November 2020 - thornrun

Health Policy Report (11/30)

Posted on November 30, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

Capitol Hill Update

Congress will return from the Thanksgiving district work period this week as lawmakers look to make progress on key year-end priorities. In notable news on the government funding front, appropriators struck an agreement on fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending allocations last week — a significant step that brings Congress closer to avoiding a shutdown in December. The 302(b) funding allocations, which have yet to be formally released, will serve as the framework for Chairs Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Richard Shelby (R-AL) as they look to clinch a bipartisan agreement on a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending measure by the December 11 deadline. Lawmakers will still need to navigate several sensitive policy disputes on COVID-19 relief, border wall funding, veterans’ health care costs, and more before they can cross the finish line.

Health Policy Report (11/23)

Posted on November 24, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

Capitol Hill Update

Congressional appropriators are working to finalize an agreement on fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending numbers with less than one month to go until the December 11 government funding deadline. The Majority Leader stated on the floor that this past week that the coming days “will tell us a lot about whether Congress can pull off the bipartisan, bicameral appropriations process.” Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) noted that appropriations officials have made some progress toward reaching “basic agreements in principle” on the funding allocations, yet there is no formal deal as of now. Chairman Shelby stated that he expects the talks to continue through this week’s Thanksgiving holiday.

Financial Services Report (11/23)

Posted on November 23, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

Last week, President-elect Joe Biden announced several of his key White House senior staff appointees. His team also announced that they would be making more announcements this week. In the interim, we await his choice for Treasury Secretary, which he has said should satisfy both moderate and progressive wings of the Democratic Party.

In Modern Healthcare, TRP’s McCarthy Analyzes Competing Trump Health Priorities

Posted on November 18, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

In an article for Modern Healthcare, TRP Senior Vice President Shea McCarthy offered commentary on President Donald Trump’s competing priorities on health costs and drug pricing as the outgoing administration looks to finalize its health care agenda. The article notes that the Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) has promulgated a rule that would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from collecting rebates from drug makers unless these rebates are distributed directly to patients. McCarthy aptly highlighted the administration’s challenge in advancing this regulation while meeting the goals of a Trump executive order in July saying that HHS must publicly certify that any new rebate policy will not increase insurance premiums. “Eliminating rebates without raising premiums presents the ultimate public policy paradox,” said McCarthy.

Health Policy Report (11/16)

Posted on November 17, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

Capitol Hill Update

The House will convene for legislative business today as Members look to address key year-end priorities. Fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations and the National Defense Authorization Act face hard deadlines in December, and lawmakers will need to navigate several “poison pill” issues before an agreement on these items can be reached. Officials will also look to reach a consensus on another round of COVID-19 relief aid, as calls for additional legislation continue to grow. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is expected to pick up negotiations with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in the coming days and weeks ahead, as the Trump administration is reportedly stepping back from the pandemic relief negotiations. House Democrats and Senate Republicans still remain far apart on the size and scope of the next bill, and it remains to be seen whether a deal can be clinched prior to the end of the 116th Congress.

Financial Services Report (11/16)

Posted on November 16, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

— TRUMP VS. BIDEN. Former Vice President Joe Biden has been declared President-elect by all the major media outlets after clinching victories in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada. President-elect Biden is also leading in Georgia as the remaining mail-in and absentee ballots continue to get counted or recounted. President Trump appeared to concede the race on Saturday, before apparently changing his mind and continuing to claim victory.

What Biden’s Choice for Chief of Staff Says About His Agenda

Posted on November 13, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

On Wednesday, November 11, President-elect Joe Biden tapped Ron Klain, former White House Ebola Response Coordinator and longtime adviser to the President-elect, to be his Chief of Staff. TRP Partner Paul Bock and Senior Vice President Gary Palmquist discuss what this means for the incoming Biden administration’s policy agenda.

Health Policy Report (11/9)

Posted on November 9, 2020August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

Capitol Hill Update

Former Vice President Joe Biden is projected to defeat President Donald Trump in the race for the White House after clinching victories in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Democratic nominee is also leading in Nevada, Georgia, and Arizona as the remaining mail-in and absentee ballots continue to get counted. Despite leading in North Carolina and scoring victories in Florida, Texas, and Ohio, President Donald Trump will fall short of the 270 electoral college votes necessary to win the presidency. President Trump has not yet conceded the race, however, and will likely push for recounts and legal challenges until the race gets officially finalized.