Insight Entries – Page 13

WHG - California v. Texas: Analysis of Supreme Court Oral Argument

On November 10, the United States Supreme Court (the “Court”) heard oral arguments in the case of California v. Texas. While the outcome of the case if far from certain, the Court made clear during these arguments that all three issues at stake – the standing of the plaintiffs (those seeking repeal of the mandate and the rest of the... Read More

WHG - Weekly, November 2-6

The political stakes are huge for the upcoming elections tomorrow. At the moment, former Vice President Joe Biden appears to be maintaining his lead in the popular vote and in the crucial swing states that will be necessary to garner a majority of the electoral votes. The margin of victory for either candidate is sure to be close and could... Read More

WHG - October 2020 Edition: Catalogue of Health Agency Guidance and Government Response to COVID-19

In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. government agencies have continued the frequent release of fact sheets and guidance documents for health care and public stakeholders. To help navigate the outpouring of information, the Wynne Health Group has maintained the attached and newly updated catalogue, intended to capture and organize the full array of relevant guidance for health... Read More

WHG - Weekly, October 26-30

As negotiations over a COVID-19 relief package between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin drag into another week, the outlook for a deal before Election Day appears to be a long-shot given the remaining significant disagreements as well as resistance among Senate Republicans to a bill ranging from $1.9 trillion to $2.2 trillion. Senate Majority Leader... Read More

WHG - Candidates Offer Differing Approaches to Pandemic Response and Health Care in Final Presidential Debate

Last night, President Donald J. Trump faced former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joseph R. Biden in the last of two 2020 general election debates. The event was hosted at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. The Commission on Presidential Debates kept the format mostly the same as the first debate, with six 15-minute segments dedicated to topics selected and announced... Read More

WHG - Weekly, Oct 19-23

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has set tomorrow as the deadline for an agreement on a COVID-19 relief package before the election as prospects on a deal continue to dim. While Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has agreed he would consider an agreement, he remains very dubious of the latest talks and is pressing on with a vote Tuesday... Read More

WHG - 2020 Election Preview

The political stakes are high for the upcoming elections on Tuesday, November 3. American voters will choose between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden and determine the makeup of the House and Senate amid the unprecedented circumstances surrounding a coronavirus pandemic, which has directly afflicted the President and others in the Administration and Congress. Meanwhile, a new... Read More

WHG - Vice President Pence and Senator Kamala Harris Debate on Pandemic Response, Vaccine Confidence, Preexisting Conditions, and Roe vs. Wade

On Wednesday, October 7, Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) met head-to-head in the first and only 2020 vice presidential debate. The candidates convened in Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Debate moderator, Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page of USA Today, led the candidates through what were intended to be 10 minute... Read More

WHG - Issue Brief: COVID-19 Vaccine State of Play

As the United States surpasses 200,000 COVID-19 deaths and hovers around 40,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, the Trump administration and pharmaceutical manufacturers have sought to develop, manufacture, and distribute a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine at an unprecedented pace. The likely limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, at least initially, has also raised questions about who will receive the COVID-19... Read More

WHG - September 2020 Edition: Catalogue of Health Agency Guidance and Government Response to COVID-19

WHG - Chaotic First 2020 Presidential Debate Touches on ACA Supreme Court Case, Biden's Public Option Plan, Pandemic Response

Tuesday night, September 29, President Donald J. Trump faced former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joseph R. Biden in the first of three 2020 general election debates. The event was hosted at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion, part of a joint campus shared by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic is serving in the... Read More

WHG - August 2020 Edition: Catalogue of Health Agency Guidance and Government Response to COVID-19

WHG - Chart: Biden Campaign vs. Trump Administration's Health Care Policies

This week, the Democratic party convened for its virtual National Convention and formally adopted its 2020 Party Platform. The attached memo examines the health care policies and priorities articulated by the party and by its presidential nominee, former Vice President Joseph Biden. Vice President Biden’s health care plan is largely defined by the intention to preserve and build upon the Obama-Biden Administration’s... Read More

WHG - Updated 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Outlook

WHG has updated its Legislative and Regulatory Outlook for 2020, based largely on changes reflected in the administration’s recently released Spring 2020 Unified Agenda. With this product, we aim to provide a comprehensive line-up of key federal health care policy developments we expect to see throughout the course of the coming year and their approximate timing. Of note, many anticipated... Read More

WHG - Chart: Key Federal COVID-19 Stimulus Funding Opportunities for Health Care Providers and Hospitals

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has continued to distribute funding, release information, and share data about the allocation of coronavirus relief payments to providers and facilities. Here are the key updates since we last shared our Federal COVID-19 Funding Opportunities for Providers & Hospitals tracking chart in late June: Funding: Provider Relief Fund – HHS announced today that it... Read More

WHG - Aligned Support on Legislative & Regulatory Changes to Extend COVID-19 Telehealth Flexibilities

The COVID-19 public health emergency has required a swift and monumental response across several federal agencies and Congress. Through a combination of emergency powers, federal agencies have collectively issued over 600 temporary flexibilities and regulatory changes intended to bolster the U.S. response to the pandemic. With respect to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), many of the deregulatory... Read More

WHG - Chart: Compilation of Federal Telehealth Flexibilities

In light of the many changes to telehealth that have occurred since the beginning of the COVID-19 public health emergency, we have compiled the key telehealth changes and flexibilities at the federal level into one chart. The chart incorporates legislative changes, waivers, certain insurer flexibilities, and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) interim final rules with commend periods... Read More

WHG - Chart: Key Federal COVID-19 Economic Relief Opportunities for Employers

WHG provides an overview of key economic relief opportunities that were made available through the following bills signed into law, thus far. Phase 3 Bill – CARES Act (H.R. 748) Phase 3.5 Bill – Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 266) Overall, the chart encapsulates economic relief to employers, including those in the health care sector, in... Read More

WHG - Chart: Key Federal COVID-19 Economic Relief Opportunities for State and Local Governments

WHG provides an overview of key stimulus funding opportunities for state and local governments that were made available through the series of COVID-19 response bills signed into law, thus far. Phase 1 Bill – Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (R. 6074) Phase 2 Bill – Families First Coronavirus Response Act (R. 6201) Phase 3 Bill – Coronavirus... Read More

WHG - Lookback: Key COVID-19 Updates March 9-13

During March 9-13, 2020, there were several updates about the coronavirus from all levels of government. In addition to the discussion lawmakers are having with public health experts at hearings and the primetime briefing by President Trump, departments throughout the administration have released fact sheets and guidance documents on a near daily basis. Attached is a brief recap of the... Read More