VIZIENT, INC. - 2025 fourth_quarter

Acute Hospital Care at Home - Recommended Congress make certain flexibilities related to the Acute Hospital Care at Home Program permanent or, pass an extension before flexibilities expire. Issues related to hospital and provider payment - Supported increasing hospital reimbursement to ensure continued access to care for vulnerable populations, highlighted the criticality of Medicaid to sustaining vital healthcare services. Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Program - Urged Congress to avert the cuts to Medicaid DSH payments set to take place, encouraged passage of legislation to preserve DSH payments on a longer-term basis Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems; Quality Reporting Programs; Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings; and Hospital Price Transparency (CMS-1834-P) final rule - Monitored development and eventual release of the CY26 Final Rule Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2026 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; and Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program (CMS-1832-P) final rule - Monitored development and eventual release of the CY26 Final Rule Monitored development and passage of the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 (H.R. 5371) Physician Payment - Urged Congress to consider long-term legislative solutions to refine the current Medicare physician payment system Prior Authorization - Provided feedback to improve prior authorization (PA) processes for various plans and payers, including MA organizations and Medicaid managed care plans. Continued monitoring and encouraged passage of the Medicare Advantage Prompt Pay Act (H.R.5454) Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Designation - Urged corrective action to allow REHs to bill both the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Advocated for increased eligibility among REHs to allow for future Medicaid DSH payments to certain hospital facilities. Site-Neutral Payment Policies - Opposed adoption of site-neutral payment policies for drug administration and increased fines related to price transparency requirements for hospitals. Urged Congress to redirect its focus from site-neutral payment policies to reducing administrative burdens and increasing, rather than reducing, payments for care delivery in rural areas.

340B Drug Pricing Program - Continued to urge action to ensure covered entities have access to 340B discounted prices through contract pharmacies. Highlighted critical importance of the 340B program for hospitals. Drug shortages - Supported elements to increase transparency in prescription drug supply chain and increase reimbursement for generic prescription drugs; issues related to compounding; issues related to buffer inventory. Encouraged improved stakeholder communication and increased notification by manufacturers for a surges in demand Continued monitoring and encouraged passage of the Mapping Americas Pharmaceutical Supply (MAPS) Act (S.1784/H.R.4191) Continued monitoring and encouraged passage of the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act (S.1954) Continued monitoring and encouraged passage of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 (S.2439/H.R.3890/H.R.4731) Continued monitoring and encouraged passage of the Protect Medicaid and Rural Hospitals Act (S.2279) Continued monitoring and encouraged passage of the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act (S.2556) Hospital Group Purchasing - Advocated to highlight the value that hospital group purchasing organizations provide to hospitals and suppliers. Provided education on how GPOs work in the healthcare supply chain and the role they play in delivering value to healthcare providers, as well as key differences between traditional GPOs and PBMs. Responded to Senate Aging Committee inquiry on role of group purchasing organizations in the drug supply chain. Mental and Behavioral Health - Highlighted the need for legislation to address significant challenges to mental and behavioral health treatment, including increased demand for services, limited access to treatment, and clinician shortages. Monitored development and passage of the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 (H.R. 5371) Non-medical drivers of health outcomes - Encouraged Congress and agencies to ensure tools like the Vizient Vulnerability Index are being utilized to understand data about disparities in health. Highlighted opportunities for the increased use of secondary health data in a clinical setting. Payer-mandated White Bagging - Urged support for policy updates related to payer-mandated white bagging for medications Rural healthcare - Advocated for policies and initiatives that address the challenges of rural communities by promoting access to care and strengthening healthcare infrastructure Telehealth - Continued to advocate for the adoption of permanent telehealth policies to extend flexibilities beyond the current expiration date. Workforce - Advocated for strengthening the health workforce through policies that support education, training, recruitment, and retention efforts. Continued monitoring and encouraged passage of the Save Healthcare Workers Act (S.1600/H.R.3178).

2025 fourth_quarter Filing

Lobbying Activities (4)

Medicare/Medicaid

Lobbyists (4)

Health Issues

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code

Tariff (miscellaneous tariff bills)