2008-09-01

Congress Adds Additional FY 2008 NIH Funding

In July, Congress gave final approval to supplemental appropriations legislation that included $150 million in additional fiscal year (FY) 2008 funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As this issue of The Hematologist went to press, Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) were seeking to build on this victory and were leading efforts to include an additional $500 million in a second FY 2008 supplemental appropriations bill that congressional leaders hope to act upon in September.

FY 2009 NIH Funding at a Standstill

Despite a stated desire by congressional leaders to make significant progress on FY 2009 spending bills prior to the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, the FY 2009 appropriations came to a virtual standstill over the summer. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a draft FY 2009 Labor-HHS spending bill on June 26 that included a $1.025 billion increase for NIH above the current year's funding level and the President's FY 2009 budget request of $29.3 billion. However, a House Appropriations Committee markup of its version of the FY 2009 Labor-HHS appropriations bill that included $30.38 billion in funding for NIH was ended abruptly amid a partisan dispute over an unrelated bill. House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI) has since indicated that, as a result of the partisan divide, there will likely not be any additional House action on FY 2009 spending bills. Because of the breakdown of the process in the House, it is unlikely that final FY 2009 appropriations bills — including Labor-HHS — will get completed this year and will instead be postponed until the next Congress.

The Society encourages all members to visit the ASH Advocacy Center for the latest news on NIH funding and to take action to support increased funding for NIH.

Medicare Legislation Becomes Law; Physician Advocacy Efforts Successful

Congress overrode President Bush's veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 on July 15, 2008. As a result, the mid-year 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) rate of -10.6 percent has been replaced with a +0.5 percent update, retroactive to July 1, 2008, and physicians will receive a 1.1 percent increase in fees on January 1, 2009.

Physicians began receiving payment at the 0.5 percent update rates around July 26. For additional information, visit the Medicare Web site.

Congress used this bill as a venue to push forward many of its priorities, including adopting electronic health records, expanding coverage on the "Welcome to Medicare" visit, creating a physician feedback program around value-based purchasing, and increasing bonuses for participation in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative.

ASH thanks all members who participated in the Society's advocacy efforts to stave off this Medicare crisis. Because this bill does not create a long-term fix for the sustainable growth rate (SGR), ASH will continue to work on this issue to provide stable and appropriate physician payment in the future.

NIDDK Announces October Workshop on Iron Overload: Mechanisms, Measurement, and Management

The Hematology Program at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is planning a two-day workshop on "Iron Overload: Mechanisms, Measurement, and Management." This workshop will take place October 27-28, 2008, in Annapolis, MD, and will address evolving insights into genetic determinants and molecular mechanisms that promote iron overload. The workshop will also review advances in the non-invasive, organ-specific clinical measurement of iron overload and current state-of-the-art prevention and treatment of iron overload. This workshop is designed to promote interactions and discussion among workshop participants, define key unanswered questions, and highlight priorities and directions for future research. The program will include presentations by invited speakers and speakers selected from submitted abstracts, together with poster presentations.

Registration information is available. Individuals who wish to attend this workshop are also invited to contact Amy Amerson of The Scientific Consulting Group at 301-670-4990, or e-mail her at aamerson@scgcorp.com.

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