Policy Corner: October 18, 2019

Funding Authority for PCORI Ends in November

While President Trump signed a Continuing Resolution, H.R. 4278, last month to extend funding for federal programs to Nov. 21, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) will not have a funding mechanism after that date unless Congress passes a long-term “extenders package” to continue authorization. PCORI was established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 to study how different medications and treatments compare so that patients and their caregivers have the information they need to choose the health care and treatment options that are best for them.

President Signs Proclamation Limiting Immigration to Those with Health Care

President Trump signed a proclamation Oct. 4 to only accept immigrants with visa petitions made abroad if the applicants demonstrate that they will have the ability to secure health insurance within a month of their arrival in the United States. If that’s not possible, then petitioners would need to prove they have the financial resources to pay “reasonably foreseeable medical costs” – a standard not defined in the order. The new requirement is set to go into effect Nov. 3.

Senate Special Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on Older Adult Falls

The Senate Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Sen. Susan M. Collins (R-Maine) and co-chaired by Ranking Member Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.), held a hearing, “Falls Prevention: National, State, and Local Solutions to Better Support Seniors,” Oct. 16. The Brain Injury Association of America attended the hearing. While the hearing focused on prevention, some of the information submitted, including a statement of record submitted by the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators, noted the high incidence of fall-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI) among older Americans and the need for screening and education. The committee produced a report that also noted that older adults are at a particularly high risk of sustaining fall-related TBIs and tend to suffer worse outcomes compared to other age groups.

Sens. Collins and Casey sent letters to four federal agencies – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs – requesting information about their falls prevention programs. Sen. Collins passed a resolution Sept. 25 on National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Sen. Casey was among the co-sponsors.

The House Loses Powerful Member 

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) died this week, leaving a void in the voice for those who are poor and vulnerable. He was chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, which is one of three committees conducting the House impeachment probe of President Trump. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) will take over as chair of the committee.

ACL Solicits Comments for TBI Performance Measures

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is soliciting public comment to the proposed collection of information pertaining to the performance measures for the TBI State Partnership Program. To access the proposed performance measures and for further information, click here.