Senate Hearings on the President's FY 24 HHS Budget Proposal

On Wednesday, March 22, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on the President’s FY 24 budget request with testimony from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. Later that day, the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Labor-H Subcommittee will hold their hearing on the President’s FY 24 budget request with testimony from Secretary Becerra.

On Tuesday, March 28, at 2pm Eastern, the House Ways and Means Committee will hold their hearing on the President’s FY 24 budget request with testimony from Secretary Becerra.

On Wednesday, March 29, at 10am Eastern the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health will hold their hearing on the President’s FY 24 budget request with testimony from Secretary Becerra.

The Senate Finance Committee hearing may be accessed here, the Labor-H Subcommittee hearing may be accessed here.

National Academies Public Workshop on Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Education

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will hold the closing session of its “Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Education” public workshop on April 26 from 12:30-2pm Eastern. The event will explore opportunities, issues, and concerns with preparing health professionals to maximize the potential of artificial intelligence to improve the process of health professions education.

Registration for the closing session may be accessed here. More details on the previous three sessions of the public workshop are available here.

Decline In Transfers From Community Colleges

According to a report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, transfers between community colleges and four-year institutions continued to drop last fall. The report also indicates that six-year college completion rates among transfer students improved, despite the disruptive nature of the pandemic. 

The report can be obtained at Transfer and Progress | National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (nscresearchcenter.org).

Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued initial guidance detailing the requirements and parameters, including requests for public comment, on key elements of the new Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for 2026, the first year negotiated prices will apply. This guidance is one step in a timeline for the first year of negotiation. 

The timeline can be obtained at Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Timeline (cms.gov).

Resource: Evidence-based benefits of clinical education

ASAHP’s Clinical Education Task Force conducted a literature review to find published articles about the impact of clinical education on clinical sites across a broad scope of health professions. Key findings from the review were summarized and categorized into four major themes about the benefits of site participation in clinical education: Students Add Value, Productivity, Preceptor Perception, and Patient Perception.  These themes were compiled on a one-page infographic that summarizes the each theme in a single sentence and gives a “key” to achieving the listed benefit.   A QR code embedded in the infographic takes readers to a bibliography of published literature supporting the listed themes. The one-page resource created by the CETF can be used by both academic programs and healthcare facilities as a tool to frame conversations about the benefits of clinical education. The information presented dispels common misunderstandings and perceived obstacles that serve as barriers to clinical education participation and highlights the benefits to students, faculty, clinicians, and patients. 

Learn more here.

Research Needed To Address Post COVID And Medicaid

AcademyHealth’s Evidence Informed State Health Policy Institute (ESHPI) has developed a Post-COVID-related research agenda, funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Engagement Award Program, to explore how Medicaid can examine the long-term impact on beneficiaries and the program. 

More information can be obtained at https://academyhealth.org/blog/2023-03/new-research-agenda-looks-foundational-research-needed-address-post-covid-and-medicaid.

Family Caregivers: Valuing The Invaluable

According to a new report from AARP, family caregivers fill an essential role in the long-term services and supports (LTSS) system. In 2021, the estimated economic value of family caregivers’ unpaid contributions was approximately $600 billion, based on about 38 million caregivers providing an average of 18 hours of care per week for a total of 36 billion hours of care, at an average value of $16.59 per hour.  

The report can be obtained at https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2023/3/valuing-the-invaluable-2023-update.doi.10.26419-2Fppi.00082.006.pdf.

President's FY 24 Budget Request

This afternoon, the President’s FY 24 budget request was released. The request for $1.73 trillion in discretionary funds is a nearly $90 billion (5.5 percent) increase over the current fiscal year. The request calls for a 7 percent increase in nondefense discretionary spending and a 3 percent increase in defense funding. House Republicans are seeking roughly 9 percent cuts from FY 23. The Administration’s FY 24 request for the Department of Education is $90 billion, a 10.8 billion (13.6 percent) increase. The maximum Pell of $8,215 for the next school year, a $820 overall boost from $7,395 which takes effect July 1. The Administration’s overall goal is to double the overall Pell maximum grant by 2029. The Administration is requesting a $15 billion (11+ percent) increase for the for the Department of Health and Human Services. In the President’s budget request, HRSA would receive a discretionary funding level of $9.205 billion, around $285 million less than what was enacted in FY 23.

The President’s budget request may be accessed here. The HHS budget in brief may be accessed here. A statement by Secretary of Education Cardona may be accessed here. The Department of Education budget summary and background may be accessed here. A funding chart of the HRSA Title VII and VIII Health Workforce Programs is available here.

Resource Guide: Making the Case for Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy in a Challenging Political Environment

PEN American and the American Council on Education (ACE) have released a resource guide, “Making the Case for Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy in a Challenging Political Environment.” The document provides an overview of divisive concepts laws that restrict higher education, and communication tools for tackling proposed restrictions on academic freedom.

