Summary
The House Republicans are having their retreat in Orlando early this week and aren’t scheduled to come back into session until noon on Wednesday. Once back, the House will be taking up H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. This bill establishes rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary school education of their children and, among other things, requires schools to allow review the curriculum, budget, reading materials of their child’s school. The Senate is in recess until Tuesday evening when they will come back to continue debate, and eventually vote, on S.316, a bill to repeal the authorizations for use of military force against Iraq. It will be a busy week on both sides of the Capitol with health care issues being a topic in several Committees.
Hearings
This week, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra will appear before the Senate Finance Committee and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to answer questions about the President’s FY 2024 budget. The $144 billion proposed budget for HHS includes a $8 billion increase to enhance Medicare benefits by expanding diabetes prevention and increasing access to behavioral health, among other proposals. For Medicaid and CHIP, it includes $138 billion in investments over 10 years to support equity and sustainability plus another $150 billion for home and community-based services (WHG summary).
On Wednesday, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel will testify in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for a hearing on the price of COVID-19 vaccines. A panel of policy experts will also testify at the hearing. The federal government is preparing for the transition of COVID-19 vaccines to the commercial market, meaning manufacturers, such as Moderna and Pfizer, will negotiate prices directly with insurers. Moderna has signaled that commercial prices for COVID-19 vaccine will be between $110 and $130, which is nearly 5 times greater than the weighted average price paid by the federal government, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. Most people with health insurance will still be able to get COVID-19 vaccines for free.
The Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs will convene a hearing on Wednesday to discuss underlying causes of drug shortages, their impact on public health and national security, and potential reforms to mitigate risks. The discussion is particularly timely as the Senate HELP Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee begin work on the reauthorization of Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). Most PAHPA programs and authorities expire at the end of fiscal year 2023 (September 30, 2023). Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA), along with Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mitt Romney (R-UT), issued a request for information (RFI) to inform legislation.
The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Thursday on how inflation and high health care costs have impacted small businesses, independent medical providers, and patients alike across the country.