Congressional Action

U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester

COVID-19 Congressional Action

(Updated on 4/1/2021)

As the situation with COVID-19 unfolds, I want to keep my constituents updated on the legislative actions Congress is taking. We will update you regularly on the actions taken by my colleagues and me. We will continue to work on legislation that addresses the ever-evolving health and economic repercussions of this virus.

As always, you can reach my office by phone at 202-225-4165 or 302-830-2330, or send me a message at bluntrochester.house.gov/contact. When leaving a voicemail, please be sure to leave your first and last name, phone number, and email address. Please continue to watch my social media channels for more information.

Please visit www.CDC.gov/coronavirus or www.de.gov/coronavirus to learn more about the virus and how to protect against it.

May you stay healthy and safe.

Sponsored Bills in the 117th Congress:

·       H.R.795, Coronavirus Assistance for American Families Act

o   Provides $1400 direct payments to each adult and each dependent equally. A couple filing jointly would receive $2,800; a family of four would receive $5,600.

o   Full payment would go to single filers making $75,000 and joint filers making $150,000; above those levels, the payment decreases by $5 for every $100. This is the same criteria found in the CARES Act.

o   Includes eligibility for adult dependents, such as those with disabilities and college students.

o   Offers family-centric payments:

·       These payments would provide single parents, especially those with multiple children, more assistance than under the CARES Act.

·       Families that care for elderly or disabled relatives are also eligible for assistance.

·       H.R.796, Coverage for COVID–19 Treatment Act of 2021

o   Require group health plans or health insurers offering group or individual health plans to cover treatment for the coronavirus with no-cost sharing requirements during a public health emergency.

o   This includes medically necessary services to treat or mitigate the effects a patient may be experiencing due to the coronavirus.

o   Provide federal funding to reimburse insurers for what the patient’s cost-share would have been.

• H.R.1397, the  TIKES Act
• Provides states with guidance and strategies to increase telehealth access for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) populations.
• Requires a Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) study examining data and information on the impact of telehealth on the Medicaid population .
• Requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study reviewing coordination among federal agency telehealth policies and examine opportunities for better collaboration, as well as opportunities for telehealth expansion into early care and education settings.

Sponsored Bills in the 116th Congress:

• H.R.8893, the Coronavirus Assistance for American Families Act
• Provides $1,000 direct payments to each adult and each dependent equally. A couple filing jointly would receive $2,000; a family of four would receive $4,000.
• Includes eligibility for adult dependents, such as those with disabilities and college students.
• Offers family-centric payments:
• A family of four would receive $600 more than under the CARES Act.
• These payments would provide single parents, especially those with multiple children, more assistance than under the CARES Act.
• Families that care for elderly or disabled relatives are also eligible for assistance.
• H.R. 8746, the Telehealth Improvement for Kids’ Essential Services (TIKES) Act of 2020
• Provides states with guidance and strategies to increase telehealth access for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) populations.
• Requires a Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) study examining data and information on the impact of telehealth on the Medicaid population .
• Requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study reviewing coordination among federal agency telehealth policies and examine opportunities for better collaboration, as well as opportunities for telehealth expansion into early care and education settings.
• H.R. 7286, the Quit Because of COVID Act
• Extends tobacco cessation coverage with no cost-sharing for the duration and two years after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency with a 100% Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP). Covered services would include those services determined to be effective in the Public Health Service’s clinical practice guidelines for treating tobacco use and dependence, including individual, group and phone-based cessation counseling and all seven FDA-approved medications.
• Reduces barriers to accessing tobacco cessation services like prior authorization for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• Provides enhanced federal matching to cover 100% of the cost of state outreach campaigns to educate providers and Medicaid enrollees regarding Medicaid coverage of tobacco cessation services for the duration of the public health emergency.

• H.R. 6660, the LOSS Act.
• Prevents prescription drug shortages by requiring manufacturers to develop a risk mitigation plan.

• H.R. 6573, the Help Our Heroes Access Medicine Act.
• Provides the Secretary of Defense authority to waive copayments for TRICARE’s pharmacy benefit during a public health emergency or national emergency.
• This includes the authority to waive the mail-order pharmacy copay.
• Provides guidelines to the Secretary to future-proof this policy if additional waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, future pandemics, or other national emergencies necessitate the waiver.
• Provides the Secretary the authority immediately upon enactment.

• H.R. 6568, the COVID-19 Treatment Act of 2020.
• Require group health plans or health insurers offering group or individual health plans to cover treatment for the coronavirus with no-cost sharing requirements during a public health emergency.
• This includes medically necessary services to treat or mitigate the effects a patient may be experiencing due to the coronavirus.
• Provide federal funding to reimburse insurers for what the patient’s cost-share would have been.

Congressional Letters Led in the 116th Congress:

·       To Vice President Pence requesting the initiation of two task forces to coordinate supply shortage efforts and global vaccine and treatment development. Read the full letter here.

·       To House Leadership to include support for front line health care workers in upcoming coronavirus legislative packages. Read the full letter here.

·       To SBA Administrator Carranza to requesting information on the implementation of Paycheck Protection Program. Read the full letter here.

·       To Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to ensure that people experiencing homelessness get their stimulus checks. Read the full letter here.

·       To HHS Secretary Azar emphasizing the need for increased funding and focus on child abuse prevention services during the COVID-19 outbreak. Read the full letter here.

·       To the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to request specific information on how the U.S. EPA is collecting air pollution data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full letter here.

·       To Congressional Leadership calling for an express minimum allocation for all states, regardless of size or population, to ensure that states like Delaware are on equal footing as the country looks to rebound economically from the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read the full letter here.

·       To House and Senate Leadership urging the prioritization of $250 billion for a robust plan to test and provide contact tracing for frontline healthcare, first responders, and food and agricultural workers. You can read the letter here.

Statements:

 To read my latest statements, please visit https://bluntrochester.house.gov/news/.

Additional Resources:

• Click here for the House Energy and Commerce resource page.