WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the Senate’s failure to advance the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, Warner-cosponsored legislation that would affirm the Senate’s support for protecting and restoring access to abortion and reproductive health care across the country:

“In the two years since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we have seen unprecedented attacks on women’s reproductive health care in Virginia and across the country. This legislation posed a simple question – do you support protecting access to abortion and reproductive care? I am disappointed by how many of my colleagues answered ‘no’ today, but I will continue working to ensure that women have the right to make their own decisions about their health care.”

Following the Dobbs decision, Sen. Warner has strongly advocated for legislation to protect Americans’ access to reproductive health care. Earlier this year, Sen. Warner cosponsored and voted to pass the Right to IVF Act, legislation that would have protected and expanded access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) services nationwide, as well as the Right to Contraception Act, legislation to codify a right to birth control. Both of these efforts were blocked by Republicans. Last year, Sen. Warner also cosponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), federal legislation to guarantee access to abortion care across the country.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 14 of his Democratic colleagues in releasing draft legislation to address the rising trend of labor and delivery unit closures in rural and underserved hospitals.

“Rural hospitals across the country and the Commonwealth of Virginia are struggling to keep their doors open, and expectant mothers are bearing the brunt of the impact,” said Sen. Warner. “This draft legislation aims to ensure that all hospitals are able to continue delivering obstetrics care to people in need.” 

The Keep Obstetrics Local Act (KOLA) would increase Medicaid payment rates for labor and delivery services at eligible hospitals in rural and high-need urban areas, provide “standby” payments to cover the costs of staffing and maintaining an obstetrics unit at low-volume hospitals, create low-volume payment adjustments for labor and delivery services at hospitals with low birth volumes, and require all states to provide postpartum coverage for women in Medicaid for 12 months, among other steps. The proposal makes sure that hospitals are required to use these additional resources to invest in the maternal health care needs of the local communities they serve.

Virginia has experienced a scourge of closures and challenges to obstetrics care in recent years:

• In April 2024, HCA LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, VA temporarily ceased obstetrics services, citing the continuing challenge of recruiting full-time OB-GYNs;
• In August 2023, Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital in South Boston, VA ended obstetric services, citing the significant decrease in births in recent years;
• In 2022, Sovah Health Martinsville in Martinsville, VA temporarily paused Labor & Delivery services, citing a 60 percent decline in deliveries since 2015;
• In 2019, Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center in Portsmouth, VA closed its maternity unit, citing insufficient demand;
• In 2018, Valley Health Warren Memorial Hospital in Front Royal, VA closed its maternity unit.

Between 2012 and 2022, approximately one quarter of all rural hospitals stopped providing obstetrics services, impacting 267 communities. This trend of closures is caused by several overlapping challenges, including the high fixed operating costs of these units, low volumes of births, and difficulties in attracting and retaining OB-trained clinical staff, all of which is made worse by inadequate federal reimbursement for labor and delivery services.

Sen. Warner has led efforts in the Senate to help curb the trend of hospital closures in rural communities. Last year, he introduced the Save Rural Hospitals Act, legislation to help curb the trend of hospital closures in rural communities by making sure hospitals are fairly reimbursed for their services by the federal government.

A summary and section by section of the draft legislation can be found here. A copy of the draft bill text is available here.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) in introducing the Right to IVF Act, legislation to protect and expand access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) services nationwide. The Senate is expected to vote on the Right to IVF Act soon.

“For decades, millions of women have used IVF to start or grow their families and make their dreams come true,” said Sen. Warner. “It’s clear that lawmakers and judges across the country won’t stop at banning abortion – we’re witnessing a broad-scale attack on reproductive freedom that includes access to assisted reproductive technology and contraception, too. I’m glad to be standing up to these attacks by introducing the Right to IVF Act and other comprehensive measures to protect reproductive care, and I won’t stop fighting for families to have the freedom to access basic health care.”

