As the federal government fully reopens this week, prescription drug price hikes and protections for individuals with pre-existing health conditions will take center stage in Congress.
Several House and Senate committees have Jan .29 hearings planned on these issues:
- The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will hold a hearing on federal funding for community health centers and other programs that provide access to care in underserved communities;
- The Senate Committee on Finance will hold the first of three hearings focused on drug pricing and possible policy solutions;
- The House Committee on Oversight and Reform will hold a hearing on prescription drug price increases instituted by pharmaceutical manufacturers; and
- The House Committee on Ways and Means will hold a hearing to discuss protecting access to care for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
Deal Reopens Government Until Feb. 15
Congressional leaders and the White House last week reached an agreement to end the partial government shutdown.
After 35 days, President Trump signed legislation that provides three weeks of funding to reopen shuttered federal agencies. The legislation did not include funding for a border wall, but it requires congressional leaders to assemble a conference committee to negotiate a compromise on border security and immigration concerns before the new round of funding runs out Feb. 15.
