WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined his Senate colleagues in a letter to United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy calling on him to immediately reverse all operational and organizational changes that have resulted in delays of critical medications to Americans.  

“The Postal Service is an essential public institution that must uphold its duty to serve every community. Your recently implemented changes pose an unacceptable threat and continue to have a devastating effect on communities that rely on consistent access to medication through the mail. We have received numerous reports from seniors about delays in receiving their prescriptions through the mail, leaving some without life-sustaining medication for days. Others have been forced to obtain emergency prescriptions from their doctors and pay out-of-pocket for medication because their original prescriptions covered by insurance never arrived,” wrote the Senators to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

“We call on you to immediately reverse all operational and organizational changes that have resulted in life-threatening delays of critical medications to Americans. As you noted, ‘it is imperative for the Postal Service to operate efficiently and effectively, while continuing to provide service that meets the needs of [its] customers.’ Right now, the Postal Service is failing to meet the needs of many Americans and adhere to its mission of ‘prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas.’ As we continue to fight this pandemic, the Postal Service is integral to keeping millions of Americans safe, especially seniors, people with chronic conditions, and people with disabilities,” continued the Senators.

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was led by Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Gary Peters (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and signed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH),  Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Kamala Harris (D-CA).

Last month, Sen. Warner fired off a letter to Postmaster General sharing concerns he’s heard directly from Virginians regarding delayed mail service following those structural and operational changes at the Postal Service. Sen. Warner also recently called on DeJoy to testify before Congress regarding service delays in Virginia. Additionally, he joined a number of Senate Democrats in raising concerns over the heightened impact of these changes to servicemembers and their families, and in pushing DeJoy and VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to correct the changes that are needlessly delaying veterans’ access to life-saving prescriptions.

In June, Sen. Warner sounded the alarm about the Administration’s efforts to undermine state work to expand mail-in voting. Following the USPS policy changes, Sen. Warner joined other Senate Democrats in an effort to urge the Postmaster General to provide answers regarding reports of recent changes to long-standing practices at USPS that would result in increased delivery times and costs for election mail, and urged him not take any further action that makes it harder and more expensive for states and election jurisdictions to mail ballots. He has since called on DeJoy to answer for service delays and urged him not to take any further action that makes it harder for states to mail ballots. In addition, Sen. Warner asked Virginia’s election registrars to ensure that all Virginians can access their right to vote.

A copy of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Mr. DeJoy:

In your three months as U.S. Postmaster General, you have made detrimental operational and structural changes to the U.S. Postal Service. After facing criticism from members of Congress, states, and the public as well as lawsuits from multiple state attorneys general you announced the reversal of some—but not all—of these policies.  Damage from your decisions has already been done as Americans continue to experience potentially life-threatening delays in the delivery of prescription medications. These delays will continue to disproportionately harm the same individuals who are most at risk during the COVID-19 crisis, including seniors, people with chronic conditions, and people with disabilities. 

While we hope that your recent policy reversals will curtail some of the harmful effects and delays we have seen, we continue to have grave concerns regarding widespread delays in the delivery of critical medications that millions of Americans rely upon every day. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now more important than ever for Americans to have safe and timely access to their medications from their homes. For years, Americans have entrusted the Postal Service to deliver essential goods—yet during this public health crisis, a number of Americans continue to await needed medications that are lost or delayed in the mail. 

The Postal Service is an essential public institution that must uphold its duty to serve every community. Your recently implemented changes pose an unacceptable threat and continue to have a devastating effect on communities that rely on consistent access to medication through the mail. We have received numerous reports from seniors about delays in receiving their prescriptions through the mail, leaving some without life-sustaining medication for days. Others have been forced to obtain emergency prescriptions from their doctors and pay out-of-pocket for medication because their original prescriptions covered by insurance never arrived. 

The National Association of Letter Carriers reported that the Postal Service delivers 1.2 billion prescription drug shipments each year – amounting to four million shipments every day, six days a week.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Mail Order Pharmacy provides prescriptions to approximately 80 percent of all veterans via mail, processing 470,000 prescriptions daily.  Despite these figures, “prescription medication can only be as effective as a patient’s ability to access it.” 

The Postal Service’s role in delivering medications to Americans has only grown during the COVID-19 crisis. When COVID-19 stay-at-home orders began in March, mail-order prescriptions reportedly increased by 21 percent from the year prior.  What was previously a routine visit to the pharmacy now places millions of Americans at an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises Americans to “limit in-person visits to the pharmacy” and, if possible, to use drive-thru windows, mail-order, or other delivery services to pick up medications.   As Postal Service delays cause Americans to worry when, if at all, they will receive their next supply of medication in the mail, patients across the country may be forced to seek their prescriptions in person at a pharmacy—increasing their risk of exposure to COVID-19 at a time when staying home is vital to their health and well-being.

We call on you to immediately reverse all operational and organizational changes that have resulted in life-threatening delays of critical medications to Americans. As you noted, “it is imperative for the Postal Service to operate efficiently and effectively, while continuing to provide service that meets the needs of [its] customers.”  Right now, the Postal Service is failing to meet the needs of many Americans and adhere to its mission of “prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas.”  As we continue to fight this pandemic, the Postal Service is integral to keeping millions of Americans safe, especially seniors, people with chronic conditions, and people with disabilities.

To that end, please provide the following information by September 21, 2020:

1. What considerations did you give to mail-order medications before implementing the recent operational and structural changes throughout the Postal Service?

2. What, if any, actions did you take to prevent potential delays in the delivery of mail-order medications? If you made no specific adjustments or considerations, please explain why.