The document may be accessed here.

Stemming The Loss Of Medicaid Coverage

Now that the COVID-19 public health emergency is ending, states have begun the process of reassessing eligibility for their Medicaid-covered residents. Some individuals are at risk of becoming uninsured. A blog from The Commonwealth Fund discusses options to prevent this outcome from occurring. 

The blog can be obtained at End Continuous Coverage Requirement Losses Nonexpansion States | Commonwealth Fund.

Combating Health And Science Misinformation And Disinformation

The Coalition for Trust in Health & Science announced the formation and public launch of an effort to curb an infodemic of health and science misinformation and disinformation. It entails creating an alliance to unite leading organizations from across the entire health ecosystem to advance trust and factual science-based decision-making.   

More information can be obtained at https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/980879.

Senate Committee Seeks Information on Health Care Workforce Shortages

The Senate HELP Committee is requesting input from all stakeholders to best understand the drivers of health care workforce shortages and hear ideas on potential solutions. The request for input comes in the form of a letter from Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA), following a hearing last month entitled, “Examining Health Care Workforce Shortages: Where Do We Go From Here?”. Responses will help the committee as it develops legislation.

Written response should be sent to HealthWorkforceComments@help.senate.gov by March 20, 2023. More details are available here.

2023 ASAHP Election: Call for Candidates

ASAHP’s annual election will be conducted this Summer. The following positions are open for the 2023 election:

Board of Directors (three-year term) – 2 open positions
Secretary (two-year term) – 1 open position
Nominations & Elections Committee (two-year term) – 3 open positions

The election candidate form here, including CV and headshot photo, must be submitted online no later than Friday, April 14, 2023. Election information is also available here.

House Community Project Funding (Earmark) Request Opportunity

The House Appropriations Committee has released new guidelines on Community Project Funding (earmarks) for FY 24. Members of the House may request funding for projects within their districts. Each House office may set a different deadline for when the requests must be submitted to their respective offices and some deadlines are approaching soon. Institutions that are considering making a request should check with their respective House office for their deadline. Senate guidelines for FY 24 earmarks have also been released.

More details may be accessed here.

Senate Congressionally Directed Spending (Earmark) Request Opportunity

The Senate Appropriations Committee has released new guidelines on Congressionally Directed Spending (earmarks) for FY 24. Each Member of the Senate may request grants for projects within their states. Each Senate office may set a different deadline for when the requests must be submitted to their respective offices and some deadlines are approaching soon. Institutions that are considering making a request should check with their respective Senator’s office for their deadline. House guidelines for FY 24 earmarks have not yet been released but are expected soon.

More details may be accessed here.

Addressing Rural Health Inequities In Medicare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted a blog on addressing rural health inequities in Medicare, a cornerstone of CMS’ effort to improve health equity. A three-pronged approach is advanced of supporting rural providers, making rural health care more effective, and transforming the rural health delivery system to improve access to high-quality, coordinated care in rural areas. 

The blog can be obtained at Addressing Rural Health Inequities in Medicare | CMS.

Financing Long-Term Care

In a new report, Commonwealth Fund researchers explore long-term financing systems in the U.S. and 12 other high-income countries, some of which employ more comprehensive approaches, such as social insurance or universal comprehensive coverage. These international models — along with innovative funding mechanisms being tested by a few U.S. states — offer important insights for U.S. stakeholders seeking a more affordable, fair, and equitable way to pay for long-term care. 

The report can be obtained at U.S. and Global Approaches Financing Long-Term Care Patchwork | Commonwealth Fund.

2023 Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Semiannual Membership Meeting Report

The 2023 Semiannual Membership Meeting of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) took place virtually on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. The theme of this year’s meeting was “Driving Progress Toward Interprofessional Collaborative Practice” and the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) was represented at the meeting by ASAHP Partnerships, Alliances and Advocacy Committee and Interprofessional Task Force Chair Dr. Anthony Breitbach.

The full report written by Dr. Anthony Breitbach is available here.

ASAHP February Volunteer of the Month: Jesús García-Martínez, PhD, MD, FASAHP

Today we are recognizing Jesús García-Martínez, MD, PhD, FASAHP, as ASAHP Volunteer of the Month!

Jesús García-Martínez, MD, PhD, FASAHP, is the Dean of the Vera Z. Dwyer College of Health Sciences at Indiana University South Bend (@IUSouthBend). We are extremely grateful to have Jesús working with ASAHP to pursue continued growth for health professions education.

Dr. García-Martínez is currently involved in the following committees and programs with ASAHP:

• Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

• Member, Leadership Development Committee 

• Member, Research, Discovery, and Innovation (RDI) Committee

• Chair, RDI Interprofessional Collaboration Research Grant Subcommittee 

• Participant, 2020 ASAHP Leadership Development Program