The ACP protests plans to deport undocumented immigrants
WASHINGTON -- The nation's capital
fell relatively quiet this week with Congress still on recess. But the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was busy. It proposed a
new rule that would prevent insurers from discriminating against
transgender beneficiaries as well as women, non-English speakers, and
the disabled. The agency also announced long-awaited revisions to the
Common Rule, a policy meant to safeguard human research subjects. The
American College of Physicians (ACP) pushed back against Republican
presidential candidates for promoting deportation of undocumented
immigrants, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
announced plans to test a value-based Medicare Advantage model.
HHS Issues Anti-Discrimination Rules for Transgender People
Health insurers can no longer exclude coverage for care related to gender transition under a proposed rule issued Thursday by HHS.
The proposed rule, entitled "Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities," also includes requirements for communicating with disabled patients and beefs up language assistance requirements for those with limited English proficiency.
"This proposed rule is an important step to strengthen protections for people who have often been subject to discrimination in our health care system," Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said in a press release. "This is another example of this administration's commitment to giving every American access to the healthcare they deserve."
ACP Opposes 'Mass Deportation' Proposals on Health Grounds
The internal medicine society kicked another political hornets' nest Tuesday, urging physicians to make public statements opposing the deportation of all undocumented immigrants, which has been advocated by a number of Republican presidential candidates.
It's the latest salvo from an increasingly activist ACP leadership, which earlier this year waded into controversies over gun violence and gay marriage.
In a statement posted on the ACP website, the group "called on physicians, individually and collectively, to speak out against proposals to deport the 12 million U.S. residents who lack documentation of legal residency status."
'Common Rule' Revision Arrives
The department released a long-awaited proposed rule intended to strengthen protections for human research subjects on Thursday. Changes to the Common Rule -- a law governing human research at 17 federal agencies and offices -- were first initiated 4 years ago.
HHS said the goal of the proposed rule is to "enhance and streamline the review process, reduce inefficiencies, and hold unaffiliated IRBs [institutional review boards] directly accountable for regulatory compliance, without compromising ethical principles and protections."
Michael Carome, MD, director of Public Citizen's Health Research group, called the revisions a "mixed bag." A benefit of the rule is that it will expand federal oversight to any clinical trial performed at an institution if any branch of that institution receives federal funding for human research, irrespective of how individual trials are funded. A drawback of the rule, according to the advocacy group, is that it will grant oversight to only one institutional review board for collaborative trials occurring at multiples sites.
"[T]he proposed rule is premised on the dubious assumption that reducing the time and effort IRBs spend reviewing low-risk research will allow them to spend more time and effort reviewing higher risk research, but HHS offers no evidence to back this up," according to Carome.
Comments on the new rule may be submitted for 90 days beginning Sept. 8.
CMS to Launch new Medicare Advantage Model
A new program for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries aimed at reducing high-cost care and improving health outcomes was announced. The Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model, enables health plans to additional benefits or lower cost-sharing for beneficiaries with chronic conditions such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), congestive heart failure, and mood disorders.
"The Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model fills an immediate need for testing ways to improve care and reduce cost in Medicare Advantage Plans and offers the prospect of lower out-of-pocket costs and premiums along with better benefits for enrollees in Medicare Advantage," said Patrick Conway, MD, MSc, deputy administrator and chief medical officer for CMS.
The model will launch in January 2017 and continue for 5 years in 7 states: Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
Next Week
On Wednesday, Health Affairs will hold a briefing on non-communicable diseases.
Also on Wednesday the House will explore Planned Parenthood's abortion practices.
On Thursday and Friday, the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee will meet to discuss issues of policy, and two FDA advisory committees will review a pair of new oxycodone painkillers.
Also on Thursday, Research!America will host National Health Research Forum to examine issues related to medical innovation and public health.
HHS Issues Anti-Discrimination Rules for Transgender People
Health insurers can no longer exclude coverage for care related to gender transition under a proposed rule issued Thursday by HHS.
The proposed rule, entitled "Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities," also includes requirements for communicating with disabled patients and beefs up language assistance requirements for those with limited English proficiency.
"This proposed rule is an important step to strengthen protections for people who have often been subject to discrimination in our health care system," Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said in a press release. "This is another example of this administration's commitment to giving every American access to the healthcare they deserve."
ACP Opposes 'Mass Deportation' Proposals on Health Grounds
The internal medicine society kicked another political hornets' nest Tuesday, urging physicians to make public statements opposing the deportation of all undocumented immigrants, which has been advocated by a number of Republican presidential candidates.
It's the latest salvo from an increasingly activist ACP leadership, which earlier this year waded into controversies over gun violence and gay marriage.
In a statement posted on the ACP website, the group "called on physicians, individually and collectively, to speak out against proposals to deport the 12 million U.S. residents who lack documentation of legal residency status."
'Common Rule' Revision Arrives
The department released a long-awaited proposed rule intended to strengthen protections for human research subjects on Thursday. Changes to the Common Rule -- a law governing human research at 17 federal agencies and offices -- were first initiated 4 years ago.
HHS said the goal of the proposed rule is to "enhance and streamline the review process, reduce inefficiencies, and hold unaffiliated IRBs [institutional review boards] directly accountable for regulatory compliance, without compromising ethical principles and protections."
Michael Carome, MD, director of Public Citizen's Health Research group, called the revisions a "mixed bag." A benefit of the rule is that it will expand federal oversight to any clinical trial performed at an institution if any branch of that institution receives federal funding for human research, irrespective of how individual trials are funded. A drawback of the rule, according to the advocacy group, is that it will grant oversight to only one institutional review board for collaborative trials occurring at multiples sites.
"[T]he proposed rule is premised on the dubious assumption that reducing the time and effort IRBs spend reviewing low-risk research will allow them to spend more time and effort reviewing higher risk research, but HHS offers no evidence to back this up," according to Carome.
Comments on the new rule may be submitted for 90 days beginning Sept. 8.
CMS to Launch new Medicare Advantage Model
A new program for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries aimed at reducing high-cost care and improving health outcomes was announced. The Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model, enables health plans to additional benefits or lower cost-sharing for beneficiaries with chronic conditions such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), congestive heart failure, and mood disorders.
"The Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model fills an immediate need for testing ways to improve care and reduce cost in Medicare Advantage Plans and offers the prospect of lower out-of-pocket costs and premiums along with better benefits for enrollees in Medicare Advantage," said Patrick Conway, MD, MSc, deputy administrator and chief medical officer for CMS.
The model will launch in January 2017 and continue for 5 years in 7 states: Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
Next Week
On Wednesday, Health Affairs will hold a briefing on non-communicable diseases.
Also on Wednesday the House will explore Planned Parenthood's abortion practices.
On Thursday and Friday, the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee will meet to discuss issues of policy, and two FDA advisory committees will review a pair of new oxycodone painkillers.
Also on Thursday, Research!America will host National Health Research Forum to examine issues related to medical innovation and public health.
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