On November 18, 2015, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved several public health policy bills. Two approved bills pertain to the Medicaid program:
- HR 3716, the Ensuring Terminated Providers Are Removed from Medicaid and CHIP Act – to implement several HHS OIG recommendations to improve CMS oversight of terminated providers and state screening of providers.
- HR 3821, the Medicaid Directory of Caregivers Act – to require state Medicaid websites to include a directory of physicians who served Medicaid patients in the prior year.
Other legislation approved by the Committee include: HR 3014, to allow registered physicians who enter into an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration to transport and administer controlled substances to patients at other practice settings and disaster areas; HR 1321, to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of rinse-off cosmetics containing intentionally-added plastic microbeads; and HR 2017, to revise menu nutritional labeling requirements.