The AI Healthcare Report: Arizona Edition 7/28/23

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to the first edition of the AI Healthcare Report: Arizona Edition.

Please enjoy the amazing desert picture I took while I was out west. I love the desert for hiking, golfing, or any outside activities. 111 degrees out in the desert feels exactly the same as 95 with 80% humidity on the East Coast.

In this monthly newsletter released at the end of the month, I will be presenting what is happening in the AI Healthcare space by focusing on both DC and Phoenix, AZ. You will notice that the Arizona Edition is very similar to the one I write on all other Fridays. Do not worry. I wanted to make sure that there was some consistency in both newsletters.

I will also be including books that I am currently reading, potential interviews with leaders in the AI healthcare realm, explaining relevant bills, and also posing questions for readers to think about.

My goal with the AI Healthcare Report is for it to be as interactive as possible. As you all might know, we must be ready to have continual conversations on the role that AI is playing in the healthcare space and what the various stakeholders involved must accomplish together to meet the ever-changing technological landscape.

Lastly, I envision this newsletter as being concise where you only have to read it once to understand what is happening in the AI healthcare space.

As always, please feel free to leave feedback on how I can improve too by emailing me at [email protected]

Let us dive in!

Weekly Question

Do you believe that AI can reduce federal spending while producing better health outcomes in the United States? Why or why not?

Please add your thoughts to the comment section below. There is not a right or wrong answer.

Dr. Harvey Castro: Healthcare GPT Cheat Sheet

My friend Dr. Harvey Castro breaks down how to unleash the power of Chat GPT in healthcare. This roadmap provides great context if you are unsure about Chat GPT to improve your skills in the technology. To connect with Harvey directly, please connect with him here . Please also do not forget to check out his GPT Podcast here.

Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law: Oversight of A.I.: Principles for Regulation

On July 25th, 2023, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law met for their hearing: Oversight of A.I.: Principles for Regulation

The subtopics that were discussed ranged from AI being associated with mathematics for the need of an agile (flexible framework)

Two pieces of testimony that I would like to emphasize are those of?Stuart Russell, Professor of Computer Science at the University of California Berkley , and Yoshua Bengio, Founder and Scientific Director of Mila – Québec AI Institute, Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Operations Research at Université de Montréal

While each of their testimonies was slightly different, both of their testimonies answered three key questions:

1. How do we define the word intelligence?
2. What access can be given to AI technologies to prevent harm and risks to humans?
3. Which stakeholders should have jurisdiction deployment and maintenance of AI models?

House Oversight and Accountability Committee: Oversight and Reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

On July 27th, 2023, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee met for their hearing: Oversight and Reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The subject was President Joe Biden's National Drug Control Strategy and its subtopics examined from untreated addiction to drug trafficking.

The testimony of Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy answered three key questions:

1. How to stop untreated addictions caused by drug trafficking?
2. What can be done to accomplish a stronger domestic public health response in the United States?
3. Which federal agencies have the responsibilities to prevent untreated addictions caused by drug trafficking?

2023 Arizona State of Reform Health Policy Conference

On October 24th, 2023, the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel will be hosting the 2023 Arizona State of Reform Health Policy Conference. The topics that will be discussed include the legislative process and other elements of the healthcare system. Some of the stakeholders will be physicians and policy makers. To purchase tickets, please click here .

Federal Legislation

H.R.4503, S. 2201 Bill Updates

In the Eighth Edition of the AI Healthcare Report , H.R. 4503- AI Training Expansion Act of 2023 by Rep. Nancy Mace [R-SC-01] was discussed. The new subject of the bill is Government Operations and Politics.

For more information, the bill text for H.R. 4503 is?here

In the Sixth Edition of the AI Healthcare Report, S. 2201- American Cybersecurity Literacy Act by Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN] was discussed. The bill now has text with key details from the written legislation below:

IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, shall develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign described in subsection

(b), which the Secretary of Commerce shall make available in multiple languages and formats, if practicable, to in- crease the knowledge and awareness of citizens of the United States of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks.?

(b) ELEMENTS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, shall—?

(1) educate citizens of the United States with respect to how to prevent and mitigate a cyberattack or cybersecurity risk, including by—

(A) instructing citizens of the United States with respect to how to identify—

(i) a phishing email or message; and

(ii) a secure website;

(B) instructing citizens of the United

States about the benefits of changing default passwords on any hardware or software technology;?

For the bill text of S. 2201, please click here .

H.R. 3565- Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act of 2023

Sponsor: Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [R-WA-05]

Cosponsors: Reps . Frank Pallone [D-NJ-06], Debbie Lesko [R-AZ-08]

On May 22nd, 2023, H.R. 3565- Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act of 2023 was introduced in the House and was referred to the House Energy and Commerce and Armed Services Committees. A markup was held in Energy and Commerce on May 24th with a favorable recommendation. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 3565 would decrease direct spending by $1.2 billion over FYs 2023-2033 with an increase in offsetting receipts by $13.6 billion and an increase in spending of $12.4 billion.

H.R. 3565 constructs a competitive bidding process to grant a license or permit for use of electromagnetic spectrum and to direct proceeds to other technology and communication initiatives.

The CBO score is here . The bill text is here .

State Legislation

HB 2423- Competitive Grant Program that Provides A Single Company that Licenses an Interoperability Software Technology Solution to support acute care for rural hospitals

Sponsor: Rep. Matt Gress [R-AZ-04]

On February 7th, 2023, HB 2423 was given a first read (introduction in the chamber) and was assigned to the Appropriations and Rules Committees. Arizona requires that once a bill passes it assigned committee it MUST pass the Rules Committee to confirm it does not violate the state constitution. Furthermore, party caucuses (Republican or Democrat) have the opportunity to inform members on legislation.

HB 2423 aims to support acute care for Arizona rural hospitals via software to reduce private and transportation costs.

Furthermore, the grant program requires that the software MUST benefit a patient before and after they are discharged.

The total amount that was appropriated for the bill was $12 million. The last movement on the legislation was a second read on March 14th when the legislation was moved to the State Senate.

For more information on HB 2423, please click here . For the House-engrossed bill text, please click here .

SB 1084-Appropriating Monies to the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund?

Sponsor: Sen. Thomas Shope [R-AZ-08]

Cosponsor: Sen. David Gowan [R-AZ-14]

On January 31st, 2023, SB 1084 was given a first read and was assigned to the Appropriations, Health and Human Services, and the Rules Committees.

SB 1084 aims to appropriate monies from the state general fund for the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund, which is an initiative to help the state become a dominant player in the life sciences sector.

For FY 2023-2024, the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund was appropriated $50 million with a permanent endowment of at least $200 million. The latest action on the bill was that on March 21st a second reading was recorded.

For more information on SB 1084, please click here . For the Senate-engrossed bill text, please click here .

What I am reading

I am currently reading Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again by Eric Topol, MD. One idea in the book he examines is how AI can be used to better diagnose patients while also decreasing costs.

Coming up

August Recess is coming up, which means no committees are scheduled to meet for hearings.

Helpful Resources

Hobbs announces $1.7M in funding for STEM programs at Pima Community College

The Increasing Adoption of Out-of-Pocket Cost Caps Benefits, Unintended Consequences, and Policy Opportunities

Roche loses spark for gene therapy, axing hemophilia A candidate from pipeline

Eli Lilly's Mounjaro shortage worsens ahead of potential obesity FDA approval

Biogen to eliminate 1,000 jobs in further cost cuts

Teleflex to expand urology portfolio with $600M acquisition