VA, opioids, drug pricing. It’s a busy week in D.C.

Along with the rest of the industry, Modern Healthcare is eager to hear what President Donald Trump has to say about drug prices. But that’s not all we are watching this week:

APRIL 23: Closing day for comments on the CMS’ proposed rule seeking to expand short-term insurance plans. As of late last week, more than 6,500 comments were already filed with the agency. In a cursory review online, Modern Healthcare found that the bots have been busy. Page after page of comments shared the same opening lines.

APRIL 24: The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is slated to debate the Opioid Crisis Response Act. Among other things, the bill would allow the FDA to mandate that drugmakers package some opioids for a specific timeframe—three or seven days, for instance.

APRIL 25: Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, you’re up. Nominated to be the next Veterans Affairs secretary, Dr. Jackson is scheduled to make his case for running the massive department at a Senate confirmation hearing. Jackson’s hearing comes as lawmakers are advancing legislation to overhaul the VA Choice program.

APRIL 26: Pain relief? Trump is expected to give his Rx for reducing drug prices. What do industry leaders want to hear? See p. 12 for their wish list.

APRIL 26- 27: A bevy of healthcare dignitaries will grace the main stage at the 2018 Health Datapalooza in D.C. Headliners include HHS Secretary Alex Azar (assuming the diverticulitis that hospitalized him last week is cleared up), FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, CMS Administrator Seema Verma, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health CEO Dr. Joanne Conroy. The Academy Health event, now in its 8th year, brings together policy wonks, executives and patient advocates to hash through critical IT issues facing the industry.