Health Care Issuewatch Newsletter

View in your browser     House panel begins work on opioid bills By Rachel Roubein The House Energy and Commerce Committee is launching legislative work on bills aimed at curbing the nation's opioid epidemic, which resulted in more deaths last year than car accidents. Combating the opioid epidemic has been a bright spot of bipartisanship in the past, particularly when Congress passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) in 2016. Lawmakers are hoping it can be a bipartisan effort again this year. Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) wants to see the House pass opioid legislation by Memorial Day weekend. The panel plans to hold three legislative hearings. Wednesday marks the first hearing, where lawmakers will examine eight bills on enforcement and patient safety. The next two hearings will focus on prevention and insurance coverage, respectively. On the other side of the Capitol, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) are working on a bill Whitehouse referred to as "CARA 2.0." Congress approved $6 billion for the opioid and mental health crises in a two-year budget deal passed earlier this month. The proposed merger between health care giants, CVS and Aetna, will receive lawmakers' scrutiny in the coming week in a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing. Regulators don't appear ready to sign off on the $69 billion deal for CVS Health to acquire Aetna. Department of Justice staff asked the companies to provide them with more information earlier this month. Negotiations are also likely to continue on legislation aimed at stabilizing the ObamaCare insurance markets. Several lawmakers are working to tack it onto a broader government spending package that must be passed by March 23 to avoid a shutdown. Before the Presidents' Day recess, top Republican negotiators met to discuss a way to bridge the gap between the House and Senate proposals. GOP Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and Susan Collins (Maine) met with Walden to discuss two main differences between the chamber's bills. The Senate version provides $5 billion per year to help insurance companies offset the cost of the chronically ill, whereas the House version would provide $10 billion. Additionally, House Republicans want the measure to include the Hyde amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortions, while Democrats oppose this provision.   Hearings: Tuesday, a House Judiciary Subcommittee will examine the proposed CVS and Aetna merger Tuesday, Senate HELP Committee on the role of technology in preventing addiction Wednesday, House Energy and Commerce hearing on combating the opioid crisis   In case you missed it: Health chief to meet with Idaho governor on controversial ObamaCare plan Bipartisan group of governors unveil new health reform proposal Trump calls out McCain for ObamaCare vote Trump: ObamaCare being wiped out 'piece by piece' Dem asks Trump health chief for timeline on gun research Top Dems press Idaho on plan to get around ObamaCare rules House panel announces opioid enforcement bills ahead of hearing Study: Not enough providers to address opioid epidemic in 11 states Liberal think tank releases universal coverage plan House Dems call for vote on lifting gun violence research limits Alaska state lawmakers look to impose Medicaid work requirements FDA announces recall of dietary supplements after opioid declaration     Send tips and comments to Jessie Hellmann, jhellmann@thehill.com; Peter Sullivan, psullivan@thehill.com; Rachel Roubein, rroubein@thehill.com; and Nathaniel Weixel, nweixel@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @thehill, @jessiehellmann, @PeterSullivan4, @rachel_roubein, and @NateWeixel.         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for Healthcare Newsletters     Forward Healthcare Newsletters       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.