At the time of writing, the fate of the U.S. House of Representatives’ reconciliation package is uncertain. The timing and outcome of a promised House vote on the Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also remains unclear. Together, the bills could have significant impacts for the under-resourced primary care delivery system.
In comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, PCC urged both transformative reforms and immediate steps to strengthen primary care for all communities. Noting that the COVID-19 pandemic hit hardest in those communities facing persistent inequity, PCC called out continuing underinvestment in primary care and called for “pathways to rapidly transition away from a predominantly fee-for-service system.” PCC also offered detailed comment on Medicare telehealth, tele-mental health, vaccination, and health equity policy.
Maine has been a leader in the nation over the past four months, from March through June 2021, in terms of the proportion of its population that has been fully vaccinated. This accomplishment is in spite of several major demographic and infrastructure challenges.
As the U.S. continues its efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic amid a surge in cases caused by variant strains, staying safe is one of Americans’ top concerns. Safety is also essential for getting the economy back on track, as the lower COVID-19 transmission and deaths are in a state, the fewer restrictions there will be and the more confidence people will have to shop in person. While almost all states have fully reopened, we’ll only be able to completely get back to life as normal once most of the population is fully vaccinated against coronavirus. The good news is that the U.S.
Leaders call for decarbonization, disaster preparedness as climate change worsens
Following the United Nations' warning of an intensifying climate emergency in the coming decades, health experts have demanded government and industry action that will prepare medical systems for natural disasters, as well as slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
The U.N. report, issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), found that temperatures on Earth have risen so much that there is no way to prevent extreme weather from getting worse in the next 30 years.
As debate over big-ticket infrastructure and budget reconciliation bills unfolds, the Senate Finance and House Energy and Commerce Committees are charting more bipartisan paths on behavioral health, social determinants of health, and vaccine access priorities.
At press time, the House of Representatives appears poised to pass H.R. 4502, the Fiscal Year 2022 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill. Report language accompanying the bill would direct $5 million, sought by the PCC, to the Center for Primary Care Research at the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ).
In April, the PCC had urged congressional appropriators to fund the center, first authorized in 1999 but never actually funded.
Letter to Congressional Leaders Highlights Telehealth Priorities
WASHINGTON, July 26, 2021 – The PCC and many of its members are among the 430 organizations that are sending a letter today to Congress to urge policymakers to address the “telehealth cliff.” The letter was co-led by the Alliance for Connected Care, American Telemedicine Association, Consumer Technology Association, eHealth Initiative, HIMSS, Health Innovation Alliance, Partnership to Advance Virtual Care, and PCHAlliance.
