Health policy leaders head for the exits

Dec 01, 2023

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By Ben Leonard and Chelsea Cirruzzo

Presented by

With Carmen Paun

Driving The Day

Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) speaks during a press conference

Texas Rep. Michael Burgess is one of two co-chairs of the GOP Doctors Caucus who will leave Congress after this term. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

HEALTH POLICY EXODUS — Congress is losing about six decades of experience from some leading health policymakers after this term — Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Michael Burgess (R-Texas) and Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio).

Eshoo and Burgess have served as chairs of the Energy and Commerce Committee health panel, and Wenstrup chairs the Covid-19 select subcommittee. Burgess and Wenstrup co-chair the GOP Doctors Caucus.

It’s part of a record House run from the Hill. There’s concern in health policy circles that more lawmakers who understand how to maneuver Congress and pass legislation and are serious legislators could depart in the wake of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s unprecedented ouster and the chaos that ensued, making it more difficult to get things done.

Why it matters: “There is a deal-making capability which is being lost in addition to institutional knowledge,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate HELP Committee, told Pulse.

Still, there’s optimism that others will step up.

“These are really important deal-makers, but there are other deal-makers,” former Rep. Susan Brooks (R-Ind.) said. “[Eshoo, Burgess and Wenstrup] have been mentoring other members.”

Eshoo: She spearheaded the creation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, led efforts to create the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and played a significant role in the Democrats’ bid to lower drug prices.

“Anna is really a legislative giant,” said Brooks, who led prior efforts with Eshoo to reauthorize PAHPA.

Burgess: The obstetrician-gynecologist heads the House Budget Committee’s health task force and led the passage of a 2015 law, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, changing the way doctors are paid under Medicare. He also spearheaded pushback against the Affordable Care Act.

He was involved in legislation President Donald Trump signed in 2018 allowing terminally ill patients to access experimental drugs without FDA oversight and told Pulse he hopes to address doctor pay issues before the end of his term.

Wenstrup: The podiatrist has led the only committee dedicated to investigating the government response to Covid and passed legislation to streamline the VA’s community care. Wenstrup told Pulse he hopes Congress can create a "better path forward" for pandemic preparedness.

Burgess said he’s enjoyed working with Wenstrup, who serves on the Ways and Means Committee, on issues related to the No Surprises H.R. 3630 (116).

Burgess and Wenstrup pointed to Reps. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), John Joyce (R-Pa.) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) as potential candidates to replace them as co-chairs of the Doctors Caucus.

WELCOME TO FRIDAY PULSE. Ahead of a potential expulsion vote, Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) said if booted from the House, he’d like to stay in policy, “probably in health care,” foreign affairs or financial services. Reach us at bleonard@politico.com or ccirruzzo@politico.com. We can keep you anonymous. Follow along @_BenLeonard_ and @ChelseaCirruzzo.

TODAY ON OUR PULSE CHECK PODCAST, host Katherine Ellen Foley talks with POLITICO White House correspondent Adam Cancryn about former President Donald Trump's call to repeal the Affordable Care Act — a move the Biden administration views as a political gift ahead of the 2024 election — and the potential political implications of Trump's comments.

Listen to today’s Pulse Check podcast

A message from PhRMA:

Government price setting could put patients at a disadvantage. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) could have unintended consequences such as: Putting barriers between patients and their prescribed medications. Jeopardizing continued research into approved medicines. Shifting research and development away from pills and tablets. Learn more.

Public Health

CDC Director Mandy Cohen testifies before Congress

CDC Director Mandy Cohen testifies before the House E&C Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Thursday. | Win McNamee/Getty Images

CDC LOOKS FORWARD, GOP LOOKS BACK — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director’s mission to rebuild trust in the agency remains an uphill battle not just with the public, but with Congress, particularly House Republicans, who want her to answer for the agency’s mistakes during the pandemic, Chelsea reports.