3. What steps, if any, does the Postal Service intend to take to address existing delays in the delivery of mail-ordered prescriptions that have occurred as a result of the operational and structural changes you implemented? 

4. Please identify the operational and structural changes implemented during your tenure that you plan to reverse.
   1. Please explain how you decided which changes to reverse, as well as your rationale for each reversal.
   2. Do you plan to re-implement any of these changes after the November 2020 election? If so, what safeguards will you put in place to avoid significant mail delays and keep Americans safe?

5. Please identify the operational and structural changes implemented during your tenure that you chose not to reverse.
   1. Please explain your justification for each decision.
   2. Please explain the consequences these changes could have for the ability of Americans to receive their medications in a timely and consistent manner through the mail, and whether the Postal Service has adopted safeguards to address these issues.  

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON, DC – As communities across the country grapple with how to reopen as safely as possible, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner joined Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) and a bipartisan group of senators in calling on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve, automate and modernize COVID-19 data collection and management. In a letter sent to Secretary Azar and Dr. Redfield, the lawmakers specifically called on the agencies to harness technologically advanced systems and build on existing data sources in order to provide public health officials and community leaders with more accurate, real-time information as they make critical decisions about reopening.

Unfortunately, recent reports have shown that case reporting and contact tracing across the country are being hampered by a fragmented health system and antiquated technology, including manual entry of patients’ data and results and sharing of such results through paper and pencil or fax. In Texas, some patients were having to wait l0 days to find out if they had been infected with coronavirus because their results were being faxed to public health officials and then entered into a database by hand. 

In their letter, the lawmakers wrote, “During an emergency such as the current pandemic, scaling up and using existing systems to the greatest extent possible can improve data collection and contact tracing efforts. We therefore ask that you and your colleagues utilize and build on existing data sources, such as electronic health record (EHR) and laboratory information management systems (LIMS), claims databases, and other automated systems to provide government leaders, public health officials, community leaders, and others with actionable, easy-to-interpret data from a wide-ranging set of sources. Data generated by contact tracing, syndromic surveillance, and large-scale testing can help inform decisions on how to safely reopen communities and bring economies back online. Modernizing and automating data collection should augment detection, testing, and contact tracing plans, while also helping to prevent and improve the management of new outbreaks.”

The bipartisan group highlighted the fact that some of these tools are already being successfully utilized in communities across the country. They noted, “Fortunately, software-based systems providing data management for state public health entities and major testing laboratories already exist, and they are more efficient and accurate while reducing the burden of excess paperwork. For example, North Carolina and Florida have taken steps to modernize and improve patients’ Covid-19 test results and other infectious disease symptoms. In Florida, nurses can register patients for Covid testing in the field using tablet computers that are connected to a HIPAA compliant cloud. By managing the patient and order requisition information electronically, lab processing time is reduced and transcription errors are eliminated.”

Joining Sens. Warner, Carper and Cassidy in sending this letter are Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

The letter is available here. 

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U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner joined Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, in demanding immediate action following reports of significant delays in veterans’ prescription medications through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

In a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and VA Secretary Robert Wilkie, Sens. Warner, Tester, and Peters and 28 Senate colleagues urged USPS to correct operational changes that are needlessly delaying veterans’ access to life-saving prescriptions.

“Veterans and the VA should be able to count on USPS for the timely delivery of essential prescription drugs,” the Senators wrote. “No veteran should have to wonder when their antidepressant or blood pressure medication may arrive – and the effects can be devastating if doses are missed.”

The Senators continued, “USPS needs to immediately cease operational changes that are causing mail delays so that veterans do not needlessly suffer from illnesses exacerbated by delayed medication deliveries. Those who gave so much to serve this country should be able to count on the nation’s Postal Service to deliver their medications in a timely manner.”

The VA fills about 80 percent of its prescriptions through their Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP), which primarily uses the U.S. Postal Service to deliver to veterans’ homes. The VA CMOP fills almost 120 million prescriptions a year, with deliveries arriving daily to about 330,000 veterans across the country. According to the VA website, “prescriptions usually arrive within 3 to 5 days.” Reports from veterans and VA staff have said that recently these medications are sometimes taking weeks to be delivered and causing veterans to miss doses of vital medications.

Read the Senators’ full letter HERE.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced legislation to encourage Americans to seek preventive care in order to avoid an increase in more serious health conditions down the line. The Getting Early Treatment and Comprehensive Assessments Reduces Emergencies (GET CARE) Act would authorize a public awareness campaign to educate the public on the importance of resuming routine procedures and screenings – something Americans were discouraged from doing for a period of time during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Preventive health care and screenings can significantly reduce serious medical emergencies and improve long-term health outcomes,” said Sen. Warner. “In the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, health providers rightly encouraged patients to avoid non-essential care, but now we have to make sure the American public is aware of the importance of getting their regular health check-ups.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a troubling decline in vital screenings and immunizations, undermining efforts to ensure prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment for dangerous diseases,” said Sen. Scott. “Drops in immunization and screening rates are particularly problematic for some of our most vulnerable populations, including our seniors. This bipartisan legislation would encourage Americans to safely and responsibly seek out the preventive care they need.”

During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans were discouraged from seeking non-emergency care in order to prevent the spread of the virus and free up needed capacity at overwhelmed hospitals that were struggling to administer life-saving care to individuals with COVID-19. During this time, many states put executive orders in place to suspend elective procedures, and health care providers all across the country worked to limit face-to-face interactions, restricting office appointments to emergency needs. As a result of these necessary measures, there has been a significant decrease in routine health visits that normally play a crucial role in detecting a number of conditions and diseases that can be effectively treated when caught early.

Reuters has reported that diagnostic panels and cancer screenings fell by 68 percent nationally, with even more dramatic drops in COVID-19 hot spots. Additionally, the Epic Health Research Network estimates that over the span of three months, between March 15 and June 16, Americans missed about 65 percent of breast, colon, and cervical exams, which are essential in detecting cancer. There has also been an alarming decrease in childhood vaccination rates, which experts worry could trigger an epidemic of other infectious but vaccine-preventable diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the health care system could save over 100,000 additional lives per year if every person received recommended preventative care.

According to the CDC, preventative care is also essential in reducing health care costs. In fact, estimates show that avoidable chronic diseases account for more than 75 percent of the nation’s health care spending.

With many Americans still reluctant to seek non-emergency care, the GET CARE Act would authorize a public awareness campaign in order to bring attention to the importance of resuming preventive. Specifically, this legislation would direct the CDC to make competitive grants available to public or private entities in order to carry out a national, evidence-based campaign.

This campaign would:

• Increase awareness of the importance of recommended preventive care services for the prevention of and control of diseases, illness and other medical conditions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic;
• Combat misinformation about seeking preventive care during the pandemic;
• Disseminate scientific, evidence-based preventive care-related information to increase the utilization of preventive care services; and
• Ensure the public awareness campaign is appropriately tailored to medically underserved communities, racial and ethnic minorities, and communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;

This legislation has the support of a number of organizations, including American College of Preventive Medicine, American Public Health Association, American Hospital Association, Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and Ballad Health System.

“We thank Senators Warner and Scott for introducing the GET CARE Act, which will help to educate the public about the importance of prevention and preventive care. This is especially important for individuals living with, or at risk of getting, preventable chronic diseases, which may place them at increased risk for serious health complications due to COVID-19,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, Executive Director, American Public Health Association.

“The American College of Preventive Medicine strongly advocates for this initiative to support prevention as the cornerstone of our health care system. Increased adoption of preventive services will reduce the burden of disease, especially in communities facing racial, demographic, and economic disparities in care and worsening health outcomes, and make our health system more sustainable and equitable. The power of prevention is to better prepare individuals, communities, and the nation for health crises of all types by building resilience through better health,” said Stephanie Zaza, MD, MPH, President, the American College of Preventive Medicine. 

“Prevention has the power to save lives, create healthier communities, and transform our healthcare system. Increased use of preventive services makes health care systems and communities more resilient and better prepared to fight disease. It is of critical importance that we balance efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic with innovative and safe approaches to continuing essential preventive services, such as childhood vaccination and flu vaccination,” said Donna Grande, MGA, CEO, the American College of Preventive Medicine.

“During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care facilities across the Commonwealth voluntarily postponed non-emergency scheduled procedures to free up additional treatment capacity to accommodate incoming patients and to preserve personal protective equipment as part of the strategy to fight this deadly virus,” said Sean T. Connaughton, President and CEO, Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. “Taking these necessary, proactive steps meant that many Virginians had to forgo care for conditions including cancer and cardiac care and preventive screenings and treatment services such as vaccinations, mammograms, and colonoscopies. While many hospitals and health care facilities resumed scheduled procedures in early May, data indicates that many patients are avoiding or delaying care, perhaps due to fears associated with COVID-19. The GET CARE Act of 2020 is important legislation that will help spread the word that health care facilities are open and ready to safely care for patients. It’s important that all Virginians who need care, whether for a routine check-up, a vaccination, or care for a serious medical condition, get the care they need without delay.”

“Our entire team applauds Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Tim Scott for proposing bipartisan support for America’s health systems and hospitals as we strive to save lives and serve our communities,” said Alan Levine, Chairman and CEO, Ballad Health. “The Get Care Act would create a public awareness campaign underscoring the importance of preventative health screenings and seeking routine medical care.   Among other things, this bill provides important resources and templates to help hospitals and health systems initiate and sustain public service communications efforts.  This effort follows a similar initiative provided by Ballad Health, in which resources were provided by Ballad Health for free to any rural, not-for-profit health system for use in their communities. This effort by the Senators brings scale to something desperately needed. Right now, many Americans are forgoing not only preventative health screenings but even treatment of acute health conditions because of concern about the COVID-19 pandemic. Ballad Health has witnessed this trend firsthand, as our hospital and outpatient volumes have decreased by as much as 70% during the past several months. Like other healthcare providers, we are concerned about the long-term impacts for patients who are not seeking the routine care they need. Healthcare providers everywhere have established detailed and deliberate safeguards to protect their patients during the pandemic, and this bill would help reassure patients that it is safe to seek both routine and emergency care. I congratulate the Senators for this important bipartisan effort.”

“Inova has made significant investments in technology and procedures to ensure patients feel and are safe managing their health, whether they seek care in person or through telehealth,” said J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, President & CEO of Inova Health System. “I thank Senator Warner for championing this timely and proactive initiative encouraging all Americans to make their preventative health a priority.”     

A summary of this bill is available here. Bill text can be found here.  

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WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Boozman (R-AR) to help address the alarming rate of veteran suicide. Provisions of the IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans Act, a bill to expand veterans’ access to mental health services, were included as part of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act to help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reduce veteran suicides.

