WEEK TWO OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDERS. Last week saw a flurry of immediate executive actions out of the new Biden Administration. In the healthcare space, we saw a number of executive orders, memos, and directives focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the actions outlined require additional guidance, regulation, and funding to support their implementation, but they set the tone and direction of the Biden Administration’s response to the crisis. In other regulatory action, the Biden Administration announced a regulatory freeze memo that withdraws all Trump Administration regulations that were not yet published. For rules that have been published but have not taken effect, the Biden Administration will consider postponing the rules’ effective dates for 60 days in order to review and determine appropriate actions for the rules. The Biden Administration has begun this regulatory process by delaying the effective date of the Implementation of Executive Order on Access to Affordable Life-Saving Medications final rule, which would require Federally Qualified Health Centers to provide access to insulin and injectable epinephrine to low-income patients at the price the health center purchased these two drugs through the 340B Drug Pricing Program. This rule’s effective date has been delayed until March 22, 2021 (the effective date was January 22, 2021).
ON DECK FOR THIS WEEK. Later this week, we are expecting to see additional executive orders from the Biden Administration on equity and healthcare. The equity orders are expected on January 26, while the healthcare executive orders are expected on January 28. We are also watching for imminent official announcement of a confirmation hearing for Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee Xavier Becerra.
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