Weekly Healthcare Policy Round-Up

In this week’s Health Policy Round-Up, ALF shares the most up to date news happening in Washington DC.

• Senators Chuck Grassley (IA) and Ron Wyden (OR) sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) demanding answers regarding a reported increase in organs allocated out of sequence, a practice known as “line skipping.” It was reported, “last year, patients on organ waiting lists were bypassed in nearly 20 percent of transplants from deceased donors. Those organs often went to patients who were not as sick or had not been waiting as long.” Read their statement here.  
• On April 3^rd, the Senate voted to confirm Dr. Mehmet Oz as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dr. Oz earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
• Senate Republicans unveiled a budget resolution on April 2^nd to move forward with the budget plan that will enable them to implement President Trump's agenda. The budget resolution serves as a blueprint, directing congressional committees to draft proposals to reach spending targets for programs that fall under their committee’s purview. The budget resolution includes potential cuts to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), affecting beneficiaries of both programs along with hospitals and medical clinics who accept Medicaid payments.  We will continue to monitor these developments and the potential impact to our liver patients.