Federal Agencies Need Help - We Can Do That!
A free public service for a better community
A Good Day To Advocate for Better Healthcare
If there are subjects you’d like to see or improvements made, please let me know using the comment button below.
Hearing on Pharmacy Benefit Mangers (live - today)
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee will examine the role of pharmacy benefit managers in prescription drug markets.
The hearing will take place at 10 am EDT today, Tuesday July 23, 2024.
And here is more good news - Here is the Youtube link to watch it live.
Nursing Home Staffing Update :)
A new federal rule could save nearly 13,000 lives a year, researchers say, despite pushback from nursing home officials who argue the updated staffing standards could lead to home closures. At the request of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, University of Pennsylvania researchers estimated the number of lives that would be saved under the Biden administration's finalized minimum staffing rule for nursing homes. The researchers said fully implementing the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services' staffing rule would result in 12,945 fewer deaths yearly.
Lack of Gun Control is Public Health Crisis
The US government’ department of Health and Human Services has declared gun violence a public health crisis in the US. Here is a link to that report.
In January, a Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania House committee passed a bill banning the sale of assault weapons — against the unanimous opposition of Republicans on the panel. That legislation, however, was then tabled in the Pennsylvania assembly, facing stiff opposition from the state’s Republican lawmakers and the National Rifle Association (NRA).
On Saturday, Trump was wounded in the ear in a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The suspected shooter, killed by Secret Service snipers, was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, twenty, from nearby Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and an AR-15-type semiautomatic assault rifle was recovered at the scene. The gun was reportedly purchased by and registered to the shooter’s father.
When Republican state lawmakers in Pennsylvania opposed the assault weapons ban legislation earlier this year, they cited constitutional concerns as one of their reasons.
Chevron Deference - Fight Back
I was talking to a friend of mine who is a highly placed attorney yesterday. The subject of the Supreme Court’ overturning of the Chevron Deference came up. The Chevron Deference gave federal agencies’s interpretation preference when there was room to interpret the wishes of congressional legislation. Overturning that decision will throw many rule making agencies into chaos as rules designed to protect the public, such as at the FDA, HHS, and the EPA are all brought into court so a judge, not a scientist, can choose an interpretation. FYI HHS and its sub-agencies often rely on Chevron deference to support their positions on reimbursement questions.
Medications, vaccines, rules regarding pollution, even what constitutes effective treatment for illness can all be called into question and given to a non-expert to decide, instead of the experts in place at the federal agencies.
IMHO the court really screwed over the public in favor of those who want no rules and a right to do damage and harm in the name of expediency and profit.
You can learn more about the court case here.
Anyway, Rep. Pramila Jayapal has introduced legislation that would make the Chevron Deference law. It is H.R.1507 - Stop Corporate Capture Act.
The bill modifies the process for federal agency rulemaking.
Specifically, it (1) requires interested parties who submit a study or research as part of a comment to a proposed rule to disclose the source of the funding for the study or research, (2) limits the use of the negotiated rulemaking process to government agencies, (3) provides statutory authority for the judicial principle that requires courts to defer to an agency's reasonable or permissible interpretation of a federal law when the law is silent or ambiguous (i.e., the Chevron doctrine), and (4) establishes an Office of the Public Advocate to support public participation in the rulemaking process.
Additionally, a public company that knowingly makes a false or misleading statement in a comment to a proposed rule is subject to a civil penalty of not less than $250,000 for a first violation and not less than $1 million for each subsequent violation.
Finally, the bill provides agencies with the authority to reissue a rule that has been rescinded under a joint resolution of disapproval pursuant to the Congressional Review Act. For one year, beginning on the date of enactment of this bill, an agency may reinstate such a rule by publishing it in the Federal Register. After the one-year period, an agency may reinstate a rule using notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures.
We need this in place ASAP to protect all of us.
Action
Let’s let our Member of Congress and Senators know that overturning the Chevron Deference puts all of us at risk. Rules at Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug administration and the EPA can all be called into question and given to a non-scientist to decide. You can reach them here, https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials. You can use and modify the script below if you like.
Or use RESISTBOT via [Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER] or by texting SIGN PPAYCU to 50409 on your cell phone to send that message to your Senators.
“I am your constituent and I want you to know that the Supreme Court’s overturning the Chevron Deference is frightening. Now non scientists (judges) will get to make the decisions about what prescription drugs and vaccines are available to us instead of scientists and doctors. Judges will decide about pollution rules that were designed to protect our air, and water, health and the climate instead of the experts and scientists. HHS has relied on the Chevron Deference to make sure that providers were paid for treating patients in certain instances.
Overturning the Chevron Deference strips the EPA, HHS and the FDA of authority. Those agencies were established by Congress to help all the American people. I really need you to stand up, stand for principles and cosponsor and enact H.R.1507 - Stop Corporate Capture Act.. Here is a link to the bill, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1507.
We sent you to Congress to protect us. This is a critical bill and it is needed to protect all of us now. Please get this to a floor vote and enact it ASAP. Thank you.”
Resources
Find My Elected Officials
Contact State and Federal Representatives - phone and email
Healthcare Advocacy (Us) Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare - Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All
Physicians for a National Health Program
One Payer States
Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision
Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
Thanks for reading Healthcare Advocacy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts