Senate Special Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on People with Disabilities. Senators and witnesses acknowledged the significant barriers that exist for Americans with disabilities and discussed current and proposed federal disability policies. During the hearing, Chair Casey, who lost reelection and will not return to the Senate, released a series of issue briefs detailing his record chairing the committee. The briefs focused on government technology accessibility, home care, nursing homes, prescription drug costs, and economic security for older adults, and can be accessed here.
House Votes on FY 2025 NDAA. In a vote of 281 – 140, the House approved the FY 2025 NDAA, moving forward a key “must pass” bill for the 118th Congress that includes a few healthcare policies. Although the final bill text removed amendments related to the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy and medical treatment for transgender troops, many Democrats remained opposed to the bill’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors on TRICARE. Also of note, the NDAA did not include the BIOSECURE Act, which would have prohibited federal agencies from procuring, purchasing, or obtaining biotechnology equipment or services from “companies of concern” in adversarial countries, such as China.
Congress Negotiates Health Extenders. As Congress moves to enact a CR prior to the December 20, 2024, government funding deadline, lawmakers have continued bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on inclusion of a health package that would go beyond a simple short-term extension of key expiring health provisions, such as community health center funding, funds for safety net hospitals, and Medicare telehealth flexibilities. If negotiations are successful, we will see this package in the coming days.
Health-Related House Committee Leaders Chosen. Previous House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Chair Rep. Guthrie (R-KY) will chair the full committee in the 119th Congress. Rep. Smith (R-MO) will remain the House Ways & Means Committee chair. Reps. Pallone (D-NJ) and Neal (D-MA) will also remain ranking members of the House Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means Committees, respectively.
ASTP/ONC Releases Slimmed Down HTI-2 Final Rule. The Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) (HTI-2) final rule includes policies related to the TEFCA Manner Exception and implements provisions aimed at supporting reliability, privacy, security, and trust within the national exchange network. The rule also includes corrections and updates to current regulatory provisions of the ONC Health IT Certification Program. The final rule omits many of the policies that were included in the July 2024 HTI-2 proposed rule. Those proposals remain under further review and development.
The final rule was posted for public inspection in the Federal Register and is scheduled to be published on December 16, 2024. ASTP/ONC’s timeline for review, development, and potential finalization of the policies that were proposed but ultimately omitted from the HTI-2 final rule remains unclear. The incoming Trump Administration will likely be averse to greater regulation of technological innovation. Another final rule addressing the Protecting Care Access proposals is currently awaiting review by the Office of Management and Budget.
Congress will be in session next week, in what is expected to be the final week of the 118th Congress. As the clock ticks down to the December 20, 2024, government funding deadline, we await the outcome of negotiations on the health extenders and potential additional healthcare policies that may be included in the stop-gap CR that is expected to run through March 2025. Several public health research and program authorization bills have also been placed on the House suspension calendar, and more could be added. Inclusion on this list does not guarantee the House will consider a bill, but it is a positive indicator.
For more information, contact Debra Curtis, Kristen O’Brien, Erica Stocker, Julia Grabo, or Maddie News.
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