Policy Corner: June 7, 2019

House Appropriations Committee Drafts a Minibus to Consider Next Week

The House Appropriations Committee released a summary of the first minibus of fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills Wednesday in advance of Floor consideration next week. The package includes five FY 2020 spending bills: Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education, Legislative Branch, Defense, State-Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development. The Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies bill includes funding for programs within the departments of Labor, HHS, and Education, and other related agencies, including the Social Security Administration. The bill includes an additional $1 million for a total of $12.32 million for the HHS’ Administration for Community Living (ACL) TBI Program that awards grants to protection & advocacy (P&A) systems and to states to improve service delivery. The committee recommended level funding for the ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) research program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Injury Center TBI program. The bill also includes an additional $2 million for CDC’s Injury Control Research Centers for a total of $11 million, an additional $1 million for the CDC elderly falls prevention program for a total of $3.05 million, and $25 million for firearm injury and mortality prevention research.

The House is expected to consider the minibus, H.R. 2740, beginning June 12. Several amendments have been proposed, including a bipartisan amendment by Reps. David McKinley (R-W.Va.) and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) to increase funding by $10 million for grants that help states reduce opioid overdoses, with the goal of creating a “coordinated care” model for treating people who show up in the emergency department during an overdose.

BIAA Supports Increased Funding for HHS TBI Programs and Respite Care

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) submitted testimony last week to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies supporting increased funding for the HHS’ ACL federal TBI program and the NIDILRR TBI Model Systems. BIAA also supports a $4 million increase in appropriations for NIDILRR to expand research related to strokes.

BIAA signed on an organizational letter to appropriators supporting increased funding for respite and family caregiver support to individuals with brain injury. The Lifespan Respite Care Program and the National Family Caregiver Support Program are both administered by ACL and provide assistance to caregivers of individuals with disability, including brain injury, across the lifespan. The Lifespan Respite Care Program requires states to focus on addressing respite provider/volunteer training and recruitment, start-up of new respite services, and affordability issues for family caregivers who struggle financially, but are not eligible for any publicly funded respite services. The National Family Caregiver Support Program provides grants to states and territories to fund various supports that help family and informal caregivers care for older adults in their homes for as long as possible.

Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Extend Funding for Family-to-Family Health Information Centers

Reps. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.) introduced the Family-to-Family Reauthorization Act of 2019, H.R. 2822, May 17, to extend funding for the grant program that funds Family-to-Family Health Information Centers through federal fiscal year 2024. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) introduced S. 1647, the companion bill, May 23.

The family-staffed centers provide guidance and support to families of children with special healthcare needs, including children with brain injury. The centers help families access information about the healthcare resources, treatments, and services available for their children. The centers are to help families with children and youth with special healthcare needs to access early and continuous screening to identify their needs, a medical home to coordinate needed care, community-based services that are easier to use, adequate healthcare financing; and stronger family-professional partnerships leading to transition to improved adult life outcomes.

BIAA Signs CCD Position Paper Regarding Prescription Drugs

BIAA joined other organizations within the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) on a position paper regarding prescription drugs as they relate to people with disabilities and chronic conditions. The organizations believe that all people should have access to treatment that is affordable, accessible, easy to navigate, and based on a physician-directed and person-centered treatment plan determined by the individual and their health care providers. BIAA supports options for individuals to lower their out of pocket costs, including access to safe and effective generics, but opposes policies that reduce or unduly restrict coverage of brand name drugs if such drugs are needed.

BIAA gratefully acknowledges the Centre for Neuro Skills and Avanir Pharmaceuticals for their support for legislative action.