Federal Debt-Ceiling Talks Still Stuck
President Obama has given Congressional leaders of both parties 24 to 36 hours to caucus with their respective memberships to determine which - if any - of the proposals being considered to cut spending and raise the debt limit have enough votes to pass. Limited agreement has been reached with the Senate on cuts to spending, including $200 billion from Medicaid over 10 years, but no agreement has been reached on raising more tax revenue. GOP leadership in the House and Senate cannot agree on a proposal. A deal must be reached by August 2. |
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Senate Hearing on Vets Mental Health
On July 14, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) chaired a hearing to discuss persistent gaps in mental health and substance use access to care in the VA. The hearing touched on many of the APA's concerns regarding access to quality care including: linkages with primary care, wait times and persistent understaffing of professionals in some geographic regions, and co-morbidity of PTSD, TBI and substance use disorders and care for women vets. Also discussed at the hearing were two reports released by the VA Inspector General showing unacceptably high patient wait times and long wait lists and an unacceptable number of veterans who are not contacted by VA between the time they were accepted and the beginning of the program. These reports also revealed that staffing levels for mental health fell short of VA guidelines.
The Government Accountability Office's recent report on sexual assault complaints in VA mental health units that found many of these assaults were not reported to senior VA officials or the Inspector General. VA clinicians also expressed concern about referring women vets to inpatient mental health units because they didn't think the facilities had adequate safety measures in place to protect these women. This particular matter was the focus of Congressional outreach during the APA's Advocacy Day in April. To access APA's fact sheet on "Returning Military and their Families" click here. |
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APA Submits Comments on HIPAA Privacy Rule
On July 14, the APA submitted comments to HHS, supporting a HIPAA Privacy Rule which provides for the accounting of disclosures of patients' health care record and health care payment data under the HITECH Act. The APA appreciates the balance this proposed rule strikes between making patients aware of who is accessing their personal health information and health payment data and ensuring the rule's patient protections do not pose an undue administrative burden or danger to patients' physicians. |
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APA Submits Comments to CMS
On July 14, the APA submitted comments to CMS supporting the creation of several classes of hardship exemptions for Medicare's eRx Incentive Program. The APA especially endorses CMS's creation of a hardship exemption for physicians who reside in states with local or state regulations that currently preclude physicians from electronically prescribing controlled substances. The APA encourages CMS to implement each of these proposed hardship exemptions so physicians are not unreasonably penalized for failing to satisfy what in some instances are currently unattainable eRx Incentive Program standards. |
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House Committees Hear Bipartisan Opposition to Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)
Earlier this week, congressional focus turned to the controversial IPAB provision passed as part of last year's comprehensive healthcare reform legislation. IPAB is required to put forward recommendations to cut Medicare spending to achieve targeted savings, and a special fast track process allows recommendations to move through Congress limiting regular procedure, oversight, and stakeholder input. Both the House Budget Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings with members of both parties expressing concerns. The hearings underscore widescale opposition to IPAB from physician and other health professionals, consumer advocates, hospitals, and other stakeholders. APA opposes IPAB due to its reliance on individuals who are not accountable to the public to make critical Medicare payment decisions.
To read APA's letter to Congressional leadership opposing IPAB, click here. |
