Hart Health Strategies

President’s FY 2027 Budget Expected to be Released This Week – The White House is expected to send President Trump’s fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request to Congress on April 3, which will outline the Administration’s spending and policy priorities for the fiscal year beginning October 1. The budget is being released several weeks after the statutory deadline in early February. The proposals are expected to include cuts to federal health programs, including a potential 20 percent reduction in funding for the National Institutes of Health, as well as requests to restructure or consolidate parts of the agency (similar proposals in the FY 2026 budget were rejected by Congress). While the President’s budget is not binding, and Congress is not required to adopt its proposals, lawmakers typically use it as a guide when setting funding levels and policy priorities for federal agencies.

 

White House Misses Deadline to Nominate CDC Director – The Trump administration did not submit a nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the March 25 deadline required under federal law for acting officials. As a result, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will continue to oversee the agency without the formal “acting director” title, instead performing the delegable duties of the role. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, acting officials may serve for a limited period, after which the administration must nominate a permanent replacement or adjust leadership responsibilities. Without a confirmed or acting director, certain non-delegable authorities—such as approving vaccine recommendations—may be limited or require action by senior leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The White House has indicated it is continuing to evaluate candidates for the position, though no timeline has been announced for a formal nomination.

 

House Judiciary Committee Releases Report on Medical Residency Antitrust Exemption – On Friday, Republican leadership of the House Judiciary Committee released an interim staff report titled “Medical Mis-Match: How a Residency Hiring Monopoly Harms Patients, Doctors, and the American Public,” concluding that the National Resident Matching Program’s monopolistic power would normally face scrutiny under Section 1 of the Sherman Act but has been shielded since Congress granted it an antitrust exemption in 2004. The Committee further notes that “Congress has the power to repeal it.” The report is the product of an investigation opened more than a year ago, and the Committee plans to continue its oversight work in this area. Earlier this Congress, the Restoring Rights of Medical Residents Act (H.R. 3018) was reintroduced and seeks to strike this antitrust exemption. Also, the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust held a hearing last year titled “The MATCH Monopoly: Evaluating the Medical Residency Antitrust Exemption.”

 

Cassidy Expands Investigation into Gender Surgeries for Minors – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) is continuing his investigative work into the promotion of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and irreversible gender transition surgeries on minors. Sen. Cassidy sent letters to the American Academy of Pediatrics and The Endocrine Society last week regarding their engagement with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health around age limitations on gender surgeries for children. “As a physician and Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, I am deeply committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in matters related to public health,” Cassidy writes. “Americans have every right to know the scientific rigor supporting guidelines issued by your organization, particularly given that these guidelines are widely used and relied upon by physicians and health care providers, and patients, including minors.”

 

Lawmakers Advance Fentanyl, Xylazine Legislation – Lawmakers advanced several bills last week aimed at addressing and mitigating illicit drug use across the nation. The Senate passed S. 921, Tyler’s Law, via unanimous consent on Monday. The bipartisan bill would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to study fentanyl-testing rates in hospital emergency departments, and to issue guidance on the incorporation of fentanyl exposure screening into ER drug testing. Companion legislation in the House of Representatives was considered during a legislative hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday.

 

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced S. 545, the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, on Thursday in a 19-3 vote. The bipartisan bill would classify the Food and Drug Administration-approved animal tranquilizer and non-opioid sedative xylazine – also known as “tranq” – as a Schedule III substance, while protecting the legal use of the drug in veterinary medicine and agriculture. The House version of the bill was also a focus of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s legislative hearing.

 

GOP Lawmakers to Probe Compliance with Mifepristone REMS – A group of Republican senators are opening an investigation into whether mifepristone manufacturers are complying with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) requirements. Sens. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent letters to three mifepristone manufacturers and the FDA, asserting that it is unclear how the manufacturers “ensure that prescribers and pharmacies comply with the few remaining REMS requirements, especially when pills are sold online and without the in-person oversight of a medical professional.” They urge the FDA to act within its existing authorities to immediately reinstate an in-person dispensing requirement and the requirement for manufacturers to report non-fatal adverse events to the FDA.

