Rachel Stauffer
Subscribe to Rachel Stauffer's PostsRachel is a highly experienced government relations and legislative affairs strategist and advocate who is informed by a solid foundation of health policy knowledge.
Prior to joining McDermottPlus, Rachel served as the director of policy and government relations for a health IT contractor, where she developed the company’s first strategic plan for government relations. She grew the company’s profile on Capitol Hill by establishing new relationships with key leaders in the federal, state and military health program space. As a result, the company became an authoritative source on a variety of legislative approaches, especially related to veterans’ health. Read Rachel Stauffer's full bio.
Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform: What’s on the Horizon?
By Rachel Stauffer, Katie Waldo, Amy Kelbick, Leigh Feldman and Erica Stocker on Oct 17, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The price of prescription drugs has brought scrutiny to the entire drug supply chain. Congress and other policymakers continue to seek opportunities to lower costs for patients and the federal government. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are a key stakeholder in the drug supply chain, functioning as intermediaries between insurance providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers. PBMs administer...
Continue Reading
A Look into House Efforts on Hospital and Health Plan Price Transparency
By Leigh Feldman and Rachel Stauffer on Sep 19, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
In the 118th Congress, the US House of Representatives is keenly interested in healthcare price transparency. Three House committees—Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and the Workforce—each approved legislation that would advance price transparency objectives. Generally, these bills seek to codify (or modify) the requirements around hospital and health plan price transparency as...
Continue Reading
Teleprescribing of Controlled Substances Temporarily Extended Beyond PHE
By Lisa Schmitz Mazur, Rachel Stauffer, Amanda Enyeart, Jayda Greco, Marika Miller, Grayson I. Dimick, Moyosore Koya, Marshall E. Jackson, Jr., Dale C. Van Demark and Patrick Zanayed on Jun 23, 2023
Posted In Digital Health, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are extending telehealth flexibilities that allow providers to prescribe controlled substances. While the extension is in place, the DEA indicated that it will be further evaluating its recently proposed rules for post-COVID-19 public health emergency telemedicine prescription of controlled...
Continue Reading
Federal Government to Wind Down Vaccination Mandates
By Sandra M. DiVarco, Kristen O'Brien and Rachel Stauffer on May 9, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The Biden administration has announced that the federal government will wind down its remaining COVID-19 vaccination mandates (including those for federal workers, contractors and international air travelers) effective May 11, 2023. This action coincides with the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Additionally, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will...
Continue Reading
Omnibus Bill Extends Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities and HDHP Telehealth Safe Harbor
By Amanda Enyeart, Marshall E. Jackson, Jr., Lisa Schmitz Mazur, Rachel Stauffer, Grayson I. Dimick, Jayda Greco, Abby Higgins, Ashley Ogedegbe and Sarah Raaii on Dec 28, 2022
Posted In Digital Health, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On December 23, 2022, US Congress approved a year-end omnibus legislative package, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (CAA 2023), which consists of all 12 fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills and numerous other provisions, including health policy changes. The healthcare provisions in this omnibus package extend key Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the temporary telehealth safe harbor for...
Continue Reading
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act: What You Need to Know – Updated on March 19, 2020
By Eric Zimmerman and Rachel Stauffer on Apr 7, 2020
Posted In Employment
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was signed into law on March 18, 2020. This summary reflects these changes that includes: requiring employers to provide two weeks of paid sick leave in certain situations and provide subsidized leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act; providing additional nutrition assistance to affected areas and...
Continue Reading
