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Access to Health Care Press Releases

July 11, 2023

Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) Reintroduced, Marking Critical Step in Improving Patient Quality of Life

Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced S. 2243 Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). The bipartisan bill would create a national public education and awareness campaign to educate patients and providers about the availability and benefits of palliative care, expand federal research regarding palliative care, including pain and symptom management, and establish palliative care education and training programs for doctors, nurses and other health professionals.  

July 7, 2023

Proposed Short-Term Health Plan Rule Would Strengthen Patient Protections

 Today the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor and the Treasury Department jointly released a proposed rule that would return the sale of short-term limited duration insurance plans (STLD) to a limit of 90 days. This is similar to rules that were in place prior to 2018, but under the proposed rule would apply to all STLD plans created after the final rule is issued. The proposed rule would also require STLD issuers to comply with new notice requirements to help consumers distinguish between an STLD plan and comprehensive health coverage. 

June 27, 2023

Patient Groups Urge Fifth Circuit to Maintain Access to No-Cost Preventive Care in Braidwood Case Amicus Brief

Today, patient groups representing millions of individuals with serious health conditions filed an amicus curiae (or friend-of-the-court) brief in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in support of the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s defense of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions requiring private insurers provide coverage of certain evidence-based preventive services without cost-sharing. The amicus brief provides extensive scientific data to the appeals court demonstrating that preventive services save lives and are cost-effective, as well as examples of the cost-free services that would be lost for many patients if the lower court’s decision is upheld.