Senate Finance, HELP Committees Hold RFK Jr. Nomination Hearings. RFK Jr., nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), testified before the Senate Finance Committee on January 29 and before the Senate Health,...more
1/31/2025
/ Abortion ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Veterans Affairs ,
Executive Orders ,
Food Safety ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Finance Committee ,
Transgender ,
Transparency ,
Trump Administration
Republicans hold a trifecta of control after winning the White House, US Senate, and US House of Representatives for the 119th Congress. They will aim to pass an agenda backed by President Trump that is focused on tax cuts,...more
1/31/2025
/ Byrd Amendment ,
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 ,
Energy Sector ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Immigration ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Reconciliation ,
Senate Committees ,
Tax Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. House
RFK Nomination Hearing Week -
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK), nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has a busy week with two Senate nomination hearings. He will testify in front of the Senate Finance...more
1/28/2025
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Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
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Senate Confirmation Hearings ,
Senate Finance Committee ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. House
Senate Committees Continue Nomination Hearings. The Senate VA Committee held a hearing for VA secretary nominee Doug Collins and subsequently voted for his confirmation with broad bipartisan support. His confirmation vote...more
1/27/2025
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
World Health Organization
The Trump Administration and 119th Congress will likely be targeting trillions of dollars in savings in the year ahead. Healthcare makes up a significant portion of mandatory spending and therefore likely will be a large part...more
1/24/2025
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Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Medicare Payment Reform ,
MedPAC ,
Section 340B ,
Trump Administration
First Official Week of Trump 2.0 -
President Trump officially began his second term yesterday. He briefly discussed healthcare in his first inaugural speech, committing to tackle chronic disease and keep children safe,...more
1/22/2025
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CMMI ,
Health Insurance ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare ,
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Trump Administration ,
Veterans
A lot has happened in the last three weeks, so here’s a high-level recap:
Congress successfully, albeit rockily, passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government through March 14, 2025. That legislation...more
1/7/2025
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
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Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
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Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
Telehealth ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. House
118th Congress Continues to Grapple with Contentious CR. With the collapse of Republican support for the negotiated continuing resolution (CR) package, as of the time of publication on Friday at 3:00 PM EST, Congress is still...more
12/23/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
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Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Machine Learning ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Technology ,
U.S. House
118th Congress Wraps Up -
Congress has five days to complete remaining business before the December 20 government funding deadline. It is still expected that the government will be funded via a short-term continuing...more
Senate Special Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on People with Disabilities. Senators and witnesses acknowledged the significant barriers that exist for Americans with disabilities and discussed current and proposed federal...more
12/16/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Disabilities ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
GAO ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) ,
MedPAC ,
NDAA ,
OIG ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House ,
Veterans' Benefits
11 Days Left in Lame Duck -
Both houses of Congress are in this week as we approach December 20, the deadline by which Congress must pass a continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the government moving...more
12/10/2024
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Lame Duck Session ,
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Members of Congress ,
NDAA ,
Presidential Appointments ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. House
Congress Negotiates Healthcare Extenders, Continues to Plan for 2025. Lawmakers continue negotiations to wrap up the 118th Congress and pass remaining must-do policies, including government funding, likely through a...more
12/9/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Machine Learning ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Section 340B ,
Technology ,
U.S. House
Congress Begins Disaster Relief Efforts, Continues Organizing for 119th Congress. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, lawmakers are focused on funding an emergency supplemental disaster relief package. President...more
11/25/2024
/ Cybersecurity ,
DEA ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Lame Duck Session ,
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Patents ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine ,
Trump Administration
The incoming Trump Administration made several decisions and announcements in the first week of the lame duck session, including announcing his nominee for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)....more
11/19/2024
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Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
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Lame Duck Session ,
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Members of Congress ,
Presidential Elections ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
Trump Administration
Congress Returns for Lame Duck Session. The House and Senate returned this week, kicking off the post-election lame duck session. The focus this week was not on legislating, but on organizing for the upcoming 119th Congress,...more
11/18/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Lame Duck Session ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Members of Congress ,
Presidential Elections ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
Trump Administration
Election Day 2024 has come and gone. Republicans have all but officially achieved a trifecta – control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives.
Both the House and Senate return today for the lame duck...more
11/13/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
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Donald Trump ,
Election Results ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Lame Duck Session ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Members of Congress ,
Presidential Elections ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
Trump Administration
Republicans Win Control of White House and Senate, Seem Poised to Maintain Control of House. Former President Donald Trump will return to the White House, and Republicans also gained control of the Senate. Some toss-up House...more
11/11/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
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Donald Trump ,
Drug Pricing ,
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Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) ,
Physician Fee Schedule ,
Presidential Elections ,
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Senate Committees ,
Senate Judiciary Committee ,
U.S. House
Congress Continues Election Recess. Members are on the campaign trail and are scheduled to return for the lame duck session on November 12, 2024.
CMS Releases Proposed NBPP for 2026. The proposed Notice of Benefit and...more
10/14/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
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Pharmaceutical Industry ,
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Regulatory Agenda ,
U.S. House
Congress Votes on CR, Health-Related Legislation. After reaching a deal over the weekend, both chambers passed a CR to avoid a government shutdown and fund the federal government through December 20, 2024. This tees up a push...more
9/30/2024
/ Abortion ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Cybersecurity ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
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HRSA ,
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Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
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State Bans ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine
One More Week Until Election Recess -
The House and Senate are in Washington, DC, for one more week before leaving until after election day. Over the weekend, congressional leaders struck a deal on a continuing resolution...more
Should Congress Stay or Should They Go Now?
Congress has two more weeks to extend government funding past the September 30 deadline through a short-term continuing resolution (CR). So, the question isn’t really if they...more
House Education & the Workforce Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Holds Hearing on ERISA’s 50th Anniversary. Members and witnesses assessed how the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)...more
9/16/2024
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
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Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Final Rules ,
GAO ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HRSA ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicare ,
Mental Health ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
MHPAEA ,
New Legislation ,
NQTLs ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
U.S. House
Congress is back from a long August recess. However, it is only back for a few weeks. During this window, there is only one major thing Congress must do: extend government funding past the September 30 deadline through a...more
9/10/2024
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Federal Funding ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mental Health Parity Rule ,
MHPAEA ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Regulatory Agenda
Congress Returns. The House and Senate will be back in session on September 9, 2024, with a joint focus on completing consideration of a continuing resolution (CR) to maintain government funding beyond the end of fiscal year...more
9/6/2024
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Healthcare ,
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Prescription Drugs ,
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Roe v Wade ,
SCOTUS ,
Telehealth
CMS Finalizes New TCET Pathway. The final procedural notice, effective immediately, creates a new pathway that uses existing national coverage determination and coverage with evidence development (CED) processes to expedite...more