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Bipartisan Bill Proposed to Facilitate Safe Opioid Disposal and Combat Misuse

Bipartisan Bill Proposed to Facilitate Safe Opioid Disposal and Combat Misuse

Congressman Riley M. Moore (R-W.Va.) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) have co-led the introduction of the Bipartisan Safe Disposal of Opioids Act. This proposed legislation aims to simplify the process for Americans to safely dispose of unused prescription opioids, thereby preventing accidental ingestion, misuse, or abuse. The Act outlines several key provisions: it directs federal agencies, including the Attorney General, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), to award grants for establishing or maintaining drug disposal sites. A significant portion of these funds, at least 90%, would be allocated to pharmacies, hospitals, treatment programs, long-term care facilities, and other authorized entities, with a maximum of 10% for law enforcement and drug manufacturers. The program would be funded through a fee imposed on opioid manufacturers, producers, and importers, with an exemption for drugs us...

Representative Jonathan Jackson Joins 71 Members of Congress Advocating for Continued Prescription Drug Imports

Representative Jonathan Jackson Joins 71 Members of Congress Advocating for Continued Prescription Drug Imports

Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-Illinois) is among 71 members of Congress who have signed a letter urging the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), and the commissioners of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure the continued allowance of prescription drug imports for personal use. The letter, led by U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Mark Pocan (WI-02), expresses concern that new CBP procedures for international mail shipments, set to take effect on October 22, could disrupt the ability of approximately 2.3 million Americans to obtain lower-cost prescription medicines from Canada and other countries. The members acknowledge CBP's goal of using better data to identify and intercept high-risk shipments but are worried that the new process might prevent or routinely refuse personal-use prescription medicines, including those obtained from licensed pharmacies abroad. They advocate for using impr...

Congressman Ruiz Introduces Bipartisan Resolution for National Latino and Latina Physician Day

Congressman Ruiz Introduces Bipartisan Resolution for National Latino and Latina Physician Day

On September 28, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25), alongside Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate October 1st as National Latino and Latina Physician Day. This initiative aims to recognize the contributions of Latino and Latina physicians and address the significant underrepresentation of this demographic in the medical field. Currently, Latinos constitute nearly one in five Americans, yet only 6.7 percent of U.S. physicians are Latino or Latina, with Latinas making up just 2.8 percent. Projections indicate that by 2050, Latinos will represent over one-quarter of the U.S. population and one-third of all children. The resolution highlights that patient care and outcomes improve when patients share the language and culture of their doctors. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the National Hispanic Medical Association have expressed support for this resolution, emphasizing the need to increase access to medical careers for future La...

Rep. Beth Van Duyne Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Reform Hospice Oversight and Increase Penalties

Rep. Beth Van Duyne Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Reform Hospice Oversight and Increase Penalties

Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) has co-sponsored the Enhancing Hospice Oversight and Transparency Act alongside Rep. Panetta. This bipartisan bill aims to reform the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP), which is currently on hold by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The proposed legislation seeks to improve the program's implementation and increase transparency. A key provision of the bill is to raise the penalty for hospices that fail to report quality measure data. Currently, the penalty stands at 4%, but the new act would increase it to 10% by 2027. The bill also intends to delay the implementation of the SFP until CMS can align it with congressional intent and requires the agency to provide hospices with a report 60 days before any public designation. This initiative is driven by a desire to prevent fraudulent activities within the hospice industry while ensuring that legitimate providers are not unfairly penalized.

Congressmen Smith and Krishnamoorthi Introduce Legislation to Address U.S. Healthcare Workforce Shortages with Immigrant Professionals

Congressmen Smith and Krishnamoorthi Introduce Legislation to Address U.S. Healthcare Workforce Shortages with Immigrant Professionals

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) have introduced two new bills aimed at integrating immigrants into the U.S. healthcare workforce to combat critical provider shortages. The Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act seeks to provide grants for training, licensing, and certification programs for immigrants entering nursing and allied health fields, and extends eligibility for the National Health Service Corps to non-U.S. citizens. The Internationally Trained Physicians Assistance Act focuses on internationally trained physicians (ITPs) by incentivizing states to create temporary licensing programs, establishing guaranteed medical residency slots in underserved communities, and offering grants for exam preparation, testing, certification, ESL classes, and case management. A 2022 study by the Migration Policy Institute revealed that 2.1 million college-educated immigrants are unemployed or underemployed, while the U.S. faces a projected shortfall of up to 48,000 prim...

Congresswoman Wilson Introduces Glaucoma Vision Act to Expand Screening Access and Research Funding

Congresswoman Wilson Introduces Glaucoma Vision Act to Expand Screening Access and Research Funding

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) has introduced the Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026, a legislative initiative aimed at broadening access to annual glaucoma screenings, delivering detection and treatment services to underserved communities, and investing in research to preserve and restore vision. According to a press release from Wilson's office, the bill seeks to mandate glaucoma screening coverage for eligible individuals with private insurance, Medicaid, and Federal Employees Health Benefits. It also proposes eliminating Medicare Part B cost-sharing for screenings for eligible people, with these coverage provisions generally set to take effect in 2027. The legislation targets high-risk populations, including adults aged 40 or older of African, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian ancestry, or those with clinical risk factors such as diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, elevated eye pressure, myopia, certain blood pressure conditions, or chronic corticosteroid use. Adults aged 60 or older would also qualify...

