President Joe Biden released a nearly 2,700-item regulatory to-do list Dec. 10 that targets mental healthcare, the 340B drug discount program and other healthcare issues through his administration's rulemaking authority, according to Bloomberg Law.
Five healthcare updates from the list:
1. HHS is moving forward with a final rule that would modify HIPAA rules to allow for more coordinated care and case management among hospitals, physicians, payers and patients. The final rule aims to "reduce administrative burdens on HIPAA-covered healthcare providers and health plans, while continuing to protect individuals' health information privacy interests." It also aims to allow for more family and caregiver involvement regarding care of individuals experiencing emergencies or health crises.
2. President Biden looks to initiate a dispute resolution panel to settle disputes between hospitals and drugmakers on issues regarding the 340B drug discount program. The effort has faced legal challenges, with a federal judge in March blocking HHS from implementing its administrative dispute resolution final rule. The new rule would replace the final rule and establish new requirements and procedures for the 340B program's administrative dispute resolution process.
3. Federal officials will also look at ways to improve insurance coverage for mental health and substance abuse treatment, Sharon Block, the top political official in the White House regulations office, said in a statement shared with Bloomberg Law. President Biden's agenda would propose amendments to the final rules implementing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, considering changes enacted by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
4. HHS is moving forward with CMS' surprise-billing rule. The rule with comment would implement additional protections against surprise medical bills under the No Surprises Act, a law that prohibits surprise medical bills for emergency and scheduled care. The American Hospital Association; American Medical Association; Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health; Worcester-based UMass Memorial Health and two physicians based in North Carolina sued the federal government Dec. 9 over the independent dispute resolution process outlined in the CMS rule.
5. The list of regulations, which isn't final and still requires actions by federal agencies before becoming law, is the second playbook published by President Biden's administration this year, according to Bloomberg Law. The administration also published a list in June.
To access the complete to-do list, click here.