Memorial Day Weekend Update

Happy Memorial Day. Congress is on a state/district work period this coming week. Here is a link to the Week in Congress's report on last week's actions on the Hill.

The FEHBlog notes the following entry in the Senate executive calendar concerning the President's nomination of Dale Cabaniss to become OPM Director -- "05/15/2019 - Placed on Senate Executive Calendar. Calendar [Item] No. 246. Subject to nominee's commitment to respond to requests to appear and testify before any duly constituted committee of the Senate."

Health Affairs blog offers an interesting article about ways to integrate social determinants of health in medical care. According to the article more evidence is needed before settling on a preferred approach. Not surprisingly, doctors want to be reimbursed for such discussions with patients.

The FEHBlog strongly recommends this Avik Roy column about the importance of expanding consumer choice in order to preserve commercial health plans. The FEHB Act is nearing its 60th anniversary of passage. The FEHBP as enacted was a model for consumer choice. It's a shame that Congress adopted a single payer option instead of the FEHBP model when Medicare and Medicaid were enacted six years later. Again the FEHBlog is encouraging adoption of consumer choice in health plans not FEHBP for all. The FEHBP is an employer sponsored health benefits program not a public program.