Title: 5 Health Care Policy Issues To Follow In 2018 - Law360
Headings: 5 Health Care Policy Issues To Follow In 2018
5 Health Care Policy Issues To Follow In 2018
Content: The House Energy & Commerce Committee has taken the lead on 340B reform, with its Oversight Subcommittee expected to release a report on 340B early next year. Committee members, Reps. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., and Buddy Carter, R-Ga., have been developing comprehensive 340B reform legislation, which could codify many unresolved issues, including the scope of HRSA's oversight and regulatory authority, the definition of a "patient," and the original intent of the 340B program. More immediately, if not addressed before the end of this year, we anticipate efforts to roll back CMS's 2018 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) final rule, which starting on Jan. 1, 2018, will reduce reimbursement for certain separately payable, non-pass through Part B drugs purchased under the 340B program. Legislation, which would block implementation of the Medicare payment cuts for drugs purchased under the 340B program, has strong bipartisan support. [ 2]
Opioids
Rates of opioid misuse and addiction continue to skyrocket, with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimating that over 91 Americans die from an opioid overdose each day. [ 3] The White House declared the opioid epidemic a national emergency in October, and there is broad agreement among policymakers that increased funding and policy solutions are needed. Two signature achievements of the 114th Congress — the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act ( CARA) of 2016 and the 21st Century Cures Act — authorized federal grants to states to supplement opioid abuse prevention and treatment activities, including improving prescription drug monitoring, training for health care providers, and expanding access to opioid treatment programs. The 21st Century Cures Act provided funding authorization for such programs during the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years.