James B. Renacci – Page 2 – DearColleague.us

Cosponsor H.R. 3956 – the STARS Act

With all small employers do to keep their businesses running, the last thing they need is confusion stemming from regulations and the tax code. The complex rules implementing the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) shared responsibility provision, also known as
the employer mandate, exemplify the difficulty imposed on small businesses. Largely designed with traditional jobs in mind, the ACA’s employer provisions fail to account for the exceptional circumstances of employers with highly seasonal workforces. Though
the Treasury Department attempted to remedy these issues through regulation, the resulting rules are confusing and create unnecessary obstacles to compliance for small, seasonal employers.

co-sponsor H. Con. Res. 8, The Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution

We invite you to become a co-sponsor of the Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution. This resolution will provide Members of Congress and the American people an annual update on the long-term financial health of the country. The Budget Committee has included
our resolution in their plan for budget process reform plan.

Cosponsor H.R. 3956 – the STARS Act

co-sponsor H.R. 3315, Protecting Consumer Access to Vision Care Act of 2017

Currently, there exists a severe inequity in Treasury regulations in the way stand-alone vision plans (SAVPs) are treated under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Section 9010 of the ACA imposes a health insurer fee on covered entities engaged in the business
of providing health insurance. While it can be debated whether or not the fee ever made sense for a traditional health insurance company, it is clear that this fee should never have applied to SAVPs.

co-sponsor H. Con. Res. 8, The Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution

Co-Sponsor H.R. 4482, the Opioid Abuse Deterrence, Research, and Recovery Act

Opioid addiction is an epidemic that is tearing families and communities apart. Drug overdose deaths are estimated to have exceeded 59,000 in 2016, and most projections indicate that this number will worsen in 2017. Recent studies suggest that 90 people
in our hometowns and communities are dying every day due to this crisis, and many more are unable to secure employment because of the toll of addiction. With evidence suggesting that nearly 80 percent of individuals addicted to heroin started out on opioid
pain relievers, the link is clear that opioid prescriptions are driving this epidemic.

co-Sponsor H.R.4234 – Preparing Homeless Youth for Education and Employment Act

We invite you to become a cosponsor of the Preparing Homeless Youth for Education and Employment Act. This bipartisan, commonsense legislation will provide our nation’s homeless youth with increased access to dropout prevention and college and career counseling
services to better educational and employment outcomes.

co sponsor H.R. 761, The Pension and Budget Integrity Act

We invite you to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 761, The Pension and Budget Integrity Act. This legislation will eliminate a Washington-created budget gimmick and protect employees and employers.

Letter to HHS: Reduce Inappropriate Prescribing of Antipsychotic Drugs to Seniors with Dementia

Please join us in writing to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar regarding the inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to seniors with dementia. While HHS has taken some steps to reduce inappropriate prescribing in nursing home settings,
little has been done to address the risks facing seniors in other care settings. Inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs continues to be a concern in all settings, and we urge HHS to act now for the safety of our seniors.

Cosign Letter Urging CMS to Permit Lung Cancer Screens in Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities

We write to request that you strongly consider cosigning a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in opposition to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) denying patients’
access to low dose CT (LDCT) screens for early detection of lung cancer administered in Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities (IDTFs). MACs are erroneously denying these screens in this particular setting due to a misinterpretation of a February 2015
National Coverage Determination (NCD) regarding LDCT lung cancer screens.