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ARN Health Policy Digest - May 2024

Health Policy & Advocacy

 We are pleased to present the May issue of the ARN Health Policy Digest. This member benefit provides updates on health policy and legislative and regulatory developments that may be of interest to rehabilitation nurses.

Updates on FY 2025 Appropriations

House Appropriations Committee (HAC) Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) announced interim defense and non-defense spending allocations for the FY 2025 appropriations bills. Specifically, the House's FY 2025 appropriations bills will follow spending caps, set by the 2023 debt-limit law, that equate to a 1% increase for defense spending ($895.2 billion) and a 6% cut for non-defense spending ($710.668 billion). Chair Cole's announcement included interim subcommittee allocations, including $184.5 billion for the Labor-HHS subcommittee in FY 2025, a significant decrease from $222.2 billion in FY 2024. The proposed funding plan rejects the unwritten "side deal" from the 2023 debt-limit law, which promised additional non-defense funding (approximately a 1% increase in spending) to secure Democratic support and therefore is facing opposition from Democrats, including HAC Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).

Chair Cole also released the markup schedule for FY 2025 appropriations bills. The Labor-HHS subcommittee markup is scheduled for June 27 followed by the full committee markup on July 10. ARN will continue to keep members updated as the appropriations process continues. In the meantime, we encourage members to contact their members of Congress and urge them to support ARN's appropriations priorities related to the nursing workforce and nursing and rehabilitation research. You can find ARN's appropriations action alert here.

New Proposal from the Bipartisan Senate Working Group on AI

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) bipartisan AI working group, joined by Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Todd Young (R-IN), has put forward a detailed policy framework regulating AI in healthcare, aiming to leverage its potential while addressing risks like bias and privacy concerns. The proposal marks Congress's most comprehensive effort yet on AI in healthcare, responding to calls from health industry groups for regulation with a focus on patient safety and transparency. The group anticipates a legislative process involving committee work and individual bills, advocating for a broader federal data privacy framework and proposing $32 billion annually for non-defense AI spending, alongside measures to combat drug trafficking and ensure accountability for AI-related harm. A one-pager detailing the roadmap can be found here.

Urge Your Members to Support the TBI Act

We've continued to keep ARN members updated on the progress of the recently reintroduced Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 7208). As a reminder, the TBI Act is the only federal law that specifically addresses issues faced by approximately 5.3 million American children and adults with long-term, severe disability as a result of TBI each year. The legislation reauthorizes programs created by the 1996 law which enables the CDC to provide funding to states for brain injury patients to access treatment and rehabilitation programs.

On March 21, the bill was passed unanimously out of the full House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 44-0. The next step in the legislative process is for the bill to go to the House floor for consideration by the entire chamber. Unfortunately, however, the bill has not been introduced in the Senate. Therefore, ARN needs your help to (1) urge your Representatives to support this legislation in the House; and (2) urge your Senators to introduce this legislation in the Senate. Please take action now to provide the necessary funding needed to develop research and improve the lives of individuals with traumatic brain injury and their families.

CMS Released Two Long-Term Care Final Rules

On April 22, the Biden administration, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced two significant final rules aimed at enhancing long-term care. The Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Rule mandates minimum staffing levels in nursing homes, aiming to improve resident safety and care quality. Additionally, the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services final rule seeks to improve access to home care services and enhance the quality of caregiving jobs, particularly benefiting marginalized communities.

HHS Releases Two Landmark Nondiscrimination Final Rules

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released two landmark final rules regarding nondiscrimination in healthcare settings, the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Final Rule and the Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act Final Rule. The Section 504 Final Rule seeks to ensure equitable access to health and social services for individuals with disabilities. The rule clarifies obligations, prohibits discriminatory practices, and sets standards for accessible medical equipment and digital platforms. The Section 1557 Final Rule enhances protections against discrimination in health care by addressing language barriers, increasing accessibility, and tackling bias in health technology. Please see here for the ITEM Coalition comment letters that ARN signed on to regarding the Section 504 Proposed Rule and the Section 1557 Proposed Rule.

Notice of Funding Opportunities

Below is a list of other funding opportunities for interested ARN members.

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