WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2021 — Government officials and health law experts will address a variety of emerging health industry topics during the American Bar Association Washington Health Law Summit on Dec. 6-7 in Washington, D.C.
Kenneth Polite, assistant attorney general of the Criminal Division at the U. S. Department of Justice, and Gregory E. Demske, chief counsel to the inspector general at the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services, will deliver the keynote address on Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 8 a.m. ET. They will speak on federal enforcement and regulatory activities.
What:
Washington Health Law Summit
Sponsored by the ABA Health Law Section
When:
Monday-Wednesday, Dec. 6-7
Where:
The Ritz-Carlton Washington
1150 22nd St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Program highlights include:
“Mental Health, COVID‐19 and the Opioid Epidemic: A Perfect Storm” — The increase in mental health issues caused or exacerbated by the confluence of the opioid epidemic and the COVID‐19 pandemic will be explored by a panel of experts, including Gary Cantrell of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. They will highlight causes of increased substance use, anxiety, depression and other disorders, and examine the procedures CMS, OIG and DOJ have undertaken to address these issues, including the SUPPORT Act, the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, CARA 3.0, CMS payment and delivery models, current enforcement priorities and payment rule and waiver actions.
Monday, 10:05-11:05 a.m. ET
“Overcoming Barriers of the Underserved: The Future of Telehealth in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment” — The status of telehealth, including the expansions created by waivers for behavioral health and addiction treatment under the public health order, will be discussed by Dr. Liberty A. Eberly, chief medical officer of InnovaTel in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and René Quashie, vice president of policy and regulatory affairs at the Consumer Technology Association in Washington, D.C. They will analyze how to use these tools to overcome barriers to access in underserved communities and how early impacts on health outcomes, emerging legal issues and implications for discontinuing expansion can provide advocacy for the preservation of telehealth/virtual policies after COVID‐19.
Monday, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. ET
“Data Roundup: Changes to Health Data Privacy, Security & Access Rules” — The past year has been one of the most consequential for health privacy and data rules in decades – and not simply because of COVID-19. Massive changes to regulations governing health data use and sharing have already occurred or will soon go into effect. A panel of experts will examine the myriad recent and upcoming developments impacting health data.
Monday, 3:45-4:45 p.m. ET
“No Surprises Act and Pricing Transparency” — Transparency – a buzzword for policymakers – has resulted in significant federal and state legislation with far‐reaching implications for the future of patient cost‐sharing and payer and provider negotiation. The health-care industry is still trying to understand the next steps. A panel of experts will highlight new laws and regulations and possible reimbursement levels under the No Surprises Act’s requirements. They will also discuss how health plans and providers can use their data to better prepare for arbitration, and the ways payers and providers can leverage transparency data to improve their contract negotiation process and out‐of‐network reimbursement strategies.
Tuesday, 9:45-10:45 a.m. ET
“The Telemedicine Explosion – Policy Considerations and Practical Realities” — Patients and physicians alike have appreciated the incorporation of telemedicine to offer improved access and better health outcomes, yet the future remains uncertain. A panel of experts will examine the policy considerations and practical realities of long-term expanded telemedicine and provide a better understanding of the following:
- Quantifying the policy benefits and risks of telehealth expansion
- Higher utilization – Is more really better, and what is it worth?
- Models for telemedicine that improve care without breaking the bank.
Tuesday, 2:35-3:35 p.m. ET
“Recognizing LGBT Rights in Long‐Term Care: A National Trend” — In 2018, California became the first state to adopt a law specifically to protect LGBT seniors living in long‐term care, followed by New Jersey in 2021. Similar laws are under consideration in Washington, D.C., and Florida. Panelists will review why these additional protections are needed, despite existing civil rights laws. They will also examine whether these laws achieve their goals, how long‐term care communities struggle with these laws, the level of state agency enforcement and whether explicit protection of LGBT seniors is needed in federal Medicare/Medicaid law.
Tuesday, 3:55-4:55 p.m. ET
A complete agenda can be found online.
This event is free and open to members of the press. All meeting attendees are required to provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the start of the meeting. For media credentialing and to receive further COVID-related instructions, please contact Priscilla Totten at [email protected].
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