Health

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) introduced H.R. 5723, the Expanding Oversight of Opioid Prescribing and Payment Act of 2018. This bipartisan legislation requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to evaluate and report on adverse incentives that lead to the over prescription of opioids and under-utilization of non-opioid alternatives for post-surgery recovery and the… Read more »

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) sent a bipartisan letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), urging the agency to continue fostering Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) participating in the beginning stage model. ACOs are a market-based solution where groups of physicians, hospitals, and other providers voluntarily collaborate to… Read more »

Today, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Chief Deputy Whip and the Ranking Democrat on the now-defunct Select Investigative Panel, led the Democratic Members of the Panel on a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar. In the letter, Reps. Schakowsky, Jerrold Nadler, Diana DeGette, Jackie Speier, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Suzan DelBene, expressed their serious concerns about the… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today released the following statement on the 45th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which ruled that women have a constitutional right to decide whether and when to have a child: “In the more than four decades since Roe v. Wade, it has become clear that some will stop at nothing to obstruct women’s… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) led 129 House members in urging the House Appropriations Committee to fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at no less than $36 billion in any forthcoming appropriations legislation. The bipartisan letter was co-led by Reps. David McKinley (WV-01) and Peter King (NY-02). “Funding helps push the boundaries of scientific… Read more »

Open Enrollment begins today, giving you and your family the opportunity to sign up for the healthcare plan that best meets your needs. This year, Open Enrollment is shorter than before, so it is important to sign up before the January 15 deadline to ensure you’ll be covered in 2018.  You can apply either online, by phone or in person so don’t delay and get covered now. Find the… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today released the following statement after the White House made a sudden announcement that it would end critical healthcare payments currently helping families get access to quality, affordable health insurance: “The President’s announcement that he will end assistance for Americans cannot be squared with his and… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) issued the following statement on President Trump’s rule rolling back the guarantee that all health insurance plans include birth control coverage: “Birth control is essential healthcare, plain and simple. Not only does it help women plan their families — it’s also used by thousands of women to treat serious medical conditions,… Read more »

The Trump administration’s new rule allowing insurers and employers to opt out of covering contraceptives in the Affordable Care Act because of religious and moral objections brought swift condemnation from politicians and groups focused on women’s health care. “President Trump wants to make birth control about ideology, but let’s be clear: for women and their families in the 21st… Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) opposed legislation that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It lacks any meaningful exemptions to protect a woman’s health and imposes cruel barriers on survivors of sexual assault. The bill (H.R. 36) passed the House and now heads to the Senate for further consideration. DelBene’s floor speech follows and video… Read more »