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ACOI.org • American College of Osteopathic Internists
ACOI Info • March 2022
Government
RELATIONS (Continued)
Extension of the national health emergency allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue pandemic-related Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) flexibilities, among other things. This includes an extension of the telehealth waivers put in place in response to the pandemic. With no end date included in the extension, the national emergency appears likely to remain in place until at least July 2022. The national emergency was first declared on March 13, 2020 and has now spanned two Administrations.
In 2022 and 2023, CBO plans to hire additional staff who will increase the agency’s expertise and modeling capability in the areas of health care, climate change, and energy policy--areas in which CBO expects the Congress to show increased interest.” Health care already has the most analysts of any subject area reviewed by the CBO. The CBO is a non-partisan body that is tasked with producing independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the legislative process. O
Washington Tidbits A First... The University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia graduated its first medical class in 1769. Included in that class was Jonathan Elmer. Following his graduation, he went on to practice medicine in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and became a member of the Continental Congress. He served as president of the state medical society in 1787. In 1789 he accomplished one more first – Dr. Jonathan Elmer became the first of 54 physicians to serve in the US Senate.
Additional Health Bills Likely to be Considered by Congress
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently requested an additional $64.6 million for fiscal year 2023 to, in part, expand its health care staff. The increased funds would allow for the additional analyses of health care, climate change, and energy policies. The request for increased funding reflects an anticipated increase in legislative activity in these areas. According to the request, “The budgetary increase that CBO is requesting would allow it to maintain its efforts to be responsive, particularly in two important areas of analysis.
Leadership
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