Chris Jones

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones and Adam Higgins on December 16, 2019 Posted in Healthcare

ACA TAXES ON CHOPPING BLOCK IN YEAR-END BUDGET DEAL Congressional leaders are poised to announce an agreement today that would permanently repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) taxes on medical device manufacturers, insurers and high-cost health plans as part of a spending package that would avoid a government shutdown later this week. If the tax … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones and Adam Higgins on December 2, 2019 Posted in Healthcare

HEALTH PROVISIONS FACE UNCERTAINTY AS CONGRESS RETURNS FOR BUSY DECEMBER Congress returns to Washington this week after the Thanksgiving holiday with only 18 days before the government runs out of money – and that’s not even the most important issue lawmakers will face in what is shaping up as a cramped year-end calendar. In addition … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Adam Higgins and Chris Jones on November 18, 2019 Posted in Uncategorized

FDA NOMINATION HEARING DRIVES THE WEEK IN HEALTH POLICY President Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Stephen Hahn, will appear Wednesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for a hearing on his nomination. Hahn, an oncologist and chief medical executive at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, is … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones and Adam Higgins on November 12, 2019 Posted in Uncategorized

COMPREHENSIVE DRUG BILL STALLS WHILE HOUSE PUSHES SMALLER MEASURES House Democrats are planning to take up more narrow bills addressing prescription drug costs while their broad legislation is delayed as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) works on estimating its budgetary impacts. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the Democrats’ bill now won’t receive a floor … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on October 28, 2019 Posted in Uncategorized

DEMOCRATS PRESS FOR PRE-THANKSGIVING VOTE ON DRUG PRICING BILL The House Ways and Means Committee last week approved an amended version of legislation that would overhaul how Medicare and private insurers reimburse for prescription drugs, setting up what Democrats hope will be a pre-Thanksgiving vote on the House floor. It was the third House committee … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on September 23, 2019 Posted in Uncategorized

PELOSI INTRODUCES DRUG PRICING BILL WHILE TRUMP PUSHES SENATE VERSION House Democrats introduced legislation last week to lower prescription drug prices – including allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with manufacturers – and set an aggressive timeline to approve the bill by Halloween. The legislation would allow the government to negotiate prices annually for at least … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones and Adam Higgins on September 9, 2019 Posted in Healthcare

UPDATE ON DRUG PRICING LEGISLATION AS CONGRESS RECONVENES Congress reconvenes this week after a monthlong summer recess and begins what likely will be a final push toward overhauling prescription drug prices, but lack of consensus on the underlying policy and the intensifying 2020 presidential campaign will complicate efforts to advance a bill to President Donald … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones and Adam Higgins on July 22, 2019 Posted in Uncategorized

Below is this week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update,” which is posted on Mondays when Congress is in session. MAJOR HEALTH POLICY UNLIKELY IN POTENTIAL DEBT-SPENDING DEAL As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the Trump administration edge closer to a sweeping agreement to avoid a government shutdown and debt default, it’s increasingly unlikely major healthcare provisions … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones and Adam Higgins on July 15, 2019 Posted in Healthcare

Below is this week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update,” which is posted on Mondays when Congress is in session. SENATORS RACE TO FINISH DRUG PRICING BILL AS TRUMP PLANS STALL With only 15 legislative days before a scheduled monthlong recess, Senate leaders are scrambling this week to seek consensus on ambitious legislation to lower prescription drug … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on June 24, 2019 Posted in Uncategorized

Below is this week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update,” which is posted on Mondays when Congress is in session. McCONNELL WANTS BIPARTISAN DEAL ON DRUG PRICES BY JULY To schedule time for debate in the Senate on legislation to lower prescription drug prices, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wants a bill that’s thoroughly bipartisan and ready to … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on May 21, 2019 Posted in Healthcare

Below is this week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update,” which is posted on Mondays when Congress is in session. Note that because Congress will be in recess for the Memorial Day holiday, the next “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update” will be posted on June 3. LAWMAKERS QUESTION DEMOCRATS’ STRATEGY ON DRUG PRICING House Democrats last week combined … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on May 13, 2019 Posted in Healthcare

