1. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chaired by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) will host a nomination hearing on Tuesday for Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to be the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, followed by a nomination hearing by the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. While both Senate committees have jurisdiction over federal healthcare issues, the Senate Finance Committee has ultimate jurisdiction over approving the HHS Secretary nomination and following the Thursday hearing will vote to send the nomination to the full Senate for a vote. Once passed by the full Senate, the nominee is then considered confirmed by the Senate. It is anticipated that Governor Sebelius will assume the office of Secretary of HHS following Senate confirmation as soon as President Obama returns home from overseas and swears Governor Sebelius into office.
2. The U.S. House has two committees with jurisdiction over healthcare issues. Subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) will hold three healthcare hearings this week. On Tuesday, the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will examine public health in the context of overhauling the nation's healthcare system, and the Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will examine legislation that would prohibit brand-name pharmaceutical companies from paying generic drug makers to delay selling their low-cost versions. The Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold another hearing this Thursday on a healthcare overhaul that examines ways to save money in the system and improve safety.
3. Finally, the House Ways and Means Committee chaired by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) will hold a hearing this Wednesday on modernizing the healthcare delivery system, with a focus on care coordination and improving quality of care.
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