Congress has returned from recess, and health care policy continues to be on the agenda. The following health-related hearings and markups were held this week:

• The House Ways and Means Committee approved H.R. 5942, a bill to establish a demonstration program to provide integrated care for Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease, and H.R. 954, the “CO-OP Consumer Protection Act of 2016,” which would provide an exemption from the requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage if an individual’s Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) coverage is terminated.
• The Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing on “the Evolution of Quality in Medicare Part A.”
• The House Budget Committee examined the CMS Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation: Scoring Assumptions, and Real World Implications.
• The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a legislative hearing on bipartisan bills intended to improve public health, including: H.R. 1192, the National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act; H.R. 1807, the Sickle Cell Disease Research Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment Act; H.R. 3119, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act; and H.R. 3952, the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act.

On September 9, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health is holding a hearing on federal mental health parity laws and regulations. On September 14, the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee is holding a hearing on “Exploring the Use of Technology and Innovation to Create Efficiencies and Higher Quality in Health Care.” Also on September 14, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittees on Health and Oversight have scheduled a joint hearing entitled, “The Affordable Care Act on Shaky Ground: Outlook and Oversight.”