Health

DelBene, Bucshon Applaud HHS Decision to Lower Living Organ Donor Barrier

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Tags: Health

Today, Kidney Caucus co-chairs Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN) released the following statement regarding the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) efforts to increase organ transplants which would be a significant improvement for those waiting for a kidney. “As co-chairs of the Congressional Kidney Caucus we welcome HHS’s announcement to lower the…

DelBene Reintroduces Critical Bipartisan Legislation Ensuring Patient Access to Breakthrough Medical Products

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Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) reintroduced the Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act of 2019 (H.R. 5333). This bill would guarantee Medicare beneficiaries access to cutting-edge medical innovation by streamlining the coverage determination process and improving the availability of breakthrough devices for patients. DelBene’s bipartisan…

DelBene Applauds Passage of Cadillac Tax Repeal

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Today, the House of Representatives passed the Middle-Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019, which repeals the “Cadillac Tax,” a 40% excise tax on the most expensive health care plans which came into existence under the Affordable Care Act. “Everyday families worry far too much about the rising costs of health care. The Cadillac Tax will drive up out-of-pocket costs for nearly…

Kidney Caucus Co-Chairs Support Reforms to Kidney Care

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Tags: Health

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN), co-chairs of the bipartisan Kidney Caucus, released a statement on the Trump administration’s announcement today on kidney care reforms. “As co-chairs of the Congressional Kidney Caucus we welcome the administration’s efforts to reform kidney care. The goals of increasing the rate of transplants and…

DelBene, Kelly, Marshall and Bera Lead Bipartisan Legislation that Helps Medicare Patients by Reducing Prior Authorization Barriers

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Today, Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Ami Bera (D-CA) introduced H.R. 3107, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2019, which would improve delivery of care by streamlining and standardizing prior authorization in Medicare Advantage, while also providing much needed oversight and transparency of health insurance for America’s…

DelBene Holds Press Conference Denouncing Abortion Laws Attacking Women

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Tags: Health

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene joined Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington and MomsRising in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which was introduced in the House of Representatives last week in response to a series of states passing laws attacking a woman’s right to choose, including Alabama’s law which outlaws abortion even in cases of rape or incest. The press…

DelBene, Bucshon Applaud Inclusion of $10 Million for KidneyX Funding and Innovation

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Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Congressman Larry Bucshon M.D. (R-IN), co-chairs of the bipartisan Kidney Caucus, applauded the inclusion of $10 million for KidneyX in the House Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations spending bill. If passed, these funds would help speed up development and access to new therapies and technologies to help people living with…

DelBene Announces Rep. Larry Bucshon as Co-Chair of the Kidney Caucus

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Tags: Health

Today, Rep. Suzan DelBene announced Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) as co-chair of the bipartisan Kidney Caucus.   “I want to welcome my friend Rep. Bucshon as co-chair the Kidney Caucus. He’s been a great partner in our work to help people with kidney illnesses, and I look forward to working with him on bipartisan legislation to improve the care and quality of life for the 30…

DelBene Helps Introduce Legislation to Reduce Health Care Costs for Working Families

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Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene helped introduce bipartisan legislation to repeal a 40 percent excise tax on certain employer sponsored health insurance plans known as the “Cadillac Tax.” DelBene was joined by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), and Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ).  This tax would impact employers…

DelBene Leads Bipartisan Letter Pushing CMS to Expand CAR T Care for Medicare Patients

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Congresswoman DelBene led a bipartisan letter of House Ways and Means Committee members to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Seema Verma, urging the expansion of Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapies (CAR T), an innovative immunotherapy treatment, for Medicare recipients. CAR T changes a patient’s immune cells to attack cancer cells in their bodies. This…