Earlier this month, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Marilyn Tavenner to be CMS Administrator. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act, legislation that reauthorizes and amends programs administered by both HHS and the Department of Education related to awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental health conditions. The HELP Committee also held a hearing on the effect of guaranteed issue and new insurance rating rules. A House Ways and Means Committee hearing focused on details of the President’s FY 2014 budget proposals for HHS programs. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings on the ACA’s Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program, reauthorization of FDA animal drug user fees, and “Challenges of Traditional Medicare’s Benefit Design.” The Energy and Commerce Committee also plans an April 16 hearing on the fungal meningitis outbreak and whether it could have been prevented, along with an April 18 hearing on the Administration’s HHS budget proposal.