At a House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee hearing Thursday, Dr. Mandy Cohen seemingly couldn’t convince House Republicans that transparency from the agency had improved since she took the helm this summer. Members asked Cohen about what they considered bad guidance from the CDC during the pandemic, including school closures and masking and whether she would support such policies today.

Instead, Cohen told lawmakers that the nation was in a much different place than it was when those policies were set and repeated her call to move forward as an agency rather than look back.

At least one Democrat, Rep. Scott Peter s (D-Calif.), joined his colleagues on the other side of the aisle in criticizing Cohen’s responses as unclear to some questions, particularly on masking.

“I wanted a clear answer to a question: Do cloth masks work? And you gave me an answer as a lawyer that I had a hard time understanding. And I think it's a fair question. I wish you just said, don’t use cloth masks, use surgical masks,” he said.

Cohen responded that people should use surgical masks.

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In the Courts

COURT REVIVES FAMILY PLANNING RESTRICTIONS — On Thursday, a federal appeals court struck down some of the Biden administration’s rules for the Title X family planning program and reinstated some Trump-era restrictions, POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein reports.

Though the ruling applies only in Ohio, conservatives hoping to challenge the rules in other states could lean on the court’s reasoning.

The 2-1 ruling from a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revives a policy enacted by President Donald Trump requiring clinics to maintain “strict physical and financial separation” if they offer contraception and other services through Title X and abortions with separate funds.

That includes having different buildings, staff and billing systems.

Many providers that left Title X after the enactment of the Trump rules said implementing the separation would be prohibitively burdensome.

However, the judges didn’t grant a request to strike down the Biden administration’s requirement that Title X providers refer patients for an abortion if they request one.

A message from PhRMA:

In Congress

HEALTH CARE BILLS TEED UP — House Republicans have set up some of the first health care votes in Rep. Mike Johnson’s speakership for next week.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, measures on fentanyl research and veterans’ care might be voted on under suspension of the rules, meaning they’d need a two-thirds vote to pass.

The TRANQ Research Act would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to coordinate science and research activities regarding illegal drugs containing the horse tranquilizer xylazine, new synthetic opioids and other substances of concern. Lawmakers passed a Senate version of the bill in June with minor tweaks after the House unanimously passed a version in May.

The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act would expand caregiver support for veterans outside of nursing homes.

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Global Health

VOTERS SUPPORT UNKNOWN PROGRAM — Most voters haven’t heard of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, America’s biggest global health program, but support the U.S. being a global leader in the fight against HIV, according to a survey by the Bipartisan Policy Center and Morning Consult, Carmen reports.

After learning more about PEPFAR, most Democrats believe the program has improved goodwill toward the U.S. Only 44 percent of Republicans think so versus 30 percent of Republicans who don’t think the program, created by then-President George W. Bush 20 years ago, has improved goodwill from other countries toward the U.S.

Why it matters: While it’s enjoyed strong bipartisan support, the program’s reauthorization, which expired on Sept. 30, is in limbo for the first time over some Republicans’ accusations that it indirectly supports abortion rights abroad.

The Biden administration, PEPFAR officials and beneficiaries have all denied that’s the case.

A message from PhRMA:

Patients. Not Politicians. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) lets politicians decide what medicines are valuable and which diseases get researched. This could risk future treatments, including possible cures. No one should stand between you and your medicine. Get more details.

Names in the News

Dana Beckton has been named chief diversity and inclusion officer at Sutter Health. She was previously in top diversity and inclusion roles at ChristianaCare and Sentara Healthcare.

Caroline Hoffman is now senior manager for media relations, focusing on healthcare at Weber Shandwick. She most recently was associate director of media relations at Walker Sands.

Melinda Hatton, general counsel at the American Hospital Association, is retiring. Chad Golder, who’s served as AHA’s senior vice president and deputy general counsel, will assume the position.

WHAT WE'RE READING

The Washington Post reports on the EPA's proposal to remove lead pipes.

WRAL reports on Medicaid expansion in North Carolina beginning today.

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