HHS Unveils MAHA Strategy Report with Plans for America’s Health Improvement
TL/DR –
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission have released the MAHA Strategy Report, which outlines action plans to improve children’s health in the U.S., with particular focus on nutrition and environmental hazards. The HHS has announced increased enforcement against health care entities that restrict information flow to patients and others. Bipartisan members of the House and Senate have reintroduced the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, which aims to alleviate the ongoing physician shortage crisis by enabling foreign-born International Medical Graduates to help fill the gap.
HHS Unveils Much-Awaited MAHA Strategy Report
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), working with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, unveiled its eagerly anticipated MAHA Strategy Report on September 8. The report outlines numerous administrative initiatives aimed at enhancing the health of America’s children, focusing heavily on improving nutrition, reducing exposure to chemicals, and tackling environmental hazards.
The report aligns with AMA policy and calls for increased oversight of direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising. The strategy also aims to prioritize research on the suitable integration of augmented intelligence in disease identification and treatment, reduce barriers to medical product approvals, and increase prescription drug prior authorization within Medicaid. The report also proposes modifications to childhood vaccine frameworks and advocates for further investigation into vaccine injuries.
HHS Plans to Intensify Information Blocking Enforcement
HHS declared it is stepping up enforcement against entities obstructing the exchange of electronic health information (EHI). Though no new policies were announced, HHS expressed renewed interest in implementing existing information blocking regulations. You can lodge information blocking claims online via the ASTP/ONC Portal. The AMA also provides educational resources related to information blocking and a summary of the June 2024 Final Rule on its website.
CMS Encourages Large Portfolio of Quality Measures
The AMA coordinated a letter to CMS expressing concerns about its process for reviewing and selecting quality measures for its programs. The AMA believes that decreasing the number of measures and MIPS Value Pathways will not ease physician burdens and that CMS must maintain a robust portfolio of quality measures.
Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act Reintroduced
Bipartisan members of the House and Senate introduced the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (HWRA) on September 10. This bill aims to address the ongoing physician shortage crisis by allowing the “recapture” of previously authorized yet unused immigrant visas for physicians and nurses. The press release announcing the bill’s introduction includes a supportive quote from AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD.
SPARC Act Aimed at Addressing Physician Shortage in Rural Areas
The AMA expressed its support for H.R. 4681, the “Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care Act” (SPARC Act), in a letter on September 3. This act, which authorizes a loan repayment program to attract specialty physicians to rural communities, aligns with the AMA’s initiatives to address the projected physician shortage of around 86,000 by 2036.
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