Executive Order on an America-First Healthcare Plan
On Thursday, September 24, the President issued an executive order outlining his plan for affordable, high-quality health care. The order is a broad policy statement primarily directing federal agencies to ensure:
- Coverage of pre-existing conditions remains protected as a matter of national policy (specifics were not provided)
- Surprise medical billing is curbed (through an act of Congress by the end of the year; otherwise through unspecified action)
- The Medicare.gov Hospital Compare website soon starts including information on whether the hospital:
- Complies with the Hospital Price Transparency final rule effective January 1, 2021
- Provides an itemized statement upon discharge of all services received during a hospital stay
- Has a history (and to what extent) of pursuing legal actions against patients, including placing liens on homes and garnishing wages and tax refunds
- Generic drugs and biosimilars can be approved even quicker
- Prescription drugs can be imported from Canada by certain parties
- The FDA has now published a final rule to facilitate this for States and Tribes 60 days after publication and for pharmacists and wholesalers in the future
We will be watching for guidance surrounding these policy directives, since the order itself does not implement any changes.
IMA will continue to monitor regulator guidance and offer meaningful, practical, timely information.
This material should not be considered as a substitute for legal, tax and/or actuarial advice. Contact the appropriate professional counsel for such matters. These materials are not exhaustive and are subject to possible changes in applicable laws, rules, and regulations and their interpretations.