“Following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that restricted IVF access, Elizabeth Carr, the first person born via IVF in the United States in Norfolk, said she felt like an endangered species. I invited her to the State of the Union this year to shine a light on this issue because no one should be made to feel that way. We must take steps to protect Americans’ freedom to decide whether, when, and how to start or build their families amid state restrictions on reproductive health care,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m proud to be introducing this comprehensive bill to protect and expand access to IVF and ART services. I hope my colleagues will pass it when it comes to the Senate floor next week.”

Specifically, the Right to IVF Act includes provisions from four bills:

• The Access to Family Building Act, which Warner and Kaine cosponsored to
  • Establish a statutory right for individuals to access, providers to provide, and insurers to cover IVF and ART services.
  • Authorize the U.S. Department of Justice to enforce these statutory rights.
  • Authorize a private right of action to allow adversely affected parties to sue.
• The Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2023, which Kaine cosponsored to
  • Permanently authorize and enhance fertility treatment and counseling options for veterans and servicemembers, expand family-building assistance, improve eligibility rules, and strengthen research on servicemember and veteran long-term reproductive health.
  • Expand servicemembers’ access to fertility services before deployment to a combat zone or hazardous duty assignment and after an injury or illness.
• The Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act to
  • Increase affordability of fertility care, including IVF, by requiring employer-sponsored insurance plans and other public insurance plans, cover fertility treatments.
  • Standardize baseline of high-quality fertility treatment coverage under private health insurance plans and protect Americans against excessive out-of-pocket costs.
• The Family Friendly FEHB Fairness Act to
  • Promote the standardization and widespread availability of affordable fertility treatment coverage under employer-sponsored health insurance plans.
  • Require insurance carriers that participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program to cover ART, including IVF treatments.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates for reproductive freedom in Congress. Following an Alabama Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that led to restricted access of IVF, Warner and Kaine cosponsored the Access to Family Building Act to protect Americans’ right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology services. In April, Warner and Kaine urged the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to require health insurance coverage of IVF medical treatments and medications for federal employees. In March, Kaine invited Norfolk-born Elizabeth Carr, the first person born in the United States via IVF, to join him as his guest at the State of the Union. Kaine held two roundtables in Norfolk and Arlington to discuss the need to protect IVF. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, Kaine worked across the aisle to introduce the Reproductive Freedom For All Act, a bipartisan bill to protect access to abortion and contraception.

The Right to IVF Act is endorsed by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, MomsRising, the Endocrine Society, Indivisible, and the What to Expect Project.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) cosponsored Tyler’s Law, a bill directing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide hospitals with guidance on how emergency rooms can implement fentanyl testing in their routine drug screens. The bill is named for Tyler Shamash, a teenager who died of an overdose in part because – unbeknownst to the physician – he was not tested for fentanyl upon being checked into the emergency room.

“I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of 17-year-old Fairfax County resident Malcolm Kent, who died of a fentanyl overdose that might have been prevented by more comprehensive testing protocols. It’s clear that we need to start employing every mechanism we have at our disposal to catch and treat overdoses before they occur,” said Sen. Warner. “While this law will never bring back Malcolm Kent, Tyler Shamash, or the thousands we’ve lost too soon to overdoses, in their memory I am glad to push to save more lives by instituting more robust guidance on testing for fentanyl during a suspected overdose.”

In January 2023, Malcolm Kent, a 17-year-old Fairfax County resident, went to the emergency room while experiencing an overdose but was not tested for fentanyl. He died of a fentanyl overdose shortly after being discharged. His mother, Thurraya Kent, has advocated for robust measures to test for fentanyl in emergency rooms and expand access to treatment.

Tyler’s Law would direct the Secretary of HHS to:

• Complete a study to determine how frequently emergency rooms are currently testing for fentanyl when patients come in for an overdose, as well as the associated costs and benefits/risks, and
• Issue guidance to hospitals on implementing fentanyl testing in emergency rooms.

In 2022, 1,967 Virginians died due to overdose of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, accounting for nearly 79% of all drug overdose deaths in Virginia. Nationally, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were responsible for just over 63% of all drug overdose deaths that year. Since the start of the COVID pandemic, fentanyl has more than doubled overdose deaths among children ages 12 to 17.

