TGIF

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee cleared a package of ten healthcare bills on a bipartisan basis. The package includes a no surprise medical charges bill which is similar in approach to the provision found in the bipartisan Senate bill, S. 1895. The House package is discussed in this Healthcare Leaders Media article. Many of these House bills may wind up in the S. 1895 lower healthcare costs bill winding its way through the Senate.

The Federal Times reports this afternoon that

In a 220 to 197 vote that fell primarily on party lines, the House voted to pass the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act that includes provisions to grant federal employees 12 weeks of paid family leave and to block the breakup of the Office of Personnel Management.  The legislation now must be reconciled with the Senate version of the same bill, which does not include the family leave or OPM amendments.

The FEHBlog doubts that these non-defense items will wind up in the final bill.

The FEHBlog also doubts the numerous press reports that the President's initiative to end prescription drug rebates in favor of lower drug prices is dead. Yes, there will be no mandate imposing this initiative on Medicare Part D and exchange plans for 2020 and it's a good thing that the Administration listened to industry. Nevertheless, Fierce Healthcare reports that the initiative continues to percolate. It's a long game. The Wall Street Journal adds

Even if no meaningful action passes, the political storm has the ability to hamper sales growth at drugmakers. Price increases for branded drugs lately have slowed from recent years, both in number and magnitude. Wariness of the regulatory environment has likely played a role in that shift. Don’t expect this game of regulatory Whac-A-Mole to wrap up any time soon.