NCHC

National Coalition On Health Care

  • About Us
    • Members and Supporters
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Annual Reports
  • Policy
    • COVID-19 Response
    • Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable
    • Eliminate Surprise Medical Billing
    • Make Health Care Affordable and Accessible
    • Promote a High-Value Health Care System that Supports Vulnerable Populations
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Newsroom
    • Press Releases
    • NCHC In The News
    • Policy Correspondence
    • Fact Sheets & Issue Briefs
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Member
    • Become a Funder
    • Career Opportunities & Internships
  • Contact Us

COVID-19 Pandemic Response Timeline

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, NCHC published varying Congressional letters, policy guidelines, and blog posts to guide federal action. As Congress continued to pass federal response legislation, NCHC communicated member priorities to hill staff. NCHC sent letters urging Congress to protect health care workers and patients from financial hardships, while simultaneously building a stronger health care system. NCHC will continue to push for provisions to address drug pricing reform and surprise billing. NCHC sent a letter to Congressional leadership with policy recommendations for the fourth federal response. Also, NCHC published a memorandum on the House’s proposed fourth federal response. NCHC will continue to monitor policy changes as the pandemic evolves.

NCHC supports immediate bipartisan solutions that protect patients and providers in response to COVID-19, including

  • Banning surprise billing for COVID-19 testing and treatment
  • Direct financial assistance for non-hospital based, primary care providers
  • Enhancing Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) and eligibility
  • Waiving cost-sharing for seeking COVID-19 treatment
  • Ensuring continuity of coverage by opening a special enrollment period (SEP) for federally facilitated exchanges
  • Increasing health plan flexibilities to delay coverage termination on the exchanges

NCHC supports long-term bipartisan solutions that improve the health care system, including

  • Reforming prescription drug pricing
  • Increase Medicaid funding to encourage states to expand
  • Increase funding for public health infrastructure and community health center (CHC) funding
  • Extend Medicare telehealth flexibilities beyond COVID-19
  • Establish Medicaid to Medicare payment parity for primary care services
  • Fund mental health services and social services
  • Strengthen the supply chain for generics and biosimilars

For the full timeline, click here.


Resources

NCHC Statement on the Pricing of Remdesivir

July 1, 2020, NCHC Staff

On Monday, June 29, Gilead announced the pricing of remdesivir, an anti-viral drug that treats COVID-19.

The Coalition supports protecting consumers from unaffordable drug costs. The pricing decision will exacerbate the health care affordability crisis already plaguing the country’s response to COVID-19. Fundamentally, the United States needs to develop a fair drug pricing system that does not rely on the good will of for-profit entities to restrain drug prices, as a matter of containing health care costs and preparing for the next crisis.

Read the Coalition’s entire statement here.


COVID-19’s Impact on Primary Care

Primary care physicians (PCPs) are a critical component of an affordable and accessible health care system. But because COVID-19 has limited outpatient visits and utilization rates, the pandemic is an existential threat to independent practices. Without additional state and federal assistance, primary care practices will suffer short-term and long-term consequences.

Read the full statement here.


Congressional Letter on Primary Care and COVID-19

June 11, 2020, NCHC Staff

NCHC submitted a congressional letter urging the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate funding appropriated in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to primary care practices. The statement drew attention to the primary care practices that are closing and consolidating due to COVID-19, with long-term ramifications for health care affordability.

Read the full statement here.


Summary of HEROES Act Provisions Related to NCHC Priorities

May 12, 2020, NCHC Staff

Highlights of the HEROES Act provisions that are related to NCHC priorities can be found in this summary. For example, Section 30101: FMAP increase. Increases Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) payments to state Medicaid programs by a total of 14 percentage points starting July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.

Read the full summary here.


Memo on Fourth Phase of COVID-19 House Proposal

May 7, 2020, NCHC Staff

The CARES Act foremost provided financial relief to hospitals, small businesses, and individuals through direct payments. The CARES Act (“Phase 3”) also built on the previous “Phase 2” legislation, H.R. 6201, American Families First Coronavirus Act to expand the role of Medicaid, waive cost-sharing for essential COVID-19 testing, and other provisions across Medicare and commercial markets. See the previous NCHC memo for a summary of key CARES Act provisions, or Healthsperien’s full summary.

