Policy Updates: Hill Happenings and Administration Activities
Hill Happenings
FY2025 Appropriations
On September 22, lawmakers struck a bipartisan deal to temporarily extend Fiscal Year 2024 funding levels through December 20. The House of Representatives teed up a continuing resolution (CR) that will avert a government shutdown on the October 1 start date of Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025). Notably, the CR extends funding until after the November general elections, buying appropriators more time to reach a deal on the FY2025 spending package while avoiding the larger backdrop of the election. The bipartisan deal materialized after a failed bid from House of Representatives to pass a controversial continuing resolution (CR) (H.R. 9494) on September 18.
NASTAD will continue to monitor the congressional appropriations process and advocate for the highest possible funding for HIV, hepatitis, and drug user health programs.
Senate Passes End TB Now Act (S.288)
On September 19, the Senate passed the End TB Now Act (S.288), a bill that will support ending tuberculosis in the US and marks a comprehensive commitment to make the elimination of tuberculosis (TB) a foreign assistance priority for the United States. Enacting the End TB Now Act will help the US achieve its goal of TB elimination by establishing goals for U.S. efforts to detect, cure, and prevent all forms of tuberculosis, and will direct the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost its bilateral TB programs and meet the objective of the United States and our allies in the global fight against TB.
Administration Activities
HHS Warns Johnson & Johnson to Cease Implementation of New 340B Rebate Model
On September 17, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson (J&J), warning that a proposal to modify its hospital rebate structures violated the manufacturer’s obligations under the 340B statute. J&J planned to modify its rebate structures to a reimbursement model on October 15, defying 340B requirements to provide up-front discounts to covered entities. HRSA called on J&J to cease implementation of the new rebate model no later than September 30 or face fines and other consequences.
NASTAD Submits Comment in Support of CMS Proposal to Expand Care for People with Disabilities, Leaving Incarceration
On September 9, NASTAD signed onto comments in support of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposal to revise Medicare’s custody definition and the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for formerly incarcerated individuals. The proposed rule would expand access to high quality and affordable coverage and care for hundreds of thousands of older adults and people with disabilities who are living in the community under supervised release following incarceration. In 2022, there were at least 340,000 people ages 65 and older on probation and parole, who may have faced barriers to accessing health care through Medicare due to the custody payment exclusion.
NASTAD Submits Comment in Support of CMS Proposed Rule that Implements Medicare Part D Inflation Rebate Provisions
On September 9, NASTAD signed onto comments in support of CMS’ proposed rule that implements the Medicare Part D inflation rebate provisions authorized through the Inflation Reduction Act. In particular, the coalition commented in support of CMS’ proposed methodology to estimate what portion of Part D rebatable units are 340B, noting that the proposal would not burden covered entities or interfere with their ability to use 340B drugs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. Additionally, the coalition supports CMS’ consideration of a retrospective methodology for 340B claim identification if it stops utilizing the current estimation methodology.
Resources
White House ONAP Summit: ¡Adelante! Summit: A White House Convening to Accelerate Our Nation's HIV Response in Hispanic/Latino Communities
Date: Tuesday, September 24 at 9:00 am ET
The White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) is proud to host the ¡Adelante! Summit: A White House Convening to Accelerate Our Nation's HIV Response in Hispanic/Latino Communities. This special event will bring together a diverse group of leaders, both those currently working on HIV and those from other fields who are equally invested in the health and well-being of our nation and Hispanic/Latino communities. The ¡Adelante! Summit aims to foster dialogue, highlight innovation, and build meaningful connections across the HIV field. Our central goal is to elevate visibility of the HIV epidemic in Hispanic/Latino communities and inspire collective action nationwide. Through a dynamic lineup of informative panels and interactive sessions, the summit is focused on amplifying diverse voices, driving tangible action, and mobilizing leadership for sustained impact. Due to limited room capacity, we were unable to invite more in-person attendees. However, to ensure broad participation, we are offering a virtual option for key portions of the summit.
