McDermott+

Sheila Madhani discusses the recent CMS, HHS and Biden Administration initiatives that impact Medicare quality, PHE flexibilities, health equity and upcoming regulatory updates.

The House and Senate continue their work on the user fee acts and COVID-19 relief, as the nation anticipates the pending Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade. Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock outline how this decision will be telling for other legislative opportunities.

May is Mental Health Month, a time to raise awareness for the millions of Americans who face the reality of living with a mental illness. Mara McDermott and Colin LeClair focus on the mental health policy priorities and the work Connections Health Solutions is doing to advance compassionate mental health services.

Overall, the window to move healthcare priorities prior to the November election is closing. Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock review the legislative items on the Congressional calendar ahead of the August recess.

The Department of Health and Human Services extended the current COVID-19 public health emergency was extended for an additional 90 days and now is expected to extend until at least mid-July. Today, our discussion focuses on the issue of Medicaid renewals and redetermination, where more than 14 million low-income Americans may lose healthcare coverage when the PHE comes to an end. Joining Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock as a special guest this week is Jennifer Babcock, Senior Vice President for Medicaid Policy at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP).

Congress is back from a two week recess and has a lot to address in the health care space, including supplemental funding for COVID-19 relief, possible agreement on a new version of Build Back Better, the User Fee Agreements, and more. Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join guest host Amy Kelbick to discuss what's ahead.

As Congress returns to work next week, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock share their experiences on the role of Congressional Staff before the August recess.

Millions of Medicare "Part B" enrollees will be able to get up to eight free at-home tests per month at participating drug stores — a change to Medicare rules that previously didn't allow coverage of over-the-counter tests. Amy Kelbick, Meg Gilley and Eric Zimmerman detail the advocacy work on this issue to drive a favorable change.

The "family glitch" is a loophole in the Affordable Care Act that has prevented about five million Americans from subsidized health plans. At a White House event on Tuesday, the Biden Administration announced their program to fix the glitch. Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock return to review the proposed change that could affect households seeking to qualify for financial assistance.

Congress is considering a COVID-19 relief package, Secretary Becerra continues committee hears and former President Obama makes his first official visit to the White House. Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join us to discuss the week ahead in Washington, DC.