Healthcare Issuewatch Newsletter

View in your browser     Health officials to testify on flu season response By Nathaniel Weixel A House panel in the coming week will turn its attention to the U.S. public health response to this year's deadly flu season. The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hear from top public health officials, including Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Lawmakers want answers on what steps officials took to prepare for the season and what they are doing to handle the ongoing flu epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said that the flu season has peaked, with the worst over. But the CDC added they expect high levels of activity in the coming weeks. Federal officials aren’t exactly sure why this season has been so severe, but most of the country has been hit by the flu at the same time, which experts said was unusual. Federal officials said Friday there had been 114 children killed by the flu this season.     It will be a busy week in Washington, with both the House and the Senate in session. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar will also be making a series of public speeches in the week ahead to key industry groups. Azar will address the Federation of American Hospitals on Monday and speak to America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the insurance industry's largest trade group, on Wednesday. The speeches are a notable departure from his predecessor Tom Price, who did not speak to either group during his brief tenure as head of the agency. The health community will be watching his speeches closely. Azar is likely to discuss a series of new rules the administration has proposed this year that critics say weaken ObamaCare. One rule is intended to expand access to cheaper, short-term health insurance plans. Another would expand “association health plans,” allowing small businesses or self-employed individuals to band together to buy coverage. Azar is also in the spotlight as states move to circumvent ObamaCare's rules. Idaho has proposed allowing insurers to sell plans that don't meet ObamaCare requirements. Supporters of the proposal say it will people find more affordable plans. But Democrats oppose such moves, saying the state is ignoring the law and trying to undercut ObamaCare. Idaho officials said they met with Azar recently but that he didn't tip his hand on whether he will block their plans. Lawmakers are also looking to make progress on the fight against opioids. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing Thursday as part of its ongoing investigation into the crisis. The focus of the latest hearing will be on state leadership, and the committee will hear testimony from a bipartisan group of governors, on how they are addressing opioids. In December, Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) sent a letter to every governor and every state insurance commissioner in the country asking how the federal government can best partner with states on the front lines of the opioid crisis. Combating the opioid epidemic has been a rare, bright spot of bipartisanship in the past, and lawmakers have continued that trend. On Tuesday, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) released a follow up bill to opioid legislation signed in 2016. The new bill, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) 2.0, would establish a three-day limit on prescribing opioids and let states waive restrictions on how often physicians can prescribe medicines to treat opioid addition, among other changes. It also includes more funding for treatment. On the House side, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) wants to see the chamber pass opioid legislation by Memorial Day weekend. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are also continuing their talks on legislation aimed at stabilizing the ObamaCare insurance markets. Several lawmakers are working to tack it on to a broader government spending package that must be passed by March 23 to avoid a shutdown.   Hearings: Thursday: The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing "examining U.S. public health preparedness for and response efforts to seasonal influenza." Thursday: The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing entitled "The Opioid Crisis: Leadership and Innovation in the states."   In case you missed it: Top Dem: Official who denied abortions for unaccompanied minors should resign Trump calls for 'very strong' penalties for drug dealers Planned Parenthood announces $20M midterm election campaign GOP eyes budget maneuver to pay for ObamaCare funds Mental health groups push for policy changes after shooting Scott Walker signs bill aimed at stabilizing ObamaCare market Health chief doesn't tip hand on Idaho ObamaCare plan Pence: Abortion will end in U.S. 'in our time' Senators unveil bipartisan bill to fight opioid epidemic Key GOP lawmaker: 'Unlikely' Congress lifts CDC gun research limits Groups working to end AIDS fear losing ground under Trump Study: ObamaCare premiums to rise 18 percent from GOP-backed changes     Join The Hill on Wednesday, March 21, for Leadership in Action: The Hill's Newsmaker Series featuring Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), and Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.). RSVP Here     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.