Sen. Warner has consistently pushed for robust action to address the opioid epidemic, particularly by expanding telehealth so more Virginians experiencing substance use disorder can access treatment. He leads the TREATS Act, which would permanently (and without any special registration) allow telehealth prescribing of controlled substances to treat opioid use disorder, such as buprenorphine. He also repeatedly pushed the DEA to preserve pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities and create a special registration  so that quality providers can permanently prescribe controlled substances safely via telehealth. To address trafficking, he recently celebrated passage of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a sanctions and anti-money laundering law that targets fentanyl traffickers. He also introduced the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act, legislation that would increase staffing capacity and technology to detect drugs that are being smuggled through points of entry. 

Tyler’s Law is led by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mike Braun (R-IN), and also cosponsored by Bob Casey (D-PA), Todd Young (R-IN), Alex Padilla (D-CA). The full text of the bill is available here.  

 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) have cosponsored the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act. In April 2023, Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) shared her diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, and in September of last year her diagnosis was upgraded to progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare and incurable brain disorder that rapidly deteriorates mobility and speech.

Specifically, this legislation would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to set up a National Parkinson’s Project, under which HHS would create and update a national plan to address Parkinson’s and related conditions, including Rep. Wexton’s diagnosis of PSP, provide an estimate of research needs, and establish an advisory council that would report to Congress.

 “Our friend Jennifer Wexton has been a model of grace and perseverance in the face of a difficult diagnosis,” said the senators. “We are proud to introduce this legislation that will devote time and resources towards tackling Parkinson’s disease and its related conditions so that one day we can find a cure for this devastating disease.”

The National Parkinson’s Project is modeled after the National Alzheimer’s Project which, as co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, Sen. Warner led efforts to introduce and pass. Sen. Kaine is leading the bipartisan Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act, legislation to reauthorize funding for public health initiatives across the country to combat Alzheimer’s disease and preserve brain health.

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, joined U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), and a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to require all insurance carriers in the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program to cover in-vitro fertilization (IVF) medical treatments and medications. 12 million people around the world have been born from IVF and other assisted reproductive technology services.

“Out of pocket costs for one cycle of IVF can cost the patient between $15,000 and $30,000, with prescription drug costs accounting for 35 percent of that cost,” wrote the members. “As OPM begins to prepare for plan year 2025, we strongly urge you to build on the impressive progress the Biden administration has made in empowering the Federal Government to effectively recruit and retain the next generation of civil servants by requiring all FEHB carriers to cover IVF medical treatments and medications in plan year 2025.”

They continued, “Requiring FEHB carriers to cover IVF medical treatments and medications for plan year 2025 would reflect the reality that IVF is one of the most effective treatments for families struggling with infertility, and growing in popularity, with its usage nearly doubling from 2012 to 2021. Importantly, it would also sharpen the Federal Government’s competitive advantage in competing for talented workers, as surveys demonstrate that employees experiencing infertility without adequate IVF coverage will express dissatisfaction with their employer and seek new professional opportunities.”

Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates for reproductive freedom in Congress. Following an Alabama Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that led to restricted access of IVF, Warner and Kaine cosponsored the Access to Family Building Act to protect Americans’ right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology services. In March, Kaine invited Norfolk-born Elizabeth Carr, the first person born in the United States via IVF, to join him as his guest at the State of the Union. Kaine held two roundtables in Norfolk and Arlington to discuss the need to protect IVF. Kaine also cosponsored the Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2023, legislation that would expand the fertility treatments and family-building services for servicemembers and veterans. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, Kaine worked across the aisle to introduce the Reproductive Freedom For All Act, a bipartisan bill to protect access to abortion and contraception.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Director Ahuja:

We write to commend your leadership, on behalf of the Biden administration, in strengthening the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) commitment to helping our Nation’s dedicated civil servants build their families through expanded coverage of assisted reproductive technology (ART) services under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.

