Weekend Update

David Ermer–ACA, Congress, COVID-19–

The House of Representatives has joined the Senate in deciding to conduct legislative and committee business at least through the end of this week as Congress seeks to reach a compromise with the White House on another COVID-19 emergency relief bill.

Govexec.com reports that on Friday July 31 the House passed its second minimus appropriations bill (HR 7617) which includes financial services and general government appropriations for the next government fiscal year that begins on October 1, 2020. Surprisingly, the bill defers to the President on setting the civil service raise for the 2021 calendar year. The President has stated his plan to give the civil service a 1% increase across the board (meaning no increase in locality pay). The military is expected to receive a 3% increase in its pay for 2021.

Tomorrow at 2 pm Eastern, Federal District Court Judge James E. Boasberg will hear oral argument over the Whitman-Walker Clinic’s motion for a preliminary injunction to stay the upcoming effective date for the recently revised Health and Human Services Department final rule implementing the Affordable Care Act’s individual non-discrimination provision, Section 1557. The FEHBlog discovered on Friday that the public can call into listen to the hearing, and he will be doing so (as long as his schedule permits).

In other litigation news, Healthcare Dive reports that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit handed the American Hospital Association its second recent loss on Friday July 31. The Court upheld an CMS Medicare drug pricing rule affecting hospitals. “The 2-1 ruling overturns a district court decision that HHS overstepped its bounds when it cut the reimbursement rate for a certain category of outpatient drugs by 28.5% for hospitals enrolled in the 340B drug discount program.”

What’s more –

  • Pharmalive.com reports on large scale COVID-19 clinical tests which the National Institutes of Health is supporting. Fingers crossed.
  • NPR Shots discusses the importance of manufacturing transparent masks for protections against COVID-19:

At least one company — ClearMask, based in Baltimore — has gone so far as to seek and earn FDA “clearance” that its mask with a transparent panel is “substantially equivalent” to a medical-grade surgical mask for hospitals and other front-line uses. ClearMask’s founder and CEO Aaron Hsu says it took three years of research and development to develop a clear material that won’t fog up. “For a lot of children communication is nonverbal,” says Hsu. “Being able to see who we’re talking to is fundamental to how we communicate and connect.” [Of course the transparent masks also are helpful to disabled people who rely on lipreading and the elderly.] The company was started in 2017, he says, by four Johns Hopkins University students who identified the need for a niche medical product for deaf people. But now its appeal has gone global.”

  • Healio reports on the American Thoracic Society’s updated guidelines on smoking cessation which rely heavily on Pfizer’s Chantix / varenicline treatment over patches or bupropion. “Clinicians can begin varenicline treatment in tobacco-dependent adults who are not ready to discontinue tobacco use rather than waiting until they are ready to stop (strong recommendation).”