Overnight Health Care — Presented by That's Medicaid — Turf war derails push on surprise medical bills | Bill would tax e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaign | $2.5M ad blitz backs vulnerable Dems on drug prices

By : LIANNEWSKGABAR
December 14, 2019
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Overnight Health Care — Presented by That's Medicaid — Turf war derails push on surprise medical bills | Bill would tax e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaign | $2.5M ad blitz backs vulnerable Dems on drug prices

Welcome to Friday’s Overnight Health Care.

Legislation to fix surprise billing is looking unlikely this year, a new bill would make e-cigarette companies pay for anti-vaping campaigns, and a Democratic PAC is launching a major ad buy after the drug pricing vote.

We’ll start with surprise billing…

Turf war derails bipartisan push on surprise medical billing

House and Senate lawmakers thought they had found a bipartisan, bicameral solution to the issue of surprise medical bills. But now, a rival committee has new legislation, and congressional aides say sharp divisions over the legislation makes it unlikely to pass before the end of the year.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), Rep. Greg WaldenGregory (Greg) Paul WaldenOvernight Health Care — Presented by That’s Medicaid — Turf war derails push on surprise medical bills | Bill would tax e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaign | .5M ad blitz backs vulnerable Dems on drug prices Turf war derails bipartisan push on surprise medical bills Conservative group hits White House with billboard ads: ‘What is Trump hiding?’ MORE (R-Ore.) and Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderTrump scramble to rack up accomplishments gives conservatives heartburn Overnight Health Care — Presented by That’s Medicaid — Turf war derails push on surprise medical bills | Bill would tax e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaign | .5M ad blitz backs vulnerable Dems on drug prices Turf war derails bipartisan push on surprise medical bills MORE (R-Tenn.) had been pushing for their deal to be included in a year-end government funding package next week.

The White House also praised their legislation and called for it to pass this year.

But aides say the legislation is slated to be left out of the must-pass year-end package, causing deep frustration for backers of the effort, which had been seen as a rare area of possible bipartisan action this year. One of the main reasons for the delay? A rival bill that House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard NealRichard Edmund NealOvernight Health Care — Presented by That’s Medicaid — Turf war derails push on surprise medical bills | Bill would tax e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaign | .5M ad blitz backs vulnerable Dems on drug prices Turf war derails bipartisan push on surprise medical bills Expiring tax breaks set off year-end scramble MORE (D-Mass.) and Rep. Kevin BradyKevin Patrick BradyOvernight Health Care — Presented by That’s Medicaid — Turf war derails push on surprise medical bills | Bill would tax e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaign | .5M ad blitz backs vulnerable Dems on drug prices Turf war derails bipartisan push on surprise medical bills Expiring tax breaks set off year-end scramble MORE (R-Texas) released on Wednesday.

Backers of the Energy and Commerce deal are frustrated with Neal, who they say is throwing a wrench in the effort. They also point to the influence of private equity firms that own doctor staffing companies and are running millions of dollars in ads against the Energy and Commerce legislation.

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Neal, though, has called for slowing down, saying more time is needed to work on the policy.

“Given our jurisdiction, it is crucial that we get this right,” Neal and Brady said in a joint statement earlier this week.

Asked to respond to the criticism of Neal, his spokeswoman, Erin Hatch, pointed to statements of support for his legislation from a variety of doctor and hospital groups.

Read more on the finger pointing here.

Lawmakers introduce bill taxing e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaigns

New bipartisan legislation would tax e-cigarette companies, and use the funds to pay for anti-vaping programs in schools.

Reps. Raja KrishnamoorthiSubramanian (Raja) Raja KrishnamoorthiOvernight Health Care — Presented by That’s Medicaid — Turf war derails push on surprise medical bills | Bill would tax e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaign | .5M ad blitz backs vulnerable Dems on drug prices Lawmakers introduce bill taxing e-cigarettes to pay for anti-vaping campaigns The Hill’s Morning Report – Sponsored by AdvaMed – House panel expected to approve impeachment articles Thursday MORE (D-Ill.) and Peter King (R-N.Y.) introduced the Providing Resources to End the Vaping Epidemic Now for Teenagers (Prevent) Act in the House to help combat a youth vaping trend that has been dubbed an epidemic by federal health officials.

The measure is expected to collect $200 million per year, which would be directed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration to craft programs to prevent e-cigarette use at schools.

The bill also allows state and local health agencies and nonprofits that work with underserved populations to apply with the CDC for grants to carry out the prevention programs at middle and high schools.

Taking action to prevent youth vaping has become a top priority in Washington amid warnings from government agencies and a rash of illnesses across the country connected to e-cigarettes.