TELEHEALTH UNCERTAINTY — Eased rules for telehealth access under high-deductible health plans are set to expire at the end of the year, and it’s unclear whether Congress will extend them, Ben reports. Legislation from Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) making the rules permanent would have a significant price tag — $5 billion over a decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Other priorities, like Medicare telehealth rules and community health center funding, might take precedence in a health package negotiation. And key Democrats have been skeptical, arguing the GOP has used the plans to undermine the Affordable Care Act. Pandemic rules allowed high-deductible health plans to cover telehealth for patients before they reach their deductibles to help curb the virus’ spread. They expired at the end of December after Congress extended them for two years at the end of 2022. The case for the legislation: Advocates are making their closing argument, with more than 225 organizations, which include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Rural Hospital Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and insurer lobby AHIP joining a push for Congress to extend the rules. They frame the issue as one that could hurt consumers’ pocketbooks — some patients received unexpected bills when the rules temporarily lapsed in early 2022. “Without congressional action, employers will be required to charge employees more to access telehealth services, creating a barrier to care,” the group wrote in a letter to Congressional leadership Thursday. BERNIE’S WORLD — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Friday he plans to remain on the Senate HELP Committee as its ranking member — though a spokesperson for Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said no official committee assignments have been made yet. Sanders would be swapping places on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee with current ranking member Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who will become chair, POLITICO’s Sophie Gardner reports. “In the next Congress, I look forward to serving as the Ranking Member on HELP and continuing to fight for a health care system that guarantees that every American can see a doctor, an education system that is affordable to all, and a country in which all seniors can retire with dignity,” Sanders said Friday in a statement. Why it matters: As chair, Sanders targeted health care costs, getting the CEO of Novo Nordisk to testify before the committee about the pricing for Ozempic and Wegovy, its popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs. What’s next: In addition to remaining on Senate HELP, Sanders noted that he will serve on the Finance Committee, where he also plans to focus on health care issues. SENATORS TARGET CYBERSECURITY — New bipartisan legislation to protect against cyberattacks in the health care sector would give grants to health care entities to improve their security against hackers. The bill, by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), is a softer approach than another bill co-sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Warner to mandate that hospitals adopt cybersecurity standards. Why it matters: Health care data breaches have risen sharply in recent years. Ransomware attacks, where cybercriminals hold records or entire health care systems hostage until they’re paid, have risen 264 percent over the past five years, according to HHS Office for Civil Rights. HHS has said it plans to introduce mandates for hospitals in the coming years — though that remains to be seen with the incoming administration — and is opposed by hospitals who say it will be costly and already have their own standards. The senators’ bill would: — Provide training to health entities on cyber best practices, with particular support for rural communities — Require HHS to develop a cybersecurity incident and response plan — Improve coordination between HHS and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency What’s next? The bill is unlikely to move before the end of the year but might be a framework for the next Congress.
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