“Today, Congress came together in a bipartisan fashion to make sure our veterans receive the tools and resources they need to heal from the invisible wounds of war. Right now, too many veterans still die by suicide long after having completed their tours of duty. This important legislation will help tackle the alarming rate of veteran suicide by ensuring our military heroes have the support they need after faithfully serving our country. It’s my hope that the President quickly signs this critical life-saving bill into law,” said Sen. Warner.

“We can’t take our focus off the veteran suicide crisis even with all that is going on in the world right now. In recent years, Congress has increased funding to reach at-risk veterans, yet the number who commit suicide each day has remained largely unchanged. It’s clear a new strategy is necessary and the approach that Senator Warner and I have proposed in this bill is a key part of that. Coordinating and sharing information between the VA and veteran-serving organizations that have the common goal to save lives will have a positive impact,” said Sen. Boozman.

The IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans Act creates a new grant program to enable the VA to conduct additional outreach through veteran-serving non-profits in addition to state and local organizations. Additionally, the bipartisan bill enhances coordination and planning of veteran mental health and suicide prevention services and better measures the effectiveness of those programs in order to reduce the alarming number of veteran suicides.

The VA estimates that around 20 veterans die by suicide each day. Unfortunately that number has remained unchanged despite Congress more than tripling the VA’s funding for suicide prevention efforts over the last ten years to nearly $222 million in FY20.

Only six of the 20 veterans who die by suicide each day receive healthcare services from the VA before their death. That’s why Sens. Warner and Boozman are empowering the VA to share information with veteran-serving non-profits and requiring it to develop a tool to monitor progress so that resources can be concentrated on successful programs.

The IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans Act was introduced in June 2019. Days later, at a committee hearing, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie called the bill “key” to unlocking the veteran suicide crisis. In January, provisions of the Warner-Boozman legislation were included in the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, and the bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Additionally, the IMPROVE Well-being for Veterans Act was included as part of the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) Act, which was unveiled last month.

Sen. Warner has been a strong advocate of improving care for Virginia’s veterans. In January, he  sent a letter to the four VA medical facilities providing care for Virginia’s veterans requesting an update on their suicide prevention efforts. He’s also recently met with senior leadership at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center and Hampton VA Medical Center (VAMC) to discuss wait time reduction at their facilities and suicide prevention efforts.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), sent a letter to Senate leaders urging them to include the Public Health Emergency Privacy Act in the next coronavirus relief package as negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats are underway. Inclusion of the legislation will help strengthen the public’s trust to participate in critical screening and contact tracing efforts to aid in the fight against COVID-19.

“As you begin negotiations on another coronavirus stimulus package, we write to urge inclusion of commonsense privacy protections for COVID health data. Building public trust in COVID screening tools will be essential to ensuring meaningful participation in such efforts. With research consistently showing that Americans are reluctant to adopt COVID screening and tracing apps due to privacy concerns, the lack of health privacy protections could significantly undermine efforts to contain this virus and begin to safely re-open – particularly with many screening tools requiring a critical mass in order to provide meaningful benefits,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, and Labor.

According to a recent survey, 84 percent of Americans feel uneasy about sharing their personal health information for COVID-19 related mitigation efforts. Public reluctance can be attributed to a myriad of investigative reports and congressional hearings that have exposed widespread secondary use of Americans data over the years. The Senators noted that with the inclusion of their bill, Congress can establish commonsense targeted rules to ensure the collection, retention, and use of data by COVID screening tools are focused on combatting COVID and not for extraneous, invasive, or discriminatory purposes.

“Our urgent and forceful response to COVID-19 can coexist with protecting and even bolstering our health privacy. If not appropriately addressed, these issues could lead to a breakdown in public trust that could ultimately thwart successful public health surveillance initiatives. Privacy experts, patient advocates, civil rights leaders, and public interest organizations have resoundingly called for strong privacy protections to govern technological measures offered in response to the COVID-19 crisis. In the absence of a federal privacy framework, experts and enforcers – including the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection of Federal Trade Commission – have encouraged targeted rules on this sensitive health data. The Public Health Emergency Privacy Act meets the needs raised by privacy and public health communities, and has been resoundingly endorsed by experts and civil society groups,” the Senators continued.

A copy of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Chairman Alexander, and Ranking Member Murray,

As you begin negotiations on another coronavirus stimulus package, we write to urge inclusion of commonsense privacy protections for COVID health data. Building public trust in COVID screening tools will be essential to ensuring meaningful participation in such efforts. With research consistently showing that Americans are reluctant to adopt COVID screening and tracing apps due to privacy concerns, the lack of health privacy protections could significantly undermine efforts to contain this virus and begin to safely re-open – particularly with many screening tools requiring a critical mass in order to provide meaningful benefits. According to one survey, 84% of Americans “fear that data collection efforts aimed at helping to contain the coronavirus cost too much in the way of privacy.”

Public health experts have consistently pointed to health screening and contact tracing as essential elements of a comprehensive strategy to contain and eradicate COVID. Since the onset of the pandemic, employers, public venue operators, and consumer service providers have introduced a range tools and resources to engage in symptom monitoring, contact tracing, exposure notification, temperature checks, and location tracking. Increasingly, we have seen higher education institutions mandate the use of these applications for incoming students and employers mandate participation in these programs among employees.

Health data is among the most sensitive data imaginable and even before this public health emergency, there has been increasing bipartisan concern with gaps in our nation’s health privacy laws. While a comprehensive update of health privacy protections is unrealistic at this time, targeted reforms to protect health data – particularly with clear evidence that a lack of privacy protections has inhibited public participation in screening activities – is both appropriate and necessary.

