News: The man behind health AI assurance efforts

Monday, December 16, 2024

The man behind health AI assurance efforts

Dec 16, 2024

Presented by the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare

Driving the Day

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 19: Brian Anderson attends The Atlantic Festival 2024 on September 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Atlantic)

Dr. Brian Anderson leads a private sector initiative to regulate AI in health care. | Getty Images for The Atlantic

WOOING GOP ON AI — The government can’t ensure artificial intelligence in health care is safe.

Dr. Brian Anderson, whose experience working long hours as a family doctor for low-income immigrants in Massachusetts inspired him to work on technology to make caring for patients easier, says he can.

Anderson’s Coalition for Health AI, an alliance of tech giants and major hospital systems, plans to launch quality assurance labs to vet AI tools that would effectively entrust the private sector with vetting the technology in the absence of government action, POLITICO’s Ruth Reader reports.

Anderson just has to convince President-elect Donald Trump. Trump’s endorsement could effectively establish the trajectory of AI regulation in health care going forward, ceding the principal role to the private sector. But Trump’s opposition could kill the plan.

Anderson calls the current regulatory gaps “a wonderful opportunity for industry to lead a bottoms-up effort.”

Nearly three thousand industry partners have joined Anderson’s effort, including the Mayo Clinic, Duke Health, Microsoft, Amazon and Google. Anderson, who became a consultant to federal regulators on health tech after his time as a family doctor, had forged strong ties with Biden administration officials.

But convincing Trump isn’t a given. Leading House Republicans worry that CHAI’s plan could advantage major players over startups.

Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), chair of a bipartisan House task force considering Congress’ role in promoting and regulating AI, has written to top Biden officials three times warning as much. Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), the incoming chair of a top House panel in charge of health policy, co-signed the letters.

Undeterred, Anderson met last month with Obernolte and other key Republicans, such as Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who served on Schumer’s AI task force, and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who’s likely to lead the Senate Finance Committee with its broad powers over health care next year.

CHAI plans to finish certifying its first assurance labs early next year.

“AI is moving incredibly fast,” Anderson said. “We need to develop these frameworks at the pace of this kind of innovation.”

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HEALTH CARE

A nurse checks a patient's blood pressure

Congressional negotiators are nearing completion of a major health package. | John Moore/Getty Images

HEALTH PACKAGE LATEST — Negotiations on a health care package are largely concluded, with lawmakers agreeing on an overhaul of pharmacy benefit managers’ business practices and a two-year extension of eased rules for telehealth in Medicare and the commercial market, according to two people familiar with the discussions granted anonymity to speak freely.

The package, set to be attached to an end-of-year stopgap spending bill, largely aligns with POLITICO’s report Friday on the package negotiators were close to a deal on. Release of the continuing resolution’s text had been expected Sunday, but conflict over farm aid unrelated to the health care provisions is pushing the expected release date until Monday.

The package would also reverse most of the cuts to doctor pay in Medicare that CMS finalized in November and would reauthorize the SUPPORT Act tackling the opioid epidemic and the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act.

Government funding is set to run out Friday night.

A message from the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare:

NEW REPORT: More than 60% of all Emergency Department visits occur after regular business hours or on weekends when other providers and care facilities are typically closed. Hospitals and health systems are indispensable, crucial access points for critical care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. ACCESS THE REPORT.

Inside the Transition

MORE TROUBLE FOR RFK JR. — Outgoing Senate Minority Leader and polio survivor Mitch McConnell hammered associates of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for trying to yank approval of the polio vaccine before President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead HHS visits Capitol Hill this week.

McConnell said in a statement that “efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed — they’re dangerous,” POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna reports.

In a Friday report, The New York Times detailed the involvement of an attorney for Kennedy, Aaron Siri, in seeking to rescind approval of the polio and other vaccines.

“Anyone seeking the Senate’s consent to serve in the incoming Administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts,” McConnell said.

It’s the latest sign that Kennedy could face an uphill battle on his road to confirmation. Senate Republicans have expressed concerns that Kennedy isn’t sufficiently conservative on abortion, his views on agriculture could threaten food production and his vaccine skepticism could put public health at risk. Many have remained mum about him.

McConnell isn’t seeking reelection and might feel less pressure to toe the party line next Congress when he’s out of leadership.