Here is this week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update,” which is posted on Mondays when Congress is in session HOUSE TO VOTE ON BILL COMBINING ACA, DRUG PRICING PROVISIONS The House is scheduled to vote on legislation Thursday that would package new funding for state-based marketplaces and enrollment outreach efforts under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with provisions designed to … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on April 29, 2019 Posted in Uncategorized

Here is this week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update,” which is posted on Mondays when Congress is in session. DRUG PRICES: CONGRESS RETURNS, PICKS UP WHERE LAWMAKERS LEFT OFF Congress reconvenes today after a two-week spring recess, with lawmakers in both parties continuing their focus on prescription drug prices. House and Senate committees are planning a … Continue Reading

Senate Democrats recently introduced the Stop Price Gouging Act

By Lee H. Rosebush, Nicholas C. Mowbray and Chris Jones on February 15, 2019 Posted in Healthcare

Senate Democrats recently introduced the Stop Price Gouging Act (S. 378), which seeks to place an excise tax on pharmaceutical companies in proportion to price spikes on prescription drugs. The bill generally requires a company to justify to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) any spike in prescription drug prices, but it is … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on September 11, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

This week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update” includes the latest on a pending Senate vote on opioid legislation as Congress races to enact a response to the crisis before the November election; the Senate votes to expand Sunshine Act disclosure requirements; and a key House Republican backs requiring drug manufacturers to include prices in their ads; … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on July 25, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

This week’s “Capitol Hill Healthcare Update” includes the latest on a series of healthcare bills scheduled for House votes, including one to repeal the medical device tax; Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins’ scheduled testimony on before a House committee; reaction from congressional leaders … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on July 17, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

HOUSE PANEL TO EXAMINE POTENTIAL CHANGES TO STARK LAW Senior Health and Human Services (HHS) officials are scheduled to testify this week before a House subcommittee examining whether laws governing physician self-referral are an impediment to coordinated care. HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan and Deputy General Counsel Kelly Cleary are scheduled to testify Tuesday before … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on June 26, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

LAWMAKERS COOL TO TRUMP PLAN ON HHS, GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION The response from lawmakers on Capitol Hill to the White House plan to reorganize the federal government – including proposed changes to multiple healthcare agencies – ranged from lukewarm to outright opposition. President Donald J. Trump’s plan would rebrand Health and Human Services (HHS) as the … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on June 18, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

HOUSE OKs DOZENS OF OPIOID-RELATED BILLS; MORE VOTES SCHEDULED The House last week approved 38 bills that lawmakers hope will stem the opioid epidemic, and it scheduled votes this week on at least a dozen more. Most bills were noncontroversial, and others thought to be contentious – like giving the Postal Service more tools to … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on June 11, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

HOUSE TO VOTE ON DOZENS OF OPIOID BILLS WHILE SENATE READIES COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE The House this week will begin considering some of the 70 different opioid bills that have been approved by eight different committees, focusing on prescribing, enforcement, and Medicare and Medicaid coverage of treatment options. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced last … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on May 21, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

RYAN SAYS POTENTIAL COMPROMISE COMING ON RISK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION STRATEGY DRUGS House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., last week said congressional leaders are trying to hammer out compromise legislation that would make it easier for generic manufacturers to obtain branded drugs that are protected under a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety program. Ryan made … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on May 14, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

LAWMAKERS PRAISE, CRITICIZE TRUMP PLAN ON DRUG PRICES On Capitol Hill, reaction to President Donald Trump’s “American Patients First” plan to bring down prescription drug prices fell predictably along partisan lines: Republicans generally praised it, while Democrats criticized it for not going nearly far enough. Republicans weren’t effusive in their support, but House Ways and … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on May 7, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

GOP LAWMAKERS: EUROPE, CANADA ‘FREE RIDING’ ON US DRUG INNOVATION More than two dozen House Republicans last week called on President Donald Trump to leverage upcoming trade negotiations to stop other nations from “free riding” on U.S. pharmaceutical innovations. In a letter to Trump, Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., wrote that foreign government price controls, market … Continue Reading

Capitol Hill Healthcare Update

By Chris Jones on April 23, 2018 Posted in Uncategorized

AZAR ILLNESS DELAYS WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENT ON DRUG PRICING INITIATIVE Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar is recovering at his home in Indianapolis following his second hospitalization in less than a week to treat a bowel condition, delaying a scheduled Trump administration announcement this week on initiatives to control prescription drug prices. The … Continue Reading