Health Care

War on Coal Ending President Trump promised to end the war on coal.  The Executive Order he signed recently is indication he intends to keep that promise.  In his order, the President directed an immediate review of the Clean Power Plan (CPP). From when the Obama Administration first announced their plan, I believed the CPP was a job-killing federal overreach.  The CPP,… Read more »

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) recently introduced the Medical Product Communications Act (H.R.1703).  This bill clarifies in statute several important concepts that impact how drug and medical device manufacturers can discuss truthful and non-misleading information about their products that is not included in the FDA-approved labeling. When the Food and Drug Administration… Read more »

Health Insurance Reform On the evening of Friday, March 24, the House of Representatives leadership determined they could not get enough votes for the American Health Care Act.  The AHCA was withdrawn and that bill is dead.   Accordingly for the time being, Obamacare will remain as the law of the land.  However, after the dust settles, and we all have a… Read more »

Health Care Reform This week, the House of Representatives achieved the first steps in the repeal and replacement of Obamacare.   As a bill moves through Congress, as you may remember from Civics classes, the bill starts in the committee with jurisdiction over the content of the bill.  The committee reviews the content and votes on the bill.   The American Health… Read more »

Congressman Griffith (R-VA) said, “For 27 1/2 hours we fought, through the night, with Democrats trying to block us every step of the way. But in an open and transparent process, the Energy and Commerce Committee part of the repeal and replacement of Obamacare successfully passed through our committee.” “Clearly the bill makes substantial improvements for American health care by… Read more »

Black Lung Benefits Southwest Virginia is home to many folks who have proudly spent their working lives in coal mines to support their families.  Many of them have been impacted by coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung.  Miners who are diagnosed with the disease are entitled to certain federal monetary and medical benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Program. Last week,… Read more »

Obamacare – One Sick Law Obamacare is failing the American people. No longer is it just Republicans sounding the alarm.  We are seeing insurance companies flee Obamacare, leaving even less choice and leading to higher costs.  Just last week, Humana was the latest major company to announce a departure, and will no longer participate in 2018.  The insurance companies cannot… Read more »

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH) today announced that they have reintroduced the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act. This bill expands access to stroke telemedicine (also called “telestroke”) treatment in Medicare, and has earned the support of the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Neurology.  Congressman… Read more »

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT) today announced that they have reintroduced the Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act, which would ensure our community pharmacists receive reimbursement at the rate posted at the time prescriptions are filled. Congressman Griffith said, “Many residents of the Ninth District depend on… Read more »

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) today announced that they have reintroduced the Compassionate Access Act to reschedule marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD). The Compassionate Access Act would allow the states to provide appropriate access to patients needing these legitimate medical treatments under the supervision of their physicians. The… Read more »