Last week, Congress passed a major Veterans Affairs reform bill that includes a provision on CME to establish a program to provide education to non-VA professionals at no cost to the provider. The legislation, the “VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018” (the “VA MISSION Act of 2018”) was introduced first in […]
Category Archives: Congress
21
May
May
We have always been strong proponents of continuing medical education (CME), as we believe it is the solution to many different healthcare issues. Recently, it seems as though Congress is starting to understand the importance as well, with the introduction of several CME bills to the House and Senate. One of the recent bills to […]
07
May
May
House of Representatives member Representative Susan W. Brooks recently introduced the ADAPT Act of 2018. The ADAPT Act (Abuse Deterrent and Prescriber Training Act of 2018) is an attempt to require training for prescribers of controlled substances. The bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act to include a requirement for all practitioners who are licensed under […]
CME, Congress
21st Century Cures No Longer Includes Open Payments Exemption for Reprints, Textbooks and Non Promotional Education
30
Nov
Nov
We previously wrote about the updated version of the 21st Century Cures bill – one that we, along with many others, thought would pass both the House and the Senate with minimal edits, if any. However, the new bill no longer includes a provision that would have exempted drug makers from disclosing non promotional continuing […]
CME, Congress, NIH, Open Payments
21st Century Cures Update – Includes Exemption for Education in Open Payments
29
Nov
Nov
When lawmakers head back to Washington, D.C. this week, one of the votes they have ahead of themselves is the 21st Century Cures bill, legislation that is intended to spur the development of new medical treatments. The bill was updated the Friday after Thanksgiving, leaving many of the provisions of previous versions intact, but also […]
25
May
May
On Tuesday, May 24, 2016, the United States Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing on pending legislation before the Senate. One of the bills discussed was Senate Bill 2049, a bill introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH). S. 2049 is a bill to “establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a continuing […]
AMA, CME, Congress, Opioids
Senator Durbin Asks Medical Associations to Endorse Mandatory Opioid CME – AMA Shows Interest
20
May
May
Following last month’s letter to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), asking the group to “take financial responsibility for the drug industry’s role in curtailing the opioid overdose epidemic,” United States Senator Dick Durbin sent a letter to four physician associations asking them to endorse mandatory CME programs. The letter, which was sent […]
CME, Congress, Open Payments, Physician Payment Sunshine Act, Social Media
“Encouraging Continuing Medical Education For Physicians” Incorporated Into Newly Updated 21st Century Cures Discussion Draft
29
Apr
Apr
Notable updates to January’s Draft include bipartisan concessions: New provisions to increase NIH funding; removal of provisions for increased exclusivity periods. Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released an updated discussion draft of 21st Century Cures legislation (view the legislative text, whittled from 400 pages to 199 pages since January); a section-by-section explainer; and a 1-page summary). “The […]
13
May
May
Within the last few months, legislators from across the country have introduced bills that involve Continuing Medical Education (CME). In this article we looked at three in particular that focus on separate areas of healthcare: nutrition, controlled substances, and Veterans Affairs. Education and Training for Health Act of 2014(H.R. 4378), introduced April 2, 2014 The […]