Our legislation does not prohibit or otherwise prevent employers, service providers, or any other entity from introducing COVID screening tools. Rather, it provides commonsense and widely understood rules related to the collection, retention, and usage of that information – most notably, stipulating that sensitive data collected under the auspices of efforts to contain COVID should not be used for unrelated purposes. As a litany of investigative reports, Congressional hearings, and studies have increasingly demonstrated, the widespread secondary use of Americans’ data – including sensitive health and geolocation data – has become a significant public concern. The legislation also ensures that Americans cannot be discriminated against on the basis of COVID health data – something particularly important given the disproportionate impact of this pandemic on communities of color.

Efforts by public health agencies to combat COVID-19, such as manual contract tracing, health screenings, interviews, and case investigations, are not restricted by our bill. And the legislation would allow for the collection, use, and sharing of data for public health research purposes and makes clear that it does not restrict use of health information for public health or other scientific research associated with a public health emergency.

Our urgent and forceful response to COVID-19 can coexist with protecting and even bolstering our health privacy. If not appropriately addressed, these issues could lead to a breakdown in public trust that could ultimately thwart successful public health surveillance initiatives. Privacy experts, patient advocates, civil rights leaders, and public interest organizations have resoundingly called for strong privacy protections to govern technological measures offered in response to the COVID-19 crisis. In the absence of a federal privacy framework, experts and enforcers – including the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection of Federal Trade Commission – have encouraged targeted rules on this sensitive health data. The Public Health Emergency Privacy Act meets the needs raised by privacy and public health communities, and has been resoundingly endorsed by experts and civil society groups.

Providing Americans with assurance that their sensitive health data will not be misused will give Americans more confidence to participate in COVID screening efforts, strengthening our common mission in containing and eradicating COVID-19. For this reason, we urge you to include the privacy protections contained in the Public Health Emergency Privacy Act in any forthcoming stimulus package.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.                                                                       

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D–Va.) and Tim Scott (R–S.C.) introduced the Long-Term Care (LTC) Pharmacy Definition Act of 2020. This bipartisan legislation, if passed, will ensure seniors requiring long-term care have access to the medication and treatments they need. This bill would also codify an adaptable definition for “long-term care pharmacy” to enhance clarity and consistency across diverse programs and agencies. Without adding new costs to the healthcare system, a clear federal definition for LTC pharmacy would provide policymakers and regulators with the tools needed to facilitate the unique supports that these pharmacies offer, within both current models and the innovative models of the future.  

 "Long-term care pharmacies are essential to providing quality care to millions of our nation’s seniors. Unfortunately, under existing rules, they are regulated in the same way as more traditional retail pharmacies, which has created unnecessary bureaucracy around providing life-saving medication and services for a vulnerable population," said Sen. Warner. “That’s why we’re introducing legislation that will create a distinct definition for long-term care pharmacies to better reflect the specialized care they provide for the senior population they serve."

"This commonsense legislation would ensure clarity and consistency for our long-term care pharmacies without adding costs to our healthcare system," said Sen. Scott. “I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, which will make it easier for this important sector to navigate regulatory confusion and allow them to care and provide for our nation’s seniors."

Congressmen Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Kurt Schrader (R-OR) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

"Long Term Care Pharmacies provide critical services for seniors, who often require multiple prescriptions to maintain their health. Because there is no statuary definition for LTC Pharmacies, they must negotiate a patchwork of vague, inconsistent provisions, which could disrupt services and impact care for seniors. This commonsense legislation will help agencies give more consistent regulatory direction as well as streamline services to residents,” said Rep. Mullin.

"The personal services that long term care pharmacies provide seniors, many who take upwards of 10 medications per day, are critical for the health and wellness of millions of Americans,” said Rep. Schrader. "COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on this vulnerable population and now more than ever a consistent regulatory framework that defines long term care pharmacies is crucial. This bipartisan legislation will offer greater governmental oversight and create regulatory consistency across multiple federal agencies."

"Now more than ever, as the nation’s LTC community copes with the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, establishing a clear and consistent regulatory framework for LTC pharmacies is essential,” said Alan G. Rosenbloom, President and CEO of the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition. “We commend Senators Scott and Warner as well as Congressmen Schrader and Mullin for recognizing the unique value proposition LTC pharmacies offer seniors in nursing homes and other LTC facilities by introducing this much-needed legislation. The patient care services LTC pharmacies provide, including the 12 prescriptions per day per person on average, are crucial to the health and safety of our most vulnerable citizens."

Full text of the bill is available here.

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Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner joined Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and 44 of her Democratic Senate colleagues in writing to Vice President Mike Pence, and Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, urging the Trump Administration to reverse recent changes requiring hospitals to report data to a new system set up by the Department of Health and Human Services instead of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) which is run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has been in use for over a decade.

 “We write today to urge you to withdraw your confusing and harmful changes to hospital reporting requirements for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the midst of a global pandemic, these changes pose serious challenges to the nation’s response by increasing the data management burden for hospitals, potentially delaying critical supply shipments, compromising access to key data for many states, and reducing transparency for the public. The Trump Administration’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 response and refusal to heed public health expertise continue to put the country in a dangerous position,” write the Senators.

The letter the Senators sent today details how the sudden switch to the new system could undermine the COVID-19 response on several fronts: hospitals unable to switch within 48 hours could lose access to critical supplies; states who have built their own response and data systems on the NHSN could lose access to critical information; and the decision to circumvent CDC could lead to disruption in the data collected, questions about its accuracy, and hampered access for public health experts and the general public.

