CHIP Program Extension Moves Out of Energy, Commerce

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 -- Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., issued the following news release:

Congressman Kevin Cramer supported a bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee today extending funding for the successful State Children's Health Insurance Program.

This legislation, known as the Helping Ensure Access for Little ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable (HEALTHY KIDS) Act, provides five years of federal appropriations for CHIP, from FY2018 through FY2022.

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a means-tested program that provides health coverage to targeted low-income children and pregnant women in families that have annual income above Medicaid eligibility levels but have no health insurance. CHIP is jointly financed by the federal government and states, and the states are responsible for administering CHIP. "With CHIP delivering improved health outcomes and cost-effective care for vulnerable children, there are few programs more important to reauthorize," said Cramer. "It's important Congress moves as quickly as possible to reauthorize this program before excess funding is exhausted." The bill now moves to the full House Chamber for consideration.

Energy and Commerce also approved the Community Health and Medical Professionals Improve Our Nation (CHAMPION) Act, which extend funding for Community Health Centers, the Special Diabetes Programs, the National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education, Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, the Youth Empowerment Program, and Personal Responsibility Education.

Other legislation approved out of committee today include:

* H.R. 1148, the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act of 2017, authored by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), would expand the ability of patients presenting at hospitals or at mobile stroke units to receive a Medicare reimbursed neurological consult via telemedicine.

* H.R. 2465, the Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act of 2017, authored by House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA), House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Rep. John Larson (D-CT), would make coverage of speech generating devices under "routinely purchased durable medical equipment" permanent under the Medicare program.

* H.R. 2557, the Prostate Cancer Misdiagnosis Elimination Act of 2017, authored by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), would provide for coverage of DNA Specimen Provenance Assay (DPSA) testing for prostate cancer.

* H.R. 3120, to reduce the volume of future electronic health record-related significant hardship requests, authored by Chairman Burgess and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), would amend the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act to remove the mandate that meaningful use standards become more stringent over time and allows the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be more deliberative in such evaluations.

* H.R. 3245, the Medicare Civil and Criminal Penalties Act, authored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), would update both penalties within the Medicare program, many of which have not been updated in 20 years.

* H.R. 3263, to extend the Medicare Independence at home Medical Practice Demonstration program, authored by Chairman Burgess and Rep. Dingell, would extend the Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Program (IAH), which provides a home-based primary care benefit to high-need Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions, ideally allowing them to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, ER visits, and nursing home use, for two additional years.

* H.R. 3271, the Protecting Access to Diabetes Supplies Act of 2017, authored by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN), would address several issues beneficiaries have reported facing under the competitive bidding program regarding Diabetes Test Strips (DTS). Among them include: providing enhanced reporting that will aid Congress and CMS in ensuring beneficiaries are receiving the diabetic testing supplies they need to manage their condition.

For more information on this legislation and other items approved out of the Energy and Commerce Committee today, click here (http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF14/20171004/106486/HMKP-115-IF14-20171004-SD002-U2.pdf).