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.

News Alert: Five takeaways on Trump’s tariffs

View in your browser     Five takeaways on Trump’s tariffs President Trump’s plan to levy steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports has rattled global markets, irritated members of his own party and sent key U.S. allies reeling for an equivalent response. Read the full story here           Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for News Alerts     Forward News Alerts     You Might Like       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.

Technology Issuewatch Newsletter

View in your browser     Trump seeks meeting with video game execs about violence By Harper Neidig and Ali Breland President Trump plans to meet with representatives from the video game industry to discuss school violence in the coming week, the White House said on Thursday. "Next week he'll also be meeting with members of the video game industry to see what they can do on that front as well," said press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "This is going to be an ongoing process and something that we don't expect to happen overnight," Sanders added. "But something that we're going to be engaged in and continue to look for the best ways possible to make sure we're doing everything we can to protect schools across the country." The meeting is in response to the shooting last month at a high school in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people. The gun debate has consumed Washington since the shooting. At a White House meeting this week with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, Trump toyed with the idea of supporting stiffer gun control measures in response to the violence, baffling Republicans. But he also expressed concern about violent video games and movies, which he suggested may be a cause of mass school shootings. "I'm hearing more and more people say the level of violence on video games is really shaping young people's thoughts. And you go one further step and that's the movies. ... Maybe they have to put a rating system for that," Trump said. Video games and movies are both currently subject to rating systems.     The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), one of the biggest trade groups for the video game industry, pushed back both on the notion that video games are linked to real-world violence and said they had been given no notice of a meeting. "ESA and our member companies have not received an invitation to meet with President Trump," said spokesman Dan Hewitt in a statement. "The same video games played in the US are played worldwide; however, the level of gun violence is exponentially higher in the US than in other countries. Numerous authorities have examined the scientific record and found there is no link between media content and real-life violence." A White House spokesman did not offer details on the proposed meeting. Both the House and Senate will be in session in the coming week and there are a slew of tech-related hearings on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on protecting online consumers from counterfeit products at 10:00 a.m. Across the Capitol that day, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold an oversight hearing of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at 10:00 a.m. NTIA chief David Redl, who was appointed by Trump, will testify. Also on Tuesday, the House Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on the White House's infrastructure proposal at 10:00 a.m. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao will testify. At the same time, the House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing on rural broadband and small carriers. On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing at 10:00 a.m. on emerging technology in the retail industry. At the same time, the House Science Subcommittee on Space holds a hearing on NASA's budget request for fiscal 2019. Acting Administrator Robert M. Lightfoot Jr. will testify. At 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment will hold a hearing on the "future of transportation fuels and vehicles." Later that day at 2:00 p.m., the House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on artificial intelligence and the federal government. The hearing comes as experts warn the U.S. is losing ground to China in the development of AI technology. Also on Wednesday at 2 p.m., the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit will hold a hearing on two bills that would beef up data breach notification rules.   Recent stories: Equifax says consumer bureau still probing hack despite report it eased off FCC chairman declines CPAC gun award for 'courage under fire' Trump to meet with video games executives about school violence: WH IBM urges lawmakers to crack down on internet platforms Twitter puts out call for ideas to improve 'health' of platform House panel: Russia aimed to disrupt US energy markets using social media Equifax says it's found 2.4 million more victims from 2017 breach YouTube bans neo-Nazi channel for violating hate speech rules FCC to vote on proposal to speed up 5G deployment Facebook says Trump paid more than Clinton for digital advertising House passes online sex trafficking bill Conservative groups urge Congress to oppose online sales tax bill PayPal, FTC reach settlement over Venmo deception charges White House issues guidance to agencies on IT modernization Dems introduce legislation to stop FCC net neutrality repeal Net neutrality activists rally to overturn FCC repeal     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         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for Technology Newsletters     Forward Technology 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.