Health Care Checkup
March 11, 2022
THE BIG PICTURE
Late Thursday, the Senate voted 68-31 to pass a $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package (H.R. 2471) to keep the federal government funded through the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2022. The bill will now be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The package includes $13.6 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine security and humanitarian needs amid the ongoing Russian invasion. It also includes $45 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $1 billion to establish the Advanced Research Project Agency for Health (ARPA-H), $8.5 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), $1 billion for maternal and child health, $2 billion for mental health, $3.9 billion for substance use treatment, and an additional $50 million for health disparities research.

The omnibus legislation originally included $15.6 billion in COVID-19 funding, but on Wednesday afternoon, COVID funding was stripped from the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a  letter to help explain the sudden cut in funding. She said that “Republicans resisted” the funding and demanded that “every cent requested by the Administration be offset.” Additionally, she said a number of Democrats resisted making these offsets. Now, the House created a separate COVID-19 bill that will be voted on next week. However, this separate COVID measure is unlikely to pass the Senate.
 
On Wednesday, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and Ranking Member, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), introduced the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act). The legislation includes measures such as strengthening the nation’s public health workforce, improving biosecurity related to biomedical research, and creating a new office in the White House to oversee pandemic prevention and preparedness. A markup of the legislation is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 15. The legislative text can be found here and a section-by-section summary can be found here.
 
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced $35 million in funding will be made available to seven grant programs to improve and expand upon community mental health services and suicide prevention services for children and adolescents. Additional information can be found here.
 
The Biden Administration launched its “Test to Treat Initiative,” in which individuals can get tested for COVID-19 at pharmacy clinics and federally qualified community health centers (FHQCs), and if they’re positive, receive antiviral pills for free “on the spot.” The Administration said that a website is currently being developed to help individuals locate facilities participating in the program and should be complete by mid-March.
What to Expect Next Week: On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing titled, "Prescription Drug Price Inflation: An Urgent Need to Lower Drug Prices in Medicare." On Thursday, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on "Pandemic Response and Accountability: Reducing Fraud and Expanding Access to COVID-19 Relief through Effective Oversight." Also on Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing titled, "The Future of Medicine: Legislation to Encourage Innovation and Improve Oversight."
DEEP DIVE
Senate Passes Omnibus Package to Fund Government Through Remainder of FY22
 
Late Thursday, the Senate voted 68-31 to pass a $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package (H.R. 2471) to keep the federal government funded through the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2022. The bill will now be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The package includes $13.6 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine security and humanitarian needs amid the ongoing Russian invasion. It also includes $45 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $1 billion to establish the Advanced Research Project Agency for Health (ARPA-H), $8.5 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), $1 billion for maternal and child health, $2 billion for mental health, $3.9 billion for substance use treatment, and an additional $50 million for health disparities research.

The legislation originally included $15.6 billion in COVID-19 funding, but on Wednesday afternoon, COVID funding was stripped from the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a  letter to help explain the sudden cut in funding. She said that “Republicans resisted” the funding and demanded that “every cent requested by the Administration be offset.” Additionally, she said a number of Democrats resisted making these offsets. Now, the House created a separate COVID-19 bill that will be voted on next week. However, this separate COVID measure is unlikely to pass the Senate.

Listed below are links to summaries of the omnibus legislation:
 
Senate HELP Leaders Release PREVENT Pandemics Act
 
On Wednesday, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and Ranking Member, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), introduced the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act). The legislation includes measures such as strengthening the nation’s public health workforce, improving biosecurity related to biomedical research, and creating a new office in the White House to oversee pandemic prevention and preparedness. A markup of the legislation is scheduled for next Tuesday. The legislative text can be found here and a section-by-section summary can be found here.
 
Leaders of House Energy and Commerce Committee Request Information from SAMHSA on the Biden Administration’s Efforts to Address the Nation’s Mental Health Crisis
 
House Energy and Commerce leaders sent a letter to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), requesting information on its efforts to “address the increased levels of mental health issues in the United States, particularly given the impact of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.” Among other questions, the Representatives asked SAMHSA for any data it has collected pertaining to changes in the nation’s mental health in 2020 and 2021, as compared to 2019 before the pandemic began. They also asked for SAMHSA to specify if there are any associated events contributing to Americans’ “changing” mental health symptoms. They requested that their questions be answered by March 22, 2022. Please find the letter here.

HHS Announces $35 Million Will Be Given to Grant Programs to Improve Mental Health Care for Children and Young Adults
 
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced $35 million in funding will be made available to seven grant programs to improve and expand upon community mental health services and suicide prevention services for children and adolescents. The seven grant programs are: 1) Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education), 2) Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention (GLS), 3) GLS State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Program, 4) Statewide Family Network (SFN) Program, 5) Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED), 6) The Community Programs for Outreach and Intervention with Youth and Young Adults at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P), and 7) OMH Demonstrating Policy Effectiveness to Promote Black Youth Mental Health Initiative. Additional information can be found here.
 
Biden Administration Launches Test-to-Treat Initiative
 
The Biden Administration launched its “Test to Treat Initiative,” in which individuals can get tested for COVID-19 at pharmacy clinics and federally qualified community health centers (FHQCs), and if they’re positive, receive antiviral pills for free “on the spot.” The program will be run by HHS, and antiviral pills by Pfizer and Merck will be directly allocated to participating clinics. The Administration said that a website is currently being developed to help individuals locate facilities participating in the program and should be complete by mid-March. To find out more about the Test to Treat program, click here.
SENATE HEARINGS AND EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
Senate Finance Committee - Hearing
Full Committee Hearing: "Prescription Drug Price Inflation: An Urgent Need to Lower Drug Prices in Medicare."
Wednesday, March 16 at 10:00 AM ET

Senate Armed Services Committee - Hearing
Subcommittee On Personnel Hearing: "To receive testimony on the health effects of exposure to airborne hazards, including toxic fumes from burn pits."
Wednesday, March 16 at 3:00 PM ET

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee - Hearing
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing: "Pandemic Response and Accountability: Reducing Fraud and Expanding Access to COVID-19 Relief through Effective Oversight."
Thursday, March 17 at 10:15 AM ET
HOUSE HEARINGS AND EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
House Committee on Energy and Commerce - Hearing
Subcommittee on Health Hearing: "The Future of Medicine: Legislation to Encourage Innovation and Improve Oversight"
Thursday, March 17 at 10:30 AM ET

House Committee on Veterans' Affairs - Hearing
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Hearing: Building a Better VA: Addressing Healthcare Workforce Recruitment and Retention Challenges
Thursday, March 17 at 2:00 PM ET
ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
 
Food and Drug Administration
 
Guidance Documents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institutes of Health
QUICK LINKS
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202-585-0258