Data, persistence key to advancing digital health policy in Congress

Key takeaways:

• Following up with Congress members after pitching digital health policy can have a significant impact.
• FDA approval and clinical data to support policy will help advance it.

WASHINGTON — Once a meeting with Congress is established, there are some things to keep in mind to successfully advance digital health policy, according to a panel at the Digital Therapeutics Alliance Summit.

“In a divided Congress... you have to get creative,” said Vic Goetz, health policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

Dana Richter, general counsel and senior health policy adviser to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), suggests bringing props to demonstrate the digital therapeutic involved in a proposed bill.

In addition to preparing a bill for a digital health policy, panelists recommend collecting data to support it, especially if an FDA approval has not yet been achieved.

“Beyond the FDA approval, what kind of commitments are you making around privacy and around security?” said Bobby McMillin, managing director at Arnold & Porter, a legislative and public policy group.

Advocating for a bill does not end when you leave Congress.

After a policy meeting, panelists said it is important to follow up with staffers about the bill. Dominique Yelinski, deputy chief of staff and legislative director officer of Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), said that utilizing consultants and lobbyists can be helpful when trying to remind staffers of the policy meeting.

Now that the debt ceiling package has passed, Yelinski said the floor will be open to assessing health care policy.

“I think that we will have a hearing this year in digital health,” Yelinski said.