Policy Corner: September 25, 2020

House and Senate Agree to a Stopgap Measure to Fund Federal Government

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Continuing Appropriations Act, H.R. 8337, to extend federal government funding through Dec. 11, avoiding a government shutdown at the end of the month. The Senate has agreed to move forward. The continuing resolution funds most programs at the same level as the current fiscal year. H.R. 8337 includes nearly $8 billion in nutrition assistance and extends and expands the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, which provides resources to families with children who otherwise would have received free or reduced-price meals at school. The Pandemic EBT program works the same way the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits do to help families get the food they need during the pandemic.

The act also extends funding for several programs set to expire, including the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program, Community Health Centers, Community Mental Health Services Demonstration Program. It also extends protections against impoverishment for the spouses of individuals receiving home- and community-based services (HCBS) through Dec. 11 of this year.

Nation Mourns the Death of Justice Ginsburg

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Sept. 18 from metastatic cancer of the pancreas. She was a trailblazer for women’s rights, standing for equality for all. She authored the majority opinion in Olmstead v L.C., which held that people with disabilities have a right to live in communities of their choice. Justice Ginsburg was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993. President Trump is planning to name a replacement before the November election, and the Senate has announced that it would approve the nomination.

Senate Sends National Suicide Hotline Bill to President

The House agreed to the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, S. 2661, introduced by Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) that amends the Communications Act to require the Federal Communications Commission to designate 9-8-8 as the universal telephone number of a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs must jointly report on how to make the use of 9-8-8 operational and effective across the country, and HHS must develop a strategy to provide access to competent, specialized services for high-risk populations such as LGBTQ youth, minorities, and rural individuals. The bill has been sent to the president for his signature.

House Passes NEMT Bill

The House has passed the Protecting Patients Transportation to Care Act, H.R. 3935, sponsored by Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.), this week. The legislation will amend the Medicaid statute to include non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) in the list of mandatory Medicaid benefits by codifying current Medicaid NEMT regulations. The bill would also require state Medicaid programs to have in place a utilization management process for the benefit. This service pays for transportation for individuals who are Medicaid-eligible to access health-related Medicaid services, such as day programs and physicians’ offices.

The legislation also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the extent of and identify measures that prevent Medicaid fraud and abuse in relation to such services. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must, among other things, establish a stakeholder working group to address certain challenges regarding Medicaid program integrity and coverage of such services.

Administration Names Permanent Director of NCMRR

Theresa Hayes Cruz, Ph.D., was selected as director of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR), part of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in August. After a yearlong national search, Dr. Cruz, who has served as acting director of NCMRR since September 2019, is now filling the position permanently. Under Dr. Cruz’s leadership, NCMRR has awarded a new national rehabilitation infrastructure network, worked to revise the NIH Research Plan for Rehabilitation, and is leading an NIH-wide rehabilitation research conference scheduled for October 2020.

BIAA gratefully acknowledges the Centre for Neuro Skills and Avanir Pharmaceuticals for their support for legislative action. Click here to read past issues of Policy Corner.