Before posing several questions to Administration about the shift, the Senators’ letter concludes, “Without adequate data, the country has been unable to appropriately adjust our response to COVID-19—a reality highlighted by the dearth of reliable data on the heavy burden of COVID-19 on communities of color and other vulnerable populations. The American people deserve to know the true scope of the pandemic, and that can only happen if public health experts lead in collecting and reporting data accurately and transparently. By abruptly changing the reporting process by requiring hospitals to report to HHS and circumventing CDC, we are concerned there will be a disruption in the data collected and questions about the accuracy of that data.”

The letter was also signed by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King (I-ME), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Doug Jones (D-AL), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jon Tester (D-MT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Joe Manchin (D-WV).

See the full text of the letter below. A PDF is available HERE.

July 17, 2020

The Honorable Michael R. Pence

Vice President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

The Honorable Deborah Birx, M.D.

Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Vice President Pence and Ambassador Birx,

We write today to urge you to withdraw your confusing and harmful changes to hospital reporting requirements for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the midst of a global pandemic, these changes pose serious challenges to the nation’s response by increasing the data management burden for hospitals, potentially delaying critical supply shipments, compromising access to key data for many states, and reducing transparency for the public. The Trump Administration’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 response and refusal to heed public health expertise continue to put the country in a dangerous position.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the primary repository of the nation’s public health data, including data on COVID-19. Leading public health groups agree that CDC is “uniquely qualified to collect, analyze and disseminate information regarding infectious diseases.”^[1] The agency’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), which has played a critical role in collecting public health data for fifteen years, is used in over 25,000 health care facilities across the United States for mandatory reporting of infection-related data and for voluntary use for quality improvement. NHSN’s COVID-19 reporting module for hospitals, which launched on March 27, 2020, enables facilities to submit data on cases, personnel, and supply shortages. Following the launch of the COVID-19 module, Vice President Pence and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) required both hospitals and nursing homes to report to NHSN. Within six weeks of its launch, over 60 percent of the nation’s hospitals were reporting daily through the NHSN COVID-19 module. As a result, many states have built their own COVID-19 data management systems on this NHSN data feed. 

Despite the CDC’s well-established reporting mechanism, in early April, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) issued a six-month contract for $10 million on a non-competitive basis to TeleTracking to create an alternate hospital reporting pathway to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  The new system inexplicably created a second, duplicative mechanism through which hospitals could report the same information already collected through NHSN – this time managed by a private contractor.

On July 13, 2020, you directed hospitals to cease reporting data to NHSN and instead report to HHS via the newly established TeleTracking or HHS Protect systems within 48 hours, splitting out hospital reporting and nursing home reporting into separate systems. Your request states “[a]s of July 15, 2020, hospitals should no longer report the COVID-19 information in this document to the National Healthcare Safety Network site. Please select one of the above methods to use instead.” ^[2] You further unreasonably urged states to consider deploying the National Guard to the nation’s hospitals to support this data reporting change.^[3]

The change in reporting mechanism that you have ordered will only exacerbate ongoing challenges to tracking COVID-19 data, which is already hampered by serious limitations in how data is collected, managed, reported, and disseminated.  Combined with insufficient testing capacity, this has led to an incomplete picture of the scope and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The CDC has indicated it believes the true number of cases in the country is 10 times higher than the official counts.^[4]

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020, included $500 million for the CDC Data Modernization Initiative, to help CDC update, streamline, and scale up data collection. Rather than focusing on these critical efforts, however, the Trump Administration has chosen to instead reorganize and redirect data flow. This decision by the Administration to change the reporting process in the midst of a pandemic is deeply troubling. While there are certainly steps needed to improve public health data collection, waging interdepartmental jurisdictional battles to sideline our nation’s leading public health agency in the middle of an historic pandemic is bad management at best and malpractice at worst.

Rather than focusing on emergency response and patient care, hospitals must now spend precious time and resources changing their processes for reporting data.  You also announced that as soon as next week shipments of critical supplies that are in shortage, including personal protective equipment (PPE), will be based on data collected from these new systems. That means hospitals that are unable to change their reporting in under 48 hours may lose out on access to those critical supplies. Furthermore, the lack of transparency under the new data reporting requirements raises major concerns regarding their distribution. An opaque data collection mechanism invites political interference in processes and decisions that must be driven by data and public health.

Moreover, the abrupt change in data collection mechanisms threatens to leave states that rely on the NHSN data feeds in the dark about the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. By eliminating NHSN as the data source, and moving all federal hospital reporting to two systems that do not automatically share data or analytic reports created by CDC medical epidemiologists with states, the federal government is significantly undermining states’ ability to effectively respond to this crisis. This is unacceptable at any point in a pandemic – it is especially dangerous in a moment where cases are surging to unprecedented levels, with more than 66,000 new cases reported in the U.S. on July 15.^[5] This Administration has repeatedly underscored the role and responsibility of states in responding to COVID-19, yet steps like these actively undermine states’ responses.

Without adequate data, the country has been unable to appropriately adjust our response to COVID-19—a reality highlighted by the dearth of reliable data on the heavy burden of COVID-19 on communities of color and other vulnerable populations. The American people deserve to know the true scope of the pandemic, and that can only happen if public health experts lead in collecting and reporting data accurately and transparently. By abruptly changing the reporting process by requiring hospitals to report to HHS and circumventing CDC, we are concerned there will be a disruption in the data collected and questions about the accuracy of that data.

The federal government must ensure data collection is led by public health experts, remains transparent and accurate, and is appropriately safeguarded. We urge that these changes to COVID-19 hospital reporting requirements be halted immediately.