HRSA HAB Webinar: A Trauma-Informed Approach for Integrating HIV Primary Care and Behavioral Health
Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 2:00-3:00 pm ET
“Join us for an exciting webinar featuring “A Trauma-Informed Approach to Integrating HIV Primary Care and Behavioral Health Care Services intervention,” designed to diagnose mental health issues among people with HIV and reduce stigma associated with accessing mental health care by integrating primary HIV care and behavioral health services to coordinate client diagnoses and treatment. CE credit is available for individuals who attend the live webinar. Click here to learn more about CE credits offered through the IHIP webinar series.”
KFF Analysis: An Examination of Medicaid Renewal Outcomes and Enrollment Changes at the End of the Unwinding
“Over 25 million people were disenrolled and over 56 million had their coverage renewed during the unwinding of the Medicaid continuous enrollment provision. Our new analysis dives into data on unwinding renewal outcomes through June 2024 and examines Medicaid enrollment changes from February 2020 through May 2024, the most recent federal enrollment data available, nationally and across states.”
International Journal of Drug Policy: A call for compassionate opioid overdose response
“We call for an opioid overdose response standard of care that centers the voices of people who use drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are developing and aggressively marketing high dose (>0.4 mg for intramuscular (IM) injection and >4 mg intranasal (IN) spray) and long-acting opioid antagonists (such as nalmefene) in the United States (US). As synthetic opioids become more prevalent worldwide, we anticipate these opioid antagonists will also be marketed in other countries. Use of these products will increase the risk, duration, and complications of precipitated withdrawal. A compassionate overdose response restores breathing and avoids withdrawal.”
NHAHC Mini-Conference: Beyond the Regs
Date: Sunday, October 20 – Monday, October 21
Please join the National HIV/AIDS Housing Coalition (NHAHC) for a mini conference, Beyond the Regs, in Washington, D.C. prior to HUD’s HOPWA Institute. The workshop topics include braiding streams of funding for housing, prevention and housing models, and a closing housing advocacy panel featuring Rep. Jerry Nadler.
Job Postings
Senior Policy Advisor, Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and STI – Queens, New York
The NYC Health Department’s Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (BHHS) Policy and External Affairs Program seeks a Senior Policy Advisor to lead its health systems policy efforts and support its HIV, STI, and viral hepatitis policy advocacy more broadly. The Senior Policy Advisor will report to the Director of Policy and External Affairs and oversee BHHS’s health systems policy efforts, including monitoring, researching, and responding to Medicaid, Medicare, 340B program, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, New York State of Health Marketplace, New York City HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA), patient assistance programs, and commercial health insurance activity relevant to New Yorkers affected by HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis.
Communicable Disease Epidemiologist – Cheyenne, Wyoming
This position will serve as the Communicable Disease AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Coordinator, Wyoming TB Controller, and Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) for the Communicable Disease (CD) Treatment Program. Assist in outbreak response to ensure the safety of Wyoming residents; by interviewing cases for exposure information, updating news outlets on the progress of outbreak control, analyzing exposure data utilizing epidemiological and statistical methods.
Open Positions – New York State
The New York State Department of Health, in partnership with Health Research, Inc, has various job openings, including some within the AIDS Institute. Please visit this link to learn about their current opportunities.
News Bulletin
An injectable HIV-prevention drug is highly effective — but wildly expensive
“’It’s not progress if lenacapavir’s cost and other structural challenges impede access, domestically or globally,’ said Tim Horn, director of medication access at the public health nonprofit NASTAD. ‘The results of the drug’s clinical trials, he said, ‘must be to the benefit of all people at risk for HIV, including those with cost-related hurdles to state-of-the-art prevention and care.’”
Why House Republicans still can’t manage to fund the government
“House Republicans have been in power for nearly two years — and they’re still unable to solve fiscal problems within their ranks. The belligerent nature of the conference, coupled with a historically narrow majority, has made it almost impossible for any GOP leader to appease each corner of their constituency when nearly every Republican vote is necessary to pass bills along party lines.”
US has worst healthcare system among wealthy nations, survey says
“The United States healthcare system was deemed the worst overall in a new analysis of 10 similar nations by a leading health research nonprofit. Mirror, Mirror 2024: A Portrait of the Failing U.S. Healthy System, published by The Commonwealth Fund Thursday, looked at 70 healthcare systems in 10 wealthy nations including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S. and compared them to one another… In the survey, the U.S. system came in last place overall, in part because it earned 10th place spots in both accessibility and health care outcomes, as well as low rankings in administrative efficiency and equity.”