The full memo can be found here.


Congressional Letter with Policy Recommendations for Fourth Federal Response to COVID-19

April 6, 2020, NCHC Staff

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Minority Leader McCarthy, and Minority Whip Scalise:

On behalf of the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), we write to urge you to include additional policies to alleviate the short- and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our health care system as you consider a fourth legislative relief package. NCHC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, multi-stakeholder organization dedicated to promoting health care affordability and accelerating positive system change. We represent more than 80 participating organizations, including medical societies, businesses, unions, health care providers, faith-based associations, pension and health funds, insurers, and groups representing consumers, patients, women, minorities and persons with disabilities. Collectively, our organizations represent more than 100 million Americans.

The full letter can be found here.


Memo on CARES Act Provisions Related to NCHC Priorities

March 25, 2020, NCHC Staff

Senate Republicans and Democrats will vote shortly on a new COVID-19 economic relief and health care package Wednesday (“Phase 3”), which is likely to be expeditiously passed in the House by unanimous consent. The new Senate Phase 3 bill, H.R. 748, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, comes days after the House released a different Phase 3 bill Monday evening, detailing a different approach, but was not taken up by the Senate. The new Senate Phase 3 package will provide significant relief to hospitals and build on the previous Phase 2 legislation, H.R. 6201, American Families First Coronavirus Act.

The full memo can be found here.


Congressional Letter with Policy Recommendations for COVID-19 Pandemic

March 19, 2020, NCHC Staff

Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy:

On behalf of the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), we write to urge Congress to take up policy that will help alleviate the short- and long-term consequences of COVID-19. NCHC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health care affordability and accelerating positive system change. We represent more than 80 participating organizations, including medical societies, businesses, unions, health care providers, faith based associations, pension and health funds, insurers, and groups representing consumers, patients, women, minorities and persons with disabilities.

The full letter can be found here.

Tweet
Share

Mission

To bring together key stakeholders in order to achieve an affordable, high-value health care system for patients and consumers, for employers and other payers, and for taxpayers.

Signup for NCHC Newsletter

NCHC Recent Policy Correspondence

  • NCHC STATEMENT ON BICAMERAL AND BIPARTISAN SURPRISE BILLING LEGISLATION, “NO SURPRISES ACT,”
  • NCHC STATEMENT ON PART D REBATE SAFE HARBOR REPEAL AND “MOST FAVORED NATION” DEMONSTRATION
  • NCHC Statement On The Trump Administration’s “Most-Favored-Nation” Drug Pricing Executive Order
  • NCHC Statement on the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders
  • NCHC Statement on the Pricing of Remdesivir
...More Policy Correspondence

National Coalition on Health Care

About Us

The National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC) was formed more than two decades ago to help achieve comprehensive health system change and is currently led by John Rother. We aim to be a leader in promoting a healthy population and a more effective, efficient and responsive health system that provides quality care for all. NCHC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of organizations. Our growing Coalition represents more than 80 participating organizations, including medical societies, businesses, unions, health care providers, faith-based associations, pension and health funds, insurers, and groups representing consumers, patients, women, … Read More...

PRESIDENT

John Rother

Interim CEO

Shawn Martin

CHAIRMAN

Jack Lewin
Principal and Founder
Lewin and Associates, LLC

MISSION

To bring together key stakeholders in order to achieve an affordable, high-value health care system for patients and consumers, for employers and other payers, and for taxpayers.

CONTACT US

900 16th Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20006
contactus@nchc.org

Connect With NCHC

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent News & Posts

  • NCHC Letter to President-Elect Biden’s Transition Team
  • NCHC STATEMENT ON BICAMERAL AND BIPARTISAN SURPRISE BILLING LEGISLATION, “NO SURPRISES ACT,”
  • The Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color
  • NCHC Statement On CMS’ “Geographic Direct Contracting” Model
  • NCHC STATEMENT ON PART D REBATE SAFE HARBOR REPEAL AND “MOST FAVORED NATION” DEMONSTRATION

Recent Tweets

Tweets by NC_HC

Copyright © 2021 · Outreach Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in