capitol hill report: BBB ACT REDUCES MEDICARE DRUG COSTS, BOLSTERS PHYSICIAN PIPELINE

November 22, 2021

Latest Advocacy News

President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill into law on November 15. Notably, the legislation includes a historic $65 billion investment into fast and reliable broadband infrastructure, affordability, and adoption.
The AAN joined more than 230 organizations on a letter to all 50 state governors urging them to maintain and expand licensure flexibilities for the duration of the public health emergency.
The AAN joined more than 300 organizations on a letter urging final passage of final government funding for fiscal year 2022.
On November 17, the AAN issued a position statement for neurologists on decisions with patients and families regarding aducanumab in Alzheimer’s disease, with recommendations for consent. The AAN has sent comment letters to CMS for consideration for its national coverage analysis, which is expected in early 2022. CMS announced on November 12 that outpatient premiums for Part B enrollees will be going up significantly, by $21.60 a month in 2022, in part due to the potential coverage of aducanumab.
21st Century Cures 2.0 legislation was released on November 16. A section-by-section summary can be found here. The AAN submitted a letter during the draft discussion for the legislation.
The AMA House of Delegates meeting recently held a special virtual meeting to debate several timely policy issues. New policies were adopted on telehealth, health equity, protections for medical trainees, and COVID-19.

Issue In Focus

On Friday, the House passed the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act (BBBA) by a vote of 220-213, with all but one Democrat voting for the bill, and all Republicans against. The bill now moves to the Senate where the prospects of passing are unclear with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) voicing concerns. The AAN is actively monitoring the legislation and has sent a letter to key Democratic leaders in support of specific provisions of the BBBA. Ultimately, the AAN believes the bill will make prescription drug prices more sustainable, improve our health care workforce, provide insurance coverage to more Americans, and help address critical health care inequities. The bill:

Requires the direct negotiation of the price of prescription drug prices in Medicare for the first time since its creation, limiting the cost of drugs for those that have been on the market for a while
Establishes inflation rebates for drugs under Medicare Part B and Part D. Patients have long faced annual increases in drug prices, putting medications that have been on the market for decades out of reach, resulting in unsafe practices such as drug rationing or only filling one of many prescriptions to save money
Advances a sweeping Part D program redesign to reduce the total out-of-pocket spending threshold to $2,000 for covered Part D drugs
Creates the new Pathway to Practice Training Program, which would help promote diversity and strengthen the physician pipeline by providing scholarships to underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students, and fund 1,000 graduate medical education (GME) new slots for these students beginning in FY 2027
Funds 4,000 new Medicare-supported GME slots
Creates marketplaces for those who live in states that have not expanded Medicaid coverage
Permanently extends CHIP, which will help ensure that children of low-income households will always have access to high quality, affordable health insurance

What We're Reading

AAN Advocacy: Improving Access to Neurological Care via Conrad 30 (Neurology Minute)
12 states sue to block Biden vaccine mandate on health care workers (The Hill)
Biden nominates Califf as FDA chief (Politico)