South Carolina Advocates Urge Congress for Increased Cancer Research Funding

South Carolina Advocates Urge Congress for Increased Cancer Research Funding

Over 750 cancer patients, survivors, and their families from across the United States, including two South Carolina residents, traveled to Capitol Hill to advocate for increased federal funding for cancer research and prevention. Representing the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Shelby Duckett of Summerville and Lee Moultrie of North Charleston met with state representatives. They are specifically requesting Congress to allocate $51.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with an additional $230 million designated for early detection and prevention programs for breast and cervical cancers through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Duckett highlighted that institutions in South Carolina, such as MUSC, which is the state's highest NIH institute, would directly benefit from these federal allocations, leading to job creation and increased research opportunities in the region. Moultrie, an 11-year cancer survivor, emphasized the importance of removing financial ba...

Columbia University Irving Medical Center Rallies on Capitol Hill Against Proposed NIH Funding Cuts

Columbia University Irving Medical Center Rallies on Capitol Hill Against Proposed NIH Funding Cuts

The Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) recently organized a rally on Capitol Hill to advocate for sustained and increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This comes in response to the President’s budget request for the 2027 federal fiscal year, which proposes a 12% cut to NIH funding. A contingent of 15 students, faculty, and staff from various schools within Columbia, including VP&S, School of Nursing, Teachers College, and School of Social Work, met with staff from the New York and New Jersey Congressional delegations. Ross Frommer, vice president of government affairs at CUIMC, emphasized the importance of educating policymakers about the role of NIH-funded research in medical innovation. This year's rally, held on September 17, brought together over 300 participants from more than 40 states, marking it as the second-largest rally since the event's inception in 2013, which was also initiated in response to threatened NIH budget cuts. Last year, a proposed 40% NIH budg...

Senator Angus King Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Expand Veterans' Access to High-Cost Medications

Senator Angus King Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill to Expand Veterans' Access to High-Cost Medications

U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) has co-sponsored a bipartisan bill, the 'Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act,' aimed at expanding access to high-cost medications for veterans residing in state veterans' homes. The proposed legislation would mandate the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reimburse these state facilities for medications exceeding 8.5% of their per diem rate, or alternatively, provide the medications directly. This initiative seeks to align the reimbursement policies for state veterans' homes with those already available to many private nursing homes that contract with the VA. Currently, the VA covers high-cost medications for severely disabled veterans living outside these state facilities but does not extend the same coverage to those within them. Senator King emphasized that veterans should receive consistent care regardless of their chosen living arrangement, stating that if the VA covers medications in private nursing homes, the same should apply to state-run veterans' hom...

Senators Klobuchar and Crapo's EARLY Reauthorization Act Passes Senate, Advances to House

Senators Klobuchar and Crapo's EARLY Reauthorization Act Passes Senate, Advances to House

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) have successfully guided their bipartisan Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Reauthorization Act of 2026 through the Senate. The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration. This bill aims to reauthorize critical federal programs designed to raise awareness and promote early detection of breast cancer, particularly among young women. Approximately 16% of all new breast cancer cases in the United States occur in women under 50, who often experience more aggressive forms of the disease and are diagnosed at later stages. The EARLY Act seeks to address these challenges by continuing efforts to educate women under 45 about breast cancer risks, encouraging them to understand their family health history, and empowering them to take proactive steps to reduce their risk. The reauthorization also supports the 'Bring Your Brave' campaign, which utilizes real stories to engage y...

Exact Sciences Introduces New DNA-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Options

Exact Sciences Introduces New DNA-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Options

Exact Sciences, the makers of Cologuard, has introduced new DNA-based screening options for colorectal cancer (CRC). These include SimpleScreen™ CRC, a blood-based test, and Cologuard Plus®, a multi-target stool DNA test. SimpleScreen CRC detects unique DNA signals from colon cancer through a blood draw, which can be performed at a checkup, a lab, or during a home visit by a phlebotomist. Cologuard Plus is a home collection kit for stool samples. Both tests are non-invasive and are indicated for the detection of colon cancer and precancerous conditions. These new offerings expand the range of accessible screening methods for individuals, providing alternatives to traditional colonoscopies. The American Cancer Society (ACS) considers stool-based tests and visual exams as preferred options for CRC screening.

U.S. Representative Mfume Introduces Bill to Rejoin World Health Organization and Address Ebola Outbreak

U.S. Representative Mfume Introduces Bill to Rejoin World Health Organization and Address Ebola Outbreak

U.S. Representative Kweisi Mfume (Democrat-MD-7th District) has introduced H.R.10345, a new bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, which mandates the United States to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO). The legislation, introduced on September 10, 2026, during the 119th Congress's regular session, aims to bolster the U.S. response to global infectious disease threats through renewed participation in the WHO. The bill specifically addresses the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa, highlighting the rapid spread of the 2026 outbreak and the necessity for a robust public health response to prevent a crisis similar to the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. The bill requires the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to reestablish U.S. membership in the WHO within 30 days of its enactment and to cooperate with the organization to combat the current outbreak. Additionally, it authorizes appropriations for restoring U.S. contributions to the WHO and supporting internatio...