Additionally, we request answers to the questions below about the decision to change data reporting requirements for hospitals. Please respond to the questions by July 31, 2020:

1. What is the justification for requiring hospitals to change their reporting within 48 hours?
2. What is the public health rationale for moving data collection from the CDC to HHS?
3. Will HHS or TeleTracking now provide analytic reports of the hospital data to other federal government agencies, state health departments, and hospital facilities as CDC previously did?
4. Will HHS or TeleTracking publicly report a portion of the hospital data as CDC previously did?
5. To the extent HHS is limiting access to data or analytic reports for federal agencies, state health departments, hospital facilities, and/or the public, what is the justification for such limitations?
6. How will data reported to HHS be transmitted to CDC to support ongoing holistic public health surveillance and analysis efforts of COVID-19 infections?
7. Please detail any differences between the NHSN, TeleTracking, and HHS Protect systems on the basis of technological capability or data collected.
   1. Please explain why NHSN is insufficient to effectively collect and report relevant COVID-19 data.
   2. Is NHSN unable to determine any resource allotments or response activities for which TeleTracking or HHS Protect offers new capabilities?

                                                              i.      If so, what would be required to update NHSN in order to allow it to perform this function? Why was this not pursued?

                                                            ii.      If not, please explain the stated justification for these changes.

1. Which office or entity will be in charge of managing the data at HHS?
2. Please describe the steps the Administration is taking to ensure data is both accurate and readily available for CDC, states, public health departments, Congress, the research community, and the public.
3. How will the Administration ensure a transparent data collection process?
4. How will the Administration ensure improved collection of demographic data, including data broken down by race ethnicity, age, geography, disability status, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and socioeconomic status?
5. What funding is being used to support the new HHS data collection system?  Please include details about which COVID-19 emergency supplemental bill appropriated this funding and the justification for HHS to use it for this purpose.  Please also include estimated costs for developing and implementing this new system as well as any other related expenses, the plans for its long-term use, and projections for its annual costs. 

We look forward to your responses.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine cosponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 (NDAA) that would require President Trump to unlock the full authority and power of the Defense Production Act to scale up nationwide production of the testing supplies, personal protective equipment, and medical equipment needed at the local level to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“As coronavirus cases continue to rise throughout Virginia and the country, it’s vital that we continue pushing for more testing and personal protective equipment,”  the Senators said. “Several months into this crisis, the Administration has failed to protect Americans. This amendment will help ensurewe have the resources needed to save American lives."   

The amendment includes the Medical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act, legislation the Senators cosponsored to require the president to utilize all available authorities under the Defense Production Act to mobilize a federal response to the pandemic through an equitable and transparent process. Key parts of the legislation are included in the House-passed HEROES Act, but the Republican majority in the Senate has failed to take action on the legislation.

The amendment, led by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, is also cosponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

The NDAA is being considered on the Senate floor this week. 

The full amendment is available here.

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WASHINGTON – After the Trump Administration filed its brief in the Texas v US lawsuit to strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement blasting the Trump Administration for its efforts to take away health care coverage for more than 23 million Americans who receive health care coverage through the ACA marketplaces and sabotage protections for more than 3 million Virginians living with a preexisting condition in the middle of a health pandemic: 

“The President has completely failed to contain the virus, and now he is asking the Supreme Court to make the consequences as painful as possible for millions of Americans.  

“The Trump Administration's lawsuit would kick millions of Americans off their insurance and end protections for preexisting conditions in the middle of a pandemic. This deadly mixture of cruelty and Presidential incompetence puts the lives of countless Americans at risk.”

Since taking office, President Trump has sought to undermine the success of the Affordable Care Act, which protects more than 3 million Virginians with preexisting conditions like COVID-19, diabetes, asthma, or cancer from discrimination or being kicked off of their insurance. In the Senate, Sen. Warner has been a longtime champion of access to health care, and has been outspoken about the Trump Administration’s efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act in court. Last year, Sen. Warner led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in a legislative maneuver to protect health coverage for Americans with preexisting conditions from the Trump Administration’s attempts to undermine those safeguards. Amid the coronavirus health crisis, Sen. Warner has been a fierce advocate in demanding that the Trump Administration stop its health care sabotage that has undermined our preparedness for and ability to respond to COVID-19. Recently, Sen. Warner penned an op-ed sounding the alarm of the devastating effects the health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 has had on record high uninsured rates across the country. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), led 35 of their Senate colleagues in urging House and Senate leaders to ensure that any upcoming COVID-19 relief bill include strong provisions to expand access to quality and affordable health care coverage in the wake of this public health crisis. In their letter, the Senators called for a bipartisan effort to increase the federal government’s share of Medicaid dollars as well as reduce premiums for individuals who are eligible for coverage in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges. 

This letter follows the May 15th House passage of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which creates critical pathways to health care coverage by ensuring newly unemployed Americans can remain in their previously elected employer-sponsored plans, and strengthens states’ ability to provide Medicaid coverage and other key provisions.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an extraordinary impact on every facet of our society and resulted in tremendous job loss, financial uncertainty and reduced access to health care coverage at a time when Americans can least afford it,” wrote the Senators. “We strongly believe that an unprecedented global health crisis of this nature deserves equally unprecedented action from Congress to ensure that Americans have continued access to the health care services they need.”