For plan year 2024, OPM succeeded in providing Federal employees with 24 FEHB plan options providing varying levels of coverage of ART. Critically, for the first time in FEHB’s history, OPM secured inclusion of a national plan with ART coverage, ensuring that every Federal employee, no matter where they live, will be guaranteed at least some coverage of ART services.

OPM also deserves significant credit for requiring FEHB carriers to cover in vitro fertilization (IVF) medications for three cycles annually. Out of pocket costs for one cycle of IVF can cost the patient between $15,000 and $30,000, with prescription drug costs accounting for 35 percent of that cost. While significant work remains to be done to improve IVF access, which includes ensuring comprehensive plan designs are inclusive of LGBTQ and solo individuals who rely on medical intervention to build their families, your leadership in making sure FEHB plans cover IVF medications represents meaningful progress in expanding access to fertility treatments, which will ultimately prove life-changing for families across the country.

As OPM begins to prepare for plan year 2025, we strongly urge you to build on the impressive progress the Biden administration has made in empowering the Federal Government to effectively recruit and retain the next generation of civil servants by requiring all FEHB carriers to cover IVF medical treatments and medications in plan year 2025. At a time when IVF is increasingly under attack by the extreme personhood movement, President Biden would send a strong message that his administration, in word and deed, are true champions of safeguarding the right of families to decide if, when and how to build a family.

Requiring FEHB carriers to cover IVF medical treatments and medications for plan year 2025 would reflect the reality that IVF is one of the most effective treatments for families struggling with infertility, and growing in popularity, with its usage nearly doubling from 2012 to 2021. Importantly, it would also sharpen the Federal Government’s competitive advantage in competing for talented workers, as surveys demonstrate that employees experiencing infertility without adequate IVF coverage will express dissatisfaction with their employer and seek new professional opportunities.

As our Nation’s largest employer-sponsored group health insurance plan, FEHB is a national trend setter for employer-sponsored coverage choices and making IVF coverage a default requirement would accelerate the adoption of pro-family policies beyond FEHB to ensure that more workers with employer-sponsored coverage are able to access IVF medical treatments.

Simply put, at a time when seemingly every politician is loudly declaring their support for IVF—even when many of those same politicians support the personhood movement that has endangered IVF’s future—President Biden has an opportunity to demonstrate strong leadership by taking decisive action to make the scientific miracle that is IVF accessible to many more Americans, beginning with our dedicated Federal workforce.

Thank you in advance for considering our request to enhance FEHB’s IVF coverage for plan year 2025, and we look forward to working with you to advance these important initiatives.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined a group of Senate colleagues to urge the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prioritize mental and physical health care resources for women veterans who experienced sexual trauma during their service. In a letter to the VA Secretary Denis R. McDonough, the senators urged the VA to remove unnecessary barriers to sexual assault resources and programming, including by increasing the utilization of existing Women Veterans Call Centers, training all health care staff to be well-versed in trauma-informed care, and expanding telehealth options.

An estimated 33% of women veterans experience Military Sexual Trauma (MST), a term used by the VA to refer to sexual assault or harassment that occurs during military service. These veterans are at an increased risk of developing a substance use disorder or experiencing suicidal ideations compared to veterans who do not have a history of MST.

“While the VA has made many improvements over the years, we are concerned that women veterans, specifically those who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST), continue to face barriers to care,” the senators wrote. “While we commend the VA for providing free counseling and evidence-based treatment for women with MST, these services are clearly under-utilized, as only approximately half of female veterans with an MST history use VA healthcare.”

The senators continued, “Once enrolled in VA care, many women veterans with MST report needing to justify and explain their request for treatment to their provider. This experience causes undue stress and places an unnecessary burden on the veteran. To reduce the stigma of seeking care for MST, the VA must educate all providers about the high prevalence and complexities of MST. Staff at all levels of care should be well-versed in trauma-informed care, recognize the signs and symptoms of PTSD and MST, and understand how that impacts trust. This is especially important for women who report MST to military legal officials but experience significant secondary victimization, which often impairs later help-seeking in VA facilities.”