 

Healthcare Advisory Committee Members Announced – On Thursday, HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 18 members of the new Healthcare Advisory Committee intended to guide federal health policy under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. The Department chose the members following a review of over 400 nominations. The panel will advise HHS and CMS on improvements to financing and delivery across Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. The committee is empowered to make nonbinding policy recommendations to transition the system from reactive “sick care” toward preventive health management. Specific areas of focus include developing methods to prevent and manage chronic disease, advancing accountability for safety outcomes while reducing administrative burdens, and expanding real-time data usage to improve claims processing and quality measurement. The committee will also consider strategies to enhance care for vulnerable populations served by Medicaid and strengthen Medicare Advantage sustainability through modernized risk adjustment. Members of the committee will serve two-year terms with regular meetings open to the public consistent with federal transparency requirements.

 

Healthcare Advisory Committee Members:

• Robert Bessler, MD – CEO of Honest Health, a value-based care enablement organization; Board member for Honest, Mangrove Management Partners, Lifestance Health and Upstream Physical Therapy; and Founder of Sound Physicians.
• Sebastian Caliri – 8VC Healthcare Team Lead; MS in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry
• David Carmouche, MD – Chief Medical & Commercial Officer at Lumeris, a physician-first AI-powered Primary Care as a Service platform; board-certified in Internal Medicine
• Elizabeth M. Fago – Healthcare Entrepreneur; nursing home owner; nominated by President Trump in 2020 to serve on the National Cancer Advisory Board
• Clive K. Fields, MD – Co-founder of VillageMD; board-certified Family Physician
• William J. Gassen, JD – President and CEO of Sanford Health; serves on boards for American Hospital Association, Oscar Health, Inc., Medical Alley, and Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce; chair of Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare
• Jenni Gudapati, PhD, MBA, RN – CEO of Amethyst Solutions and Director for Boise State University’s Value-Based Healthcare Program
• Valerie D. Huhn – Former Director, Missouri Department of Mental Health
• Dennis Laraway, MBA – Executive VP and CFO, Cleveland Clinic
• Dan Liljenquist, JD – Board Chair, Graphite Health; former Utah State Senator
• Andrew Lynch, PhD – Chief Strategy Officer at Acadia Healthcare; former VP, Home Solutions, Humana; PhD in Biomedical Engineering
• Ursel J. McElroy – Former Director of Ohio Department of Aging and Administrator of the Ohio State Plan on Aging
• Kyu Rhee, MD – President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC); former Senior Vice President & Aetna Chief Medical Officer at CVS Health; board-certified in internal medicine & pediatrics
• Tony Robbins – Author, life coach, and motivational speaker
• Russ Thomas, JD – CEO of Availity, a health information network; board member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Policy Council, Jacksonville University, and Iodine Software
• Linda Thomas-Hemak, MD, FACP, FAAP – President and CEO, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education and The Wright Center for Community Health; board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Addiction Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Nutrition
• Kimberly Brandt, JD (ex officio) – CMS Deputy Administrator and Chief Operating Officer
• Stephanie Carlton (ex officio) – CMS Chief of Staff and Deputy Administrator

 

Alan Armstrong Sworn in to Senate – On Tuesday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) was sworn in as the Secretary of Homeland Security.  Mullin was confirmed by the Senate on Monday in a bipartisan 54-45 vote. Democratic Senators voting in favor of the confirmation included John Fetteran (D-Pa.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) appointed energy executive Alan Armstrong to fill the vacancy for Mullin’s Senate seat. Armstrong previously served as the Executive Chairman of Williams Companies, an energy infrastructure company where he worked for nearly 40 years. Armstrong was sworn in to the Senate on Tuesday and will serve on the Senate HELP and Indian Affairs Committees. Under Oklahoma law, an individual appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate must pledge to not run for re-election at the conclusion of the current term. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, has joined a crowded field of candidates from both parties running to serve in the seat for the next full term that begins in January 2027.

 

Congressional Retirements – Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), who chairs the House Transportation Committee and serves on the House Armed Services Committee, announced