | |
Follow APA Advocacy on Twitter!
The APA Department of Government Relations is now on Twitter! Now you can find out about APA Advocacy activities, Congressional hearings, mark-ups, and floor votes in real time.
Please click on the following link to start following APA Advocacy Twitter:
http://twitter.com/apa_
advocacy
Questions about the Twitter page or how to set up an account? Please contact Kyle Folsom at advocacy@psych.org. |
|
|
|
|
APA Pushes for Final Parity Rule
As a member of the Parity Implementation Coalition, the APA is making visits to key offices in the United States Senate to urge legislators to push the Departments of Health and Human Services and Labor to issue a Final Parity Rule. Gray areas of the current Interim Final Parity Rule, like non-quantitative treatment limitations, scope of services, and applicability of the Parity Act to Medicaid managed care organizations and/or their carve-outs, would finally be addressed. The APA has submitted comments to CMS advocating for stronger Medicaid access measures. These comments are offered as a supplement to comments put forth by the American Medical Association, to which the APA signed on in full support. |
Status of Federal Deficit Negotiations
The status of Congressional and White House negotiations change by the minute. Reports as of July 8 indicate that the GOP leadership is willing to consider closing some corporate tax "loopholes" if the White House is willing to consider changes to Social Security. Still on the table are serious cuts to Medicaid (approximately $10 billion per year for 10 years). The APA has written a letter to Congressional leadership, supported by our colleagues in the Mental Health Liaison Group, expressing our deep concerns about reducing access to health care for our nation's sickest persons. People with serious and chronic mental illnesses are disproportionally enrolled in Medicaid and rely on the programs for medications. Both the House and Senate have cancelled recesses in order to continue talks with the Administration. The MHLG letter is available through this link:
http://www.mhlg.org/06-23-11.pdf |
|
White House Changes Policy on Suicide Condolence Letters
The White House announced this week that the President will send letters of condolence to the families of military members who commit suicide while on overseas deployment. The policy was changed on July 5 and letters will not be retroactive. In 2010, the APA urged the President to change then- current policy declining to issue condolence letters in the case of suicide. The letter is available through this link:
|
|
Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA)
The House Energy and Commerce's Health Committee held the first of many hearings on the reauthorization of PDUFA. Under the user fee authority, FDA collects funds from drug sponsors to expedite the human drug approval process. The last reauthorization of PDUFA was contentious and included consideration of (defeated) amendments to restrict access to SSRIs. The APA is monitoring Congressional activity on PDUFA and looks forward to the September 1, 2011 and January 15, 2012 FDA reports that will be submitted to Congress. PDUFA must be reauthorized by September 30, 2012 in order to secure operational funds for the FDA. |
Appropriations Update
The Indian Health Service (I.H.S.) received a proposed increase in FY12 funds by the House Appropriations Subcommittee of the Interior and Environment. The legislation contains $4.5 billion for the Indian Health Service. This is $392 million over last year and the largest program increase in the bill. The Subcommittee said "American Indians and Alaska Natives suffer from the poorest average health in the country, and access to care is a persistent problem. This funding will help address access to health facilities for many health problems, including those related to domestic violence, dental health, alcohol and substance abuse, cardiovascular health, diabetes, and infant mortality." This proposed increase is especially striking given that nearly every other program in the Subcommittee's jurisdiction was reduced by 5 to 28 percent. The appropriations bill will now advance through the House.
The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs FY12 appropriations measure, H.R. 2055, has passed the House and is advancing through the Senate. H.R. 2055 makes major cuts to the current level - $618 million mostly restricted to overseas construction. APA is encouraged that one of the very few areas in which the bill provides an increase is for VA medical research, which is $72 million over the President's budget request to maintain funding at the current level. |
|
|
|
|