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kaine is dedicated to supporting and expanding benefits for our veterans and servicemembers. To improve the care that women veterans receive and address gender disparities at the VA, Kaine introduced, alongside Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and John Boozman (R-AR), the Deborah Sampson Act. This legislation ensures that women veterans get equitable care and was signed into law in 2021. Kaine has also cosponsored the Vet Center Support Act to provide better identification, intervention, and care to veterans coping with mental health issues in underserved areas.

The letter was led by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and signed by 30 senators in addition to Warner and Kaine.

The letter can be found below.

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Dear Secretary McDonough,

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our nation and its veterans. While the VA has made many improvements over the years, we are concerned that women veterans, specifically those who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST), continue to face barriers to care. Healthcare access for women veterans is a growing area of importance, as women veterans are expected to comprise 18% of the veteran community by 2040. To address this, the VA must increase engagement with women veterans and build trust by enforcing accountability. ¹

About one in three women veterans have experienced MST during their service in the military.² Veterans who have experienced MST may face difficulties with interpersonal relationships, have an increased risk of developing substance use disorder.³ These issues can significantly impact the veteran’s quality of life, make it difficult to successfully transition into civilian life, and increase their risk of suicide. In fact, a recent VA report found that suicide rates among women veterans jumped over 24 percent between 2020 and 2021.⁴ Women veterans with histories of MST, in particular, are at a 65 percent increased risk of suicidal ideations compared with women who have not.⁵

While we commend the VA for providing free counseling and evidence-based treatment for women with MST, these services are clearly under-utilized, as only approximately half of female veterans with an MST history use VA healthcare.⁶ To inform these women of their VA benefits, the VA should consider employing the Women Veterans Call Center (WVCC) to conduct additional outreach tailored to women veterans with MST. Specifically, the VA should look to inform veterans about Vet Centers, which provide essential services regardless of the nature of their discharge.⁷

Once enrolled in VA care, many women veterans with MST report needing to justify and explain their request for treatment to their provider. This experience causes undue stress and places an unnecessary burden on the veteran. To reduce the stigma of seeking care for MST, the VA must educate all providers about the high prevalence and complexities of MST. Staff at all levels of care should be well-versed in trauma-informed care, recognize the signs and symptoms of PTSD and MST, and understand how that impacts trust. This is especially important for women who report MST to military legal officials but experience significant secondary victimization, which often impairs later help-seeking in VA facilities.⁸

The environment in which veterans receive MST care may trigger post-traumatic stress symptoms.⁹ A large percentage of these women veterans anticipate harassment or associate harassment with VA facilities.¹⁰ Female-only waiting rooms for privacy, expanded VA telemedicine capabilities, and additional programming at Vet Centers for women would all work to create a more inclusive environment for women veterans.

Women veterans who have experienced MST already endure so many hardships – let’s work to eliminate any barriers to VA care so they can access the high-quality care that they deserve.

We ask that you answer the following questions:

1. What is the VA doing to reduce social stigmas that prevent veterans from accessing MST treatment?
2. Are women veterans who are ineligible for care at a VAMC informed of their eligibility for treatment at a Vet Center? If so, how are they informed?
3. What research is the VA currently conducting or planning to conduct to understand and prevent women veteran suicide, especially amongst younger and older veterans?
4. What additional resources and care are provided to women veterans who respond “yes” when being screened for MST?
5. Since launching the “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.” campaign in 2021, how many of the 2.8 million veterans who were made aware of the campaign and reached out for help were women?Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Steve Daines (R-MT), members of the Senate Finance Committee, reintroduced legislation to improve orthotics and prosthetics care for seniors on Medicare. The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would strengthen Medicare patients’ access to quality orthotics and prosthetics by reducing fraud, expanding access to replacement devices, and removing burdensome regulations that disproportionally hurt orthotists and prosthetists.

“Seniors need quality orthotics and prosthetics care, but hurdles in the industry are making care less accessible while also burdening Medicare and providers,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan legislation would alleviate issues across the orthotics and prosthetics industry so seniors don’t receive unusable devices and also cut unnecessary red tape for orthotists and prosthetists.” 