“We strongly encourage Republicans and Democrats to work together to build upon efforts in the HEROES Act by further enhancing the Medicaid federal medical assistance percentages (FMAP) to ensure continued and comprehensive coverage for enrollees, sustain Medicaid programs in states that have expanded their program, incentivize additional states to expand their Medicaid programs and provide payment to states that have already expanded their Medicaid programs, but have not received their full share of enhanced payments in the past,” they continued. “Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 2.3 million Americans were without health care coverage because their states had not expanded Medicaid – a number that is sure to grow in the coming months. Targeting additional funding to the Medicaid expansion population could ensure health care insurance for millions of additional Americans that might otherwise not have access to it.”

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, nearly 27 million people could lose their employer-sponsored health insurance as a result of losing their job – adding to the existing 27 million Americans who were already uninsured prior to the COVID-19 crisis.

In their letter, the Senators also called for House and Senate leaders to secure provisions that reduce premium payments for individuals who are eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges – a move that would help middle-income Americans find a quality insurance plan on the exchange and increase health care enrollment by more than 1 million Americans, according to the Commonwealth Fund. 

Sens. Warner, Jones, Durbin and Shaheen were joined in this letter by Sens. Thomas R. Carper (D-DE), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT),  Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Tom Udall (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-WI), Cory A. Booker (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joe Manchin III (D-WV), Gary C.  Peters (D-MI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI). 

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Sen. Warner has remained a strong advocate for health coverage. In April, he led his colleagues in pressing congressional leaders to ensure that that those who have lost their employer-based benefits do not have to face this health crisis without access to health insurance. In addition, that April letter similarly urged Congressional leaders to take swift action to strengthen Medicaid coverage and reduce premium costs on the Affordable Care Act exchange. Sen. Warner has also previously joined his colleagues in releasing a plan to expand health care coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic and has introduced legislation to allow any state that expanded Medicaid after 2014 to receive the same full federal matching funds as states that expanded earlier under the terms of the Affordable Care Act.   

A copy of today’s letter is available here and below. 

Dear Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer and Leader McCarthy:

We write to reiterate the importance of ensuring that any future COVID-19 related legislation passed by Congress include strong provisions to ensure Americans have access to quality and affordable health care coverage. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an extraordinary impact on every facet of our society and resulted in tremendous job loss, financial uncertainty and reduced access to health care coverage at a time when Americans can least afford it. A recent report estimates that nearly 27 million people have lost their employer-sponsored health care insurance and have to find another way to get health insurance due to their job loss . This is an astounding number on its own and is even more concerning given an additional 27 million Americans were already uninsured before the COVID-19 pandemic .

We strongly believe that an unprecedented global health crisis of this nature deserves equally unprecedented action from Congress to ensure that Americans have continued access to the health care services they need. 

On Friday, May 15, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives took an important step by passing H.R. 6800, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act. This legislation creates critical pathways to health care coverage by providing premium reimbursement to help newly unemployed Americans continue coverage in their previously elected employer-sponsored plans. In addition, the legislation provides critical support to state Medicaid programs to ensure states can afford to cover additional individuals. We welcome these significant and much needed provisions, and hope there will be bipartisan work done to ensure that millions of additional Americans will be provided with a pathway to health care coverage. 

We strongly encourage Republicans and Democrats to work together to build upon efforts in the HEROES Act by further enhancing the Medicaid federal medical assistance percentages (FMAP) to ensure continued and comprehensive coverage for enrollees, sustain Medicaid programs in states that have expanded their program, incentivize additional states to expand their Medicaid programs and provide payment to states that have already expanded their Medicaid programs, but have not received their full share of enhanced payments in the past. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 2.3 million Americans were without health care coverage because their states had not expanded Medicaid – a number that is sure to grow in the coming months . Targeting additional funding to the Medicaid expansion population could ensure health care insurance for millions of additional Americans that might otherwise not have access to it.

In addition, we ask that you add provisions to reduce premium payments for Americans eligible for coverage in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges. As you know, current law caps ACA advance premium tax credits (APTCs) at approximately 10 percent of household income for individuals earning up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line (FPL). Removing this cap and increasing subsidies will help millions more middle-income Americans to find a comprehensive and affordable plan on the health care exchange. A 2017 study found that improving the ACA’s premium assistance payments could increase health care enrollment by more than 1 million Americans.  It will also be important to bolster support from APTCs for working families and individuals who are already eligible, but will need more financial support for the cost of coverage during this public health and economic crisis.

As Americans traverse this extremely uncertain and unprecedented time – the last thing they should worry about is them or their family members going without health care coverage. We ask that you strongly consider the recommendations we have listed above and work with us to develop solutions that meet the true scope and scale of the public health emergency we face. Thank you for your consideration of this request and we look forward to working with you on these issues. 

Sincerely, 

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WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded $6,914,080 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help support health centers across the Commonwealth as they combat the COVID-19 crisis. 

“We are glad to see this funding go towards helping support these health centers as they continue to work around the clock to provide crucial care for members of the community during this pandemic,” said the Senators.  

The funding for health centers was awarded as follows:

• $1,021,822 for Portsmouth Community Health Center
• $1,205,773 for Eastern Shore Rural Health System
• $2,573,599 for Central Virginia Health Services
• $1,026,353 for Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems
• $1,086,533 for Piedmont Access to Health Services (PATHS)

This funding was awarded through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Health Center Program, which provides funds to community-based health care providers that provide primary care services in underserved areas. These health centers must meet a stringent set of requirements, including providing care on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay and operating under a governing board that includes patients.

Additionally, $2,648,079 was awarded to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association for COVID-19 preparedness and response activities. This funding was awarded through HHS’ Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), which seeks to promote a consistent national focus to improve patient outcomes during emergencies and disasters and enable rapid recovery.

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