As midterm elections loom, Congress sent to the president the federal government's first comprehensive policy response to the nation's opioid crisis; a bipartisan House letter questions outpatient payment cuts; and New Hampshire senators introduced surprise billing legislation.

The discussion draft addresses several patient care scenarios that could lead to surprise billing; Congress is expected to vote this week on reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, government funding for fiscal year 2019, and a bipartisan opioid package.

America’s Essential Hospitals urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to reverse policies that will result in significant funding cuts to essential hospitals and hinder access to care.

This funding supports initiatives under the agency's Five-Point Opioid Strategy and was distributed in conjunction with Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week.

Two senators lead a letter-signing campaign to stop the expansion of hospital outpatient department cuts; in a 99-1 vote, the Senate approves legislation to combat the opioid crisis and is poised to vote on a spending bill for fiscal year 2019.

The Senate is expected to vote this week on a bipartisan legislative package to combat the opioid crisis. The House considers legislation to roll back Affordable Care Act provisions.

Before starting the final campaign stretch, Congress returns to Washington to consider Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination and to fund the federal government for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

The Senate passed a funding package for the Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education departments and now must reconcile its version with House-passed legislation.

The Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model seeks to target physical and behavioral health needs through prevention, early identification, and treatment.

Congress is expected to consider legislation to combat the opioid epidemic, fund the Department of Health and Human Services, and enable federal response to pandemic threats.

The special open-door forum aims to educate prescribers on federal resources and strategies to combat the opioid epidemic.

Senate action on opioid legislation has been delayed by the debate over the Supreme Court nomination and what to include in the final package; Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said senators likely will consider opioid legislation after the August recess.

Bills to repeal the medical device tax and expand health savings accounts go to a House floor vote; a House committee advanced legislation that would fund the Hospital Preparedness Program at about $265 billion annually.

The legislation, containing more than 50 bills to combat the opioid crisis, now heads to the Senate; it is unclear whether senators will pass the package or consider their own legislation.

This year's Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission report focuses on the high cost of prescription drugs and the opioid epidemic.

Contact your delegation and urge them to vote in favor of the IMD CARE Act and the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act.

Modeled on a program developed at essential hospital St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, in Paterson, N.J., the Alternatives to Opioids bill is one of 25 opioid-related bills the House passed last week.

A blog post and road map highlight the agency's approach to the crisis, including prevention of new opioid use disorder cases and use of data to target prevention and treatment.

An informational bulletin outlines the role of Medicaid in the care of infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, while a letter to state Medicaid directors offers guidance on funding Medicaid technology to combat the opioid crisis.

The House aims to complete voting by the July Fourth recess, but Senate work on opioid legislation likely will continue into August amid a shortened recess.

Lawmakers previously aimed to pass an opioid package by Memorial Day; Committee hearings focus on the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the president's blueprint to lower drug prices.

The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act, which includes $385 million annually for the Hospital Preparedness Program, has been cleared for consideration on the Senate floor; Congress aims to vote on opioid package before the July Fourth recess.

Senate Democrats sharply questioned the repeated delays of a final rule on drug ceiling prices and manufacturer civil monetary penalties; The House continues to focus on passing an opioid package.

House leadership remains focused on passing a bipartisan opioid-related legislative package by Memorial Day, but recently indicated a June vote might be more likely.

Four House hearings this week examine the opioid crisis, as lawmakers work to craft bipartisan legislation; A Senate hearing focuses on oversight reports on the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

Two new fact sheets clarify the application of privacy regulations under 42 CFR Part 2, a longstanding rule dictating how to share patient data related to substance use disorder.

House and Senate lawmakers last week reviewed more than 60 opioid-related bills before heading into a week-long recess.

The plan is required by the 21st Century Cures Act and is meant to improve federal and state coordination around the enforcement of parity laws.

House and Senate committees this week will mark up legislation to combat the opioid epidemic with the hope of passing a bipartisan bill by Memorial Day.