“Many Montana seniors rely on orthopedic braces or prosthetics but unfortunately the risk of abuse within the Medicare system can stand in the way of quality care,” said Sen. Daines. “I’m glad to introduce this bipartisan bill to expand access to needed orthotics and prosthetics for our seniors and reduce waste and fraud in order to better serve Montana patients.”

Specifically, the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would:

• Prevent fraud by prohibiting “drop shipping” of devices that patients should come in and be fitted for.
• Exempt orthotists and prosthetists from more restrictive policies that apply to them but not other health care providers in order to sell non-fitted devices.
• Ensure Medicare beneficiaries have timely access to a replacement device if a provider determines it’s necessary due to a change in the condition of the patient, the condition of the device, or if the cost of repair would be excessive.

The majority of orthotics and prosthetics are custom-fabricated or custom-fitted and require the expertise of a certified or licensed orthotist or prosthetist. However, Medicare currently reimburses the “drop shipment” (or direct-to-consumer shipping) of custom orthoses and prostheses directly to patients without the input of a medical professional, which leads to rampant waste and fraud as the delivered devices may not actually meet a patient’s needs. The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would prohibit that practice, potentially saving Medicare billions of dollars.

Additionally, Medicare regulations do not cover replacements for orthotics or prosthetics within the “reasonable use lifetime,” even if they are irreparably damaged or there has been a change in the condition of the patient. The bill would close that loophole, allowing coverage for replacements if the patient meets certain conditions. Finally, the bill implements a zero-cost regulatory fix that would allow certified orthotists and prosthetists to be exempted from sending patients to a provider with a competitive bidding license, removing an unnecessary barrier to care for patients and making sure orthotists and prosthetists aren’t subject to unnecessarily stringent requirements.

In the House of Representatives, Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02), and Angie Craig (D-MN-02) have introduced companion legislation. 

“The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) applauds Senators Mark Warner and Steve Daines for their efforts in introducing the bipartisan Medicare O&P Patient-Centered Care Act in the Senate. For years, AOPA and its over 1,500 members representing both the facilities that treat individuals living with limb loss and limb difference and the manufacturers of orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) devices, have been advocating for Medicare to protect patients’ access to quality O&P clinical care. This legislation would do this while also addressing fraudulent practices that are costly to the Medicare system,” said Eve Lee, MBA CAE, AOPA Executive Director. “If passed, it will impact the lives of millions of Americans living with limb loss and limb difference. We appreciate Senator Warner and Daines’ continued commitment to the O&P profession and the patients its serves.”

“Senator Warner has been a longtime supporter of the O&P profession. The Virginia Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (VOPA) thanks him for continuing this support by once again introducing the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act,” said Mike Malagari, CO, FAAOP, VOPA President. “Since 2007, VOPA has been advocating for the needs of the O&P facilities in Virginia and their patients. This legislation will go a long way in helping the facilities provide quality patient care to their patients. VOPA looks forward to working with Senator Warner to get this important legislation passed.”

“As Immediate Past President of Northwest Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (NWAAOP), representing over 400 orthotists and prosthetists spanning five states including Washington, Oregon, and Montana, we are incredibly grateful to Senator Daines’ for his continued support of the orthotic and prosthetic profession and the patients we serve,” said Ben Clark, CPO, NWAAOP Immediate Past President. “Senator Daines has been a primary co-sponsor of this legislation for the last two Congresses, dating back to 2021, and continues to advocate on our behalf. This legislation is key to preventing fraud and abuse and to make certain that patients are receiving the best quality interventions. NWAAOP looks forward to continuing our work with Senator Daines.”

