Author: Carmen Howard

Federal H.R.1667 — 117th Congress (2021-2022) Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (became Public Law No: 117-105 (03/18/2022) This bill establishes grants and requires other activities to improve mental and behavioral health among health care providers. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must award grants to hospitals, medical professional associations, and…

Federal Supreme Court blocks vaccine-or-mask mandate for larger employers (Roll Call, Jan. 13, 2022) Unspent funds color debate over additional pandemic relief (Roll Call, Jan. 28, 2022) New ban on surprise medical bills starts today (New York Times via the CDC Public Health Law News, January 2022) [See also: H.R. 133, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021,…

Federal News – Health Care industry seeks surprise billing changes this month (Roll Call, 12/8/2021) Senate passes resolution to end COVID-19 shots-or-test rule (Roll Call, 12/9/2021)   State News – Two new opposing COVID-19 expenses bills filed with the Illinois state legislature: by State Rep. Carroll – HB4259 INS CODE – HEALTH CARE EXPENSES or…

Federal News Student Nurses Who Refuse Vaccination Struggle to Complete Degrees (Kaiser Health News, 10/4/2021) FDA guidance calls for voluntary salt reduction in food supply (The Hill, 10/13/21) Bills passed: SB1828: HAVANA Act of 2021 Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks Act of 2021 [became Public Law No. 117-46 on 10/8/2021] Specifically authorizes the…

Federal News Biden administration releases $25B in COVID-19 relief for providers (The Hill, 9/10/2021) Biden administration reveals its roadmap for lowering drug prices (Kaiser Health News Morning Briefing, 09/10/2021)   Illinois News Today we are highlighting a resource for legislative news – The Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) – Legislative Advocacy website.  “The Illinois State…

Federal News Biden bid for federal workers to get COVID-19 shots prompts debate [Roll Call, 7/28/21] See also from Roll Call: As COVID-19 cases rise, CDC urges masks indoors, including schools: Republicans criticize new guidelines, saying agency can no longer be trusted  [7/27/21] ALA applauds FY 2022 federal funding for libraries in House Appropriations bill,…

Federal News US restores transgender health protections denied by Trump [AP News, 5/10/21] “…affirms that federal laws forbidding sex discrimination in health care also protect gay and transgender people.” Genome researchers question security provisions in new U.S. Senate bill [Science, 6/14/21] “…would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop new security protocols aimed…

Federal news MLA signs onto CHLA ABSC statement on the importance of hospital libraries [MLAConnect, 6/1/2021] This statement outlines the role hospital libraries play in the provision of evidence-based health care, and our concern and disappointment regarding the continued decommissioning, closure, underfunding, and understaffing of hospital libraries. The statement will be sent to politicians, hospital…

Federal news The Great Undoing: Which of Trump’s [Health] Policies Will Biden Reverse? [Kaiser Health News, 4/14/2021] Latest action: On April 14, HHS proposed new regulations that would return the Title X family planning program to the policies in effect pre-Trump. Biden’s first budget request goes big on science [Science, 4/9/2021] The National Institutes of…

Federal news Bill passed H.R.1319 — American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 [became Public Law No. 117-2 on 3/11/2021] Specifically, the bill provides funding for [see full list of provisions at the above link] schools and institutions of higher education; COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, treatment, and prevention; mental health and substance-use disorder services; programs for health…