Where is the Geico camel when you need him? Hump Day will be a busy one in the nation's capital.
June 6 or 7: President Donald Trump is expected to sign into law the so-called Mission Act; sources differ on the exact day. This is the hotly debated and long-awaited set of reforms to the VA Choice program. Among other things, the act sets out new parameters for allowing veterans to seek care from community providers. Maybe the White House archivist can dig out the old "Mission Accomplished" banner.
June 6: The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health scheduled a hearing on reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazardous Preparedness Act. A witness list was not available at deadline. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed its bill 22-1 in late May. Broadly, the act, which dates back to 2006, directs federal agencies to get ready for disease outbreaks or major catastrophes.
June 6: The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will delve into the growth and impact of so-called consumer-directed health plans. Beyond looking at enrollment and demographic trends—consultancy Mercer found that 29% of employees in 2016 were covered by a CDHP and that 72% of employers were set to offer CDHPs by 2019—Subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) wants to explore options for expanding access to health savings accounts and the like.
June 6: HHS Secretary Alex Azar will be back on the Hill testifying before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. No details were available about the hearing, entitled "Examining Policies and Priorities at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services." Azar is the only scheduled witness.
