The health care policy landscape is complex. Congress passes laws and executive branch agencies and departments, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), write regulations that govern implementation. To ensure that our physician voice is heard in these legislative and regulatory arenas, the Permanente Medical Groups and Kaiser Permanente’s government relations (GR) teams work together to advocate for policies that will enhance medical excellence and improve patient health outcomes.

Here's how your government relations teams influence this process.

At the committee level 

Health care policy often begins at the committee level in Congress. Both chambers of Congress — House and Senate — have committees that hold hearings, release white papers and requests for information (RFIs), and draft legislation. Kaiser Permanente’s combined GR team engages with the committees with jurisdiction over health care issues, such as the Senate Finance Committee, House Ways and Means Committee, and House Energy and Commerce Committee, to shape legislation early in the process. This involves speaking with committee staff, submitting responses to RFIs, and providing feedback on preliminary bill language. 

For example, the GR team has been actively involved in shaping discussions around the use and regulation of augmented intelligence (AI) in health care. We solicit and receive information from Permanente subject matter experts on legislation of interest and have responded to RFIs about the opportunities and challenges of AI in medical practice — ensuring that our physicians’ perspectives are included in initial policy considerations. This proactive engagement helps guide the development of AI-related policies that can enhance diagnostic accuracy and patient care while addressing ethical and privacy concerns.

On the House and Senate floors 

The committees are just one part of a bill’s journey. Once bills reach a chamber’s floor, the Kaiser Permanente GR team maintains communication with congressional staff and members to discuss how proposed legislation will impact the practice of Permanente Medicine. We arrange meetings between Permanente Medical Group physician leaders and members of Congress to discuss key issues. Continuing with the AI policy example, we advocate for our position with additional congressional members and staff, ensuring that any AI-related provisions support the safe and effective integration of AI technologies into clinical practice.

At the agencies 

After legislation is passed by Congress and signed by the President, many details of the implementation of new or existing laws are handled within the executive branch, where legislative text often requires interpretation by agencies such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) within HHS. These entities release proposed rules and solicit comments from stakeholders like Kaiser Permanente. The Kaiser Permanente GR team reviews these rules internally with our experts and drafts written comments that clearly state the physician perspective. We use a consensus-driven process to arrive at our public positions on regulatory decisions — this enables us to submit meaningful feedback and recommendations with one voice. 

We also meet with senior department staff to discuss critical issues that impact the practice of Permanente Medicine. Again, using the example of AI, when a regulatory agency proposes new rules for integrating AI technologies into patient care, our team provides comprehensive feedback. We highlight the potential benefits of AI in improving patient outcomes and operational efficiencies with real-world examples. We also show how we are working to mitigate potential risks with AI to better inform future regulatory frameworks.

At the courts 

While our direct impact on the judicial branch is limited, we monitor judicial activities closely for their policy implications on Permanente Medical Groups and Kaiser Permanente. Court rulings can have significant effects on health care and clinical practice rules, so it is crucial for us to stay informed and update practices and workflows as necessary. For instance, a recent Supreme Court decision maintained the ability of physicians to prescribe the reproductive health medication mifepristone (FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine). Given its relevance to the practice of Permanente Medicine, we watched the case closely. 

As we do for legislative and executive branch activity, we work through our trade organizations to influence judicial outcomes. Following a recent federal district court ruling that struck down the preventive services mandate under the Affordable Care Act, we worked with the American Medical Association to file an amicus brief stating why that ruling should be overturned on appeal (Braidwood v. Becerra). We will very likely see further appeals of this decision and additional legal challenges on these issues in other parts of the country.

Conclusion 

Kaiser Permanente’s combined government relations team plays a critical role in advancing the federal policies that promote access to high-quality, affordable health care on behalf of our patients, medical groups, and the entire organization. Our comprehensive approach — engaging at the committee level, on the floor, within executive departments, and monitoring the courts — ensures that the physician perspective is heard and considered throughout the policymaking process. 

How you can get involved

By being a member of Permanente Action, you are part of a strong community of physician and health care advocates passionate about patient care and the practice of Permanente Medicine. Take a moment now to subscribe for periodic policy alerts and calls-to-action. We’ll reach out a few times a year to provide you with the latest information regarding the health care policy agenda of the Permanente Medical Groups and Kaiser Permanente.