A reminder: McConnell has at times been highly critical of Trump but still supported him in the end. For example, McConnell said Trump was “practically and morally responsible” for the events of Jan. 6 but voted to acquit him in his Senate impeachment trial, adding that he didn’t believe Trump could be convicted as a former president. McConnell endorsed Trump for president in 2024.

THE ANTI-RFK MOVEMENT TAKES SHAPE — Opponents of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s selection to lead HHS are purchasing tens of thousands of dollars in advertisements, including billboards and digital ads, in the states of key GOP senators, POLITICO’s Daniel Payne reports.

Kennedy plans to meet with senators this week. Protect Our Care, which has launched a Stop RFK War Room, has bought advertising slots calling on constituents to urge their senators to oppose Kennedy’s nomination, leaders of the group told POLITICO.

“We’re going to accelerate our activity,” said Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, a health advocacy group aligned with Democrats. “We think this week’s a big deal.”

The targets: The group is focusing on GOP senators who could be persuaded to vote against Kennedy’s confirmation: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and newly elected Jim Justice (R-W.Va.).

The ads connect Kennedy’s unsupported claims about the danger of vaccines to the deaths of more than 80 children during a measles outbreak in Samoa in 2019 — and argue that health professionals, scientists and the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board oppose his confirmation, making it a safe position for Republicans.

With unified Democratic opposition, four GOP senators could sink Kennedy’s nomination.

“We will spend more,” Woodhouse said. “We’re just starting this process.”

WHO RFK’S MEETING WITH — Kennedy has a busy week on the Hill, meeting with 25 senators, including some on the HELP and Finance Committees and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

Several Republicans are expected to ask Kennedy, a prominent anti-vaccine activist, about his views on vaccines. Most of the senators Kennedy is slated to meet with this week are expected to be relatively open to him, with a few exceptions. Kennedy is expected to have more meetings in the new year.

He’s slated to meet with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who has signaled concerns about Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stances and what they could mean for childhood vaccination.

He’s also set to meet with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who introduced legislation in 2018 backing water fluoridation. Kennedy has signaled he’d push to end fluoridation of public water.

You can read the full list of senators Kennedy is poised to meet with this week here.

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In Congress

NEW W&M, E&C MEMBERS — A slew of members will fill coveted spots on the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees next Congress.

Ways and Means: The House Republican Steering Committee selected Republican Reps. Nathaniel Moran of Texas, Rudy Yakym of Indiana,Max Miller of Ohio and Aaron Bean of Florida to join the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee next year, POLITICO’s Benjamin Guggenheim reports.

They'll replace health care policy leaders Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), who isn't seeking reelection, and Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), who lost her reelection bid.

Energy and Commerce: The GOP steering committee added 10 new Republicans to the panel: Cliff Bentz of Oregon,Gabe Evans of Colorado, Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota, Russell Fry of South Carolina, Craig Goldman of Texas, Erin Houchin of Indiana, Tom Kean of New Jersey, Nick Langworthy of New York, Laurel Lee of Florida and Mike Rulli of Ohio.

E&C GOP members Michael Burgess of Texas, Larry Bucshon and Greg Pence of Indiana and committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington didn’t seek reelection, and John Curtis of Utah is moving to the Senate, leaving vacant seats.

On the other side of the aisle: Democrats have yet to decide who they’ll add to the panels. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on E&C’s Health Subcommittee, didn’t seek reelection, and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) is expected to fill her spot. E&C member Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) is moving to the Senate.

A message from the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare:

Names in the News

Todd Tuten will join the Senate HELP Committee Republican staff as senior health counsel. He was previously an independent consultant as president of NN Consulting LLC.

Jonathan Kupperman is joining Rep. Jodey Arrington’s (R-Texas) office as health policy adviser. He comes from Rep. Michelle Steel’s (R-Calif.) office, where he was legislative director.

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WHAT WE'RE READING

NOTUS wonders how far “granola conservatives” can get in a “Lunchables GOP.”

Fierce Healthcare reports on UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty acknowledging frustration with the health care system.

The Worcester Business Journal reports that paused construction at a WuXi Biologics facility has resumed as the BIOSECURE Act has stalled.

A message from the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare:

NEW REPORT: In 2021 alone, Americans visited Emergency Departments more than 83 million times after hours or on weekends when other providers and care facilities are typically closed. With more than 60% of ED visits occurring on weekends or after regular business hours, when many other providers are closed, hospitals play an essential role in their communities, providing crucial access points for care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to all patients.

ACCESS THE REPORT.