Senate and House panels hold hearings on opioid and substance use disorder treatment among Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and how distributors might contribute to the crisis.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold hearings this week on measures to combat the opioid epidemic.

When Congress returns next week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will consider more than a dozen bills during its third and final hearing on the opioid crisis.

The final package, passed last week, included $4 billion for combating the opioid crisis and a $10 billion increase in HHS funding, but left out measures to stabilize the insurance marketplace.

The House of Representatives approved a $1.3 trillion fiscal year 2018 omnibus spending bill that includes nearly $4 billion to combat the opioid crisis and increased funding for the National Institutes of Health.

The three-pronged approach aims to reduce drug demand, cut off the flow of illicit drugs domestically and internationally, and expand opportunities for proven addiction treatments.

Negotiations on the bill have stalled amid disagreements on certain provisions, such as including language barring abortion access as part of a package to stabilize the Affordable Care Act's insurance marketplace.

Congress this week is focused on negotiating legislation to stabilize the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplace and efforts to fight the opioid crisis.

House hearings will review legislation on enforcement measures to combat the opioid crisis; a new Senate bill would provide funding for prevention and treatment programs.

Republicans from both chambers work on a marketplace stabilization package; Senate Finance Committee Republicans plan to review the Internal Revenue Service's process for designating nonprofit hospitals.

The budget plan for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 proposes changes to the distribution of 340B Drug Pricing Program savings and increased funding to fight the opioid crisis.

Senate Finance Committee leadership sent a letter to stakeholders requesting information on Medicare and Medicaid policy options that could be used to combat the opioid epidemic.

The measure, which updates a continuing resolution set to expire on Feb. 8, delays cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments for fiscal years 2018 and 2019.

The association continues to work with congressional leadership and staff to ensure a delay of Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts is included in the next funding measure; Senate confirms new Health and Human Services Secretary.

The designation allows federal health agencies to allocate resources and hire specialists to combat the opioid crisis. The original declaration was set to expire on Jan. 23.

As Congress focuses on Jan. 19 funding deadline, America's Essential Hospitals continues pressure to delay Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts. The Trump administration releases guidance on work requirements for Medicaid recipients.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host an information session and a series of four webinars in the coming weeks to provide information on new opportunities for states.

The association launched an advocacy and media campaign calling on Congress to delay Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts as part of a long-term government funding measure.

The new rule is intended to improve care coordination and better align current rules with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Congress returns from recess to focus on long-term solutions after passing a short-term bill to fund the government through Jan. 19; lawmakers push for delay of 340B Drug Pricing Program cuts.

The proposed rule increases flexibility for Medicare Advantage plans and implements the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016.

CMS announced a new streamlined process to encourage state innovation through demonstrations and approved new demonstrations for New Jersey and Utah.

The emergency declaration expands telemedicine services to treat addiction and opens up the Public Health Emergency Fund, among other actions to combat the opioid crisis.

The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act extends Children's Health Insurance Program funding for five years and delays cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments for two years.

A bipartisan Senate bill would fund cost-sharing reduction payments; Congress has yet to renew funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program.

The five-year demonstration project, beginning Jan. 1, 2018, aims to strengthen substance use disorder care for state Medicaid beneficiaries.

Tuesday's decision effectively ends Congress’ current push to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act; a letter calling for the delay of Medicaid DSH cuts has garnered nearly 200 signatures in the House.

In a report to Congress, the commission details state solutions for improving care delivery, increasing treatment availability, and reducing opioid misuse.

The webinar on June 28 will focus on the Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program's Reducing Substance Use Disorders program area.

The funds aim to increase the use of medication-assisted treatment, train first responders, and increase access to overdose reversal medications.

In awarding the funds, HHS Secretary Tom Price committed to collaborating with states and seeking their “assistance to identify best practices, lessons learned, and key strategies that produce measurable results.”

The agency estimates that MA organization payment rates will increase by 0.45 percent on average in 2018, with an expected average revenue increase of 2.95 percent when accounting for coding changes.

President Trump established the commission and ordered it to make final recommendations by Oct. 1; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will serve as chair.