AANA Federal Government Affairs
HOTLINE
Number 2005-01, Week of Monday, January 10, 2005


In This Issue:

* USP Releases Proposed Guidelines for Drug Benefit Formulary
* Bush Meets with Members to Push Liability Reform
* HHS Deputy Secretary Gets Nod for Domestic Policy Advisor
* House and Senate Committee Vacancies Filled
* Amendments




>> USP Releases Proposed Guidelines for Drug Benefit Formulary


The United States Pharmacopeia Convention (USP), the organization hired by Medicare to develop a formulary for the prescription drug benefit, on Monday (January 3rd) released its proposed list of prescription drug classes to be covered under the program beginning in 2006 (New York Times, 1/4). While the formulary addresses prescription medicines rather than pharmaceuticals used in the operating room by CRNAs, Medicare's driving prescription drug reimbursement by formulary could influence the practices and facilities in which CRNAs work and on their phamacies. The drug benefit will be delivered through private drug plans, and each plan will develop a list of medications for reimbursement. While drug companies generally would like as many medications as possible to be included on the list, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers are more likely to want to limit the number and types of medications. The formulary released Monday (January 3rd) retains the 146 types of prescription drugs. It includes 41 categories, 32 of which are further broken down into drug classes.

Read more about the USP:
http://www.usp.org/

Also see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/04/politics/04drug.html?oref=login




>> Bush Meets with Members to Push Liability Reform


To help push along his recently announced campaign to implement medical liability reform and reduce litigation costs, President Bush on Thursday (January 6th) met with several bipartisan legislators to urge quick action on legislation that would limit class-action lawsuits (Washington Times, 1/7). The AANA has historically supported medical liability reform, as part of helping ensure both patients' access to healthcare services and CRNAs' access to affordable liability coverage.

On January 5th, in a speech in Collinsville, IL, Bush asked Congress to make an immediate effort to limit medical malpractice lawsuits, which he said have led to increased malpractice insurance costs and reduced access to care for patients. Bush, who has said that he will make malpractice reform a priority in his second term, supports a cap on noneconomic damages in malpractice lawsuits, possibly at $250,000; restrictions on the scope of class-action lawsuits; limits on lawsuits against manufacturers and marketers of products that contain asbestos; eliminating noneconomic damages in malpractice lawsuits except in "egregious cases where they are justified;" allowing defendants to pay jury awards in malpractice lawsuits over time, rather than as a lump sum; and limiting the time in which patients who allegedly experience malpractice could file lawsuits (American Health Line, 1/6).

For more info:
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20050107-125917-7154r.htm




>> HHS Deputy Secretary Gets Nod for Domestic Policy Advisor


President Bush has chosen Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Claude Allen to serve as his domestic policy adviser, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan announced Wednesday (January 5th). In his new role, Allen will be "responsible for shaping all White House proposals and decisions on domestic issues" (Associated Press, 1/5). Allen previously served as one of the first African-American aides to former Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) (Los Angeles Times, 1/6). Allen holds
a law degree from Duke University and a political science degree from the University of North Carolina. Incumbent Domestic Policy Adviser Margaret Spellings was nominated to become secretary of the Department of Education (Wall Street Journal, 1/6).

Read more:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-allen6jan06,1,6801168.story




>> House and Senate Committee Vacancies Filled


Several key congressional committees with jurisdiction over healthcare and educational programs important to CRNAs were populated with new members the week of January 3rd. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will welcome three new Senators to the panel during the 109th Congress (Health News Daily, 1/4). Upon the approval of the Senate Republican Conference in January, Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) will
join the new Chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY). In addition, Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) will pick up the last Republican seat on the Medicare-writing Senate Finance Committee, where Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) maintains his chairmanship.

On the House side, Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA) takes over the reins as Chair of the Committee on Appropriations. As well, Representative Steve Buyer (R-IN) becomes Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee.

To view Senate committee assignments:
http://www.senate.gov/general/committee_assignments/assignments.htm

To read the Committee on Veterans Affairs Press Release,
http://veterans.house.gov/news/109/1-6-05.html




>> Amendments


* Neither the House nor Senate is in session this week. Both chambers will next gavel in on January 20, 2005. A number of AANA principal officers, including AANA President Frank Maziarski CRNA MS and President-elect Brian Thorson CRNA MA will be in Washington the week of January 17th for the second inauguration of President Bush.

* President Bush intends to impose firm, enforceable limits on the growth of federal benefit programs. The new chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Judd Gregg (R-NH), said he and other fiscal conservatives wanted to establish "enforcement mechanisms" to "put the brakes on the growth of entitlements," which pay benefits to millions of Americans according to formulas set by law, a move many say is necessary to pay for the Iraq War (New York Times 1/10).

* This marks the first time Hotline will be published for 2005! From this point forward, Hotline will be published every Monday that Congress is in session.

* AANA FPDs, now's the time to register for the AANA National Political Leadership conference in Texas during President's Day weekend in February! Registration and program information is available online at:
http://www.aana.com/meetings/fplc05/default.asp

* State presidents, nominate your excellent FPD for the AANA FPD of the Year award. The deadline to submit your nomination is January 15, 2005. Qualifications and nomination information is available online at:
http://www.aana.com/awards/fed_pol_dir.asp

* For up-to-date Congressional floor & committee schedule information, see http://thomas.loc.gov/.




>> For More Information


The AANA Federal Government Affairs Hotline is published for the nurse anesthetist members of AANA each week Congress is in session by the AANA Office of Federal Government Affairs, Washington DC, 202-484-8400, info@aanadc.com, Frank Purcell, Senior Director. Copyright (c) 2005 American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

(posted 1-13-2005)