Additionally, this bill has been endorsed by numerous organizations including the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association; American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists; American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics Board of Certification/Accreditation; National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & Prosthetics; American Podiatric Medical Association; American Occupational Therapy Association; American Physical Therapy Association; American Society of Hand Therapists; Access Ready; ACCSES; Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; American Association on Health and Disability; American Cochlear Implant Alliance; American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine; American Music Therapy Association; American Occupational Therapy Association; American Physical Therapy Association; American Therapeutic Recreation Association; Amputee Coalition; Association of Rehabilitation Nurses; Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network; Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis; Center for Medicare Advocacy; Chris and Dana Reeve Foundation; Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation; Institute for Matching Person & Technology; Lakeshore Foundation; Medical Device Manufacturers Association; Miami Project to Cure Paralysis; Muscular Dystrophy Association; National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics; National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities; National Association of Rehabilitation Providers and Agencies; National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers; National Disability Rights Network; National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers; Paralyzed Veterans of America; RESNA; Simon Foundation for Continence; Spina Bifida Association; The Viscardi Center; United Cerebral Palsy; United Spinal Association; and VisionServe Alliance.

Text of the bill is available here. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,900,000 in federal funding for three projects in Bland, Stuart, and Lee County, Virginia. The funding, courtesy of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), will go towards building a dental clinic in Bland, investing in downtown revitalization projects in Stuart, and improving water service to 38 homes in Lee County.

“Communities across Virginia have tremendous momentum, ideas, and initiative for projects that will improve their towns and grow their economies, and they often just need the resources to execute them,” said the senators. “We’re thrilled to see federal funding meet clear needs and bring better dental care, water service, and community improvement projects to life to help communities grow and thrive.”

The funding is broken down as follows:

• $700,000 for the Town of Stuart to implement projects in their downtown revitalization plan by expanding the roof at the Stuart Farmers’ Market and building a 3,200 square foot “mega-deck” downtown to provide handicap accessibility to historic buildings, allow for outdoor programming, and connect the area to surrounding natural resources. Twenty-nine businesses in the area will benefit from this mega-deck.
• $700,000 for the St. Charles Monarch Waterline Replacement project in Lee County. This project will replace 9,970 feet of aging waterline, install 4 gate valves, and place 1 fire hydrant, which will improve water service for 38 homes.  
• $500,000 for the Bland Ministry Center and Dental Clinic in Bland. This will support the construction of a dental clinic with seven dental procedure rooms, sterilization space, and x-ray and denture labs. This new clinic will double capacity for dental service in Bland and surrounding counties, serving an additional 3,600 patients within three years and hiring seven additional staff members. 

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to improve clean water access across the Commonwealth, expand access to dental care, and invest in downtown revitalization. Recently, the senators announced over $62 million for water infrastructure upgrades across the Commonwealth, secured $1.25 million to construct a dental clinic in Wise County, and celebrated grants to support economic revitalization. Additionally, the senators are staunch advocates for full funding for the ARC. The bipartisan infrastructure law – legislation strongly supported by both Warner and Kaine – authorized an additional $1 billion for the ARC, allowing it to fund more projects across the Commonwealth.

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 WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) sponsored the Access to Family Building Act, which would establish a federal right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) for all Americans who need it, pre-empting state efforts to limit access and helping ensure no hopeful parent – or their doctors – are punished for trying to start or grow a family.

“After the Supreme Court struck down decades of precedent in overturning Roe v. Wade, we’re seeing more and more extreme attacks on women’s health care and reproductive freedom,” said Sen. Warner. “Following the far right-wing ruling in Alabama’s Supreme Court, we have to act now to make sure IVF remains legal and accessible for Americans seeking to build their families.”

The Access to Family Building Act would:

• Establish a statutory right for an individual to access, without prohibition or unreasonable limitation or interference, assisted reproductive technology services, such as IVF, and for a healthcare provider to provide ART services;
• Establish an individual’s statutory right regarding the use or disposition of their reproductive genetic materials, including gametes;
• Allow the Department of Justice to pursue civil action against any state, government official, individual or entity that violates protections in the legislation; and
• Create a private right of action for individuals and healthcare providers in states that have limited access to ART.

A copy of the bill text is available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation to require Medicare Advantage plans to publicly report the supplemental benefits they offer and the extent to which beneficiaries use them, making sure that the program is using Medicare-funded benefits to better serve seniors. Specifically, the legislation would require Medicare Advantage plans report enrollee-level data on supplemental benefits to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as report eligibility for benefits, the types of benefit categories offered, and data on utilization of and payments for such benefits.

“As more and more seniors turn to Medicare Advantage for their health coverage, it’s important that we properly evaluate the effectiveness of the program,” said Sen. Warner. “That’s why I introduced legislation to make Medicare Advantage data more readily available so that we can better evaluate plans in order to give seniors the best coverage for their needs and to ensure the sustainability of the Medicare program as a whole.”

In recent years, the use of Medicare Advantage has skyrocketed, with 39 percent of all Virginia Medicare beneficiaries and more than half of eligible beneficiaries nationwide choosing to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. However, there is currently no statutory requirement to specifically report on supplemental benefits, making data on available benefits and their utilization unreliable. Sen. Warner’s legislation would ensure this data is available in order to understand beneficiary use of supplemental benefits and their impact on the sustainability of the Medicare program.

This legislation builds on Sen. Warner’s efforts to expand and protect healthcare access for Medicare beneficiaries, including through legislation like the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act and CHRONIC Care Act.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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 WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine—who serves on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee—released the following statements applauding Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi for officially lowering the cost of their insulin products to $35 per month for most patients. The companies’ moves, which came in 2023 for Eli Lilly and January 1, 2024 for Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, followed the implementation of provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which both senators voted for and passed by one vote in the Senate, to incentivize drug manufacturers to slash prices.

“When we capped insulin at $35 a month for Medicare patients as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, we put pressure on big pharmaceutical companies to do the same, and we are seeing the impact,” said Sen. Warner. “As we start the New Year, millions of Americans are will pay less for the medication they need. As we move into 2024, the Senate Finance Committee will keep working on measures to lower drug prices and improve transparency for all Americans.”  

“I appreciate Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi’s decisions to step up to the plate with these $35 monthly insulin caps,” said Sen. Kaine. “No Virginian should have to ration the medication they need to stay alive. That’s why I was proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in the Senate by one vote, to push drug manufacturers to lower the cost of lifesaving medications, including insulin. Making prescription drugs more affordable is one of my top priorities on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and I look forward to building on this progress.”

Specifically, the IRA set an out-of-pocket price cap for insulin at $35 per month for Americans covered by Medicare, and required drug companies to pay a rebate to the government if drug prices rise faster than inflation, spurring manufacturers to make similar changes to the cost of insulin for other patients who aren’t on Medicare.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, one in four people with private health insurance paid more than $35 per month for their insulin in 2018. The Kaiser Family Foundation also estimates than more than 5% of insulin users pay more than $150 per month for insulin. The American Diabetes Association found that diabetics account for $1 of every $4 spent on health care in the U.S.

The senators have long prioritized lowering the cost of and expanding the domestic supply chain for prescription drugs. Last year, Sens. Warner and Kaine announced the designation of the Richmond/Petersburg Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Tech Hub, which they supported to help ensure that critical pharmaceuticals, including insulin, are manufactured in America using innovative, cost-saving techniques. The senators repeatedly introduced legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate the best price of prescription drugs for seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D—a major cost-reducing measure that is now law thanks to the IRA.

Additionally, Warner, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, helped author the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act, bipartisan legislation approved by the Committee in July 2023 to help address rising prescription drug prices by regulating the middlemen who manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health insurers. The Finance Committee also recently approved Warner-authored legislation to help lower-income seniors enroll in Medicare.

Kaine has led the introduction of the Medicare-X Choice Act, which would improve health care coverage and lower costs for Americans, and cosponsored legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs for seniors. 2023, Kaine worked with Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) to introduce the Delinking Revenue from Unfair Gouging (DRUG) Act to lower drug costs and prevent massive Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) from price gouging consumers. Last month, Kaine and Marshall led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs by enforcing a rule limiting the use of harmful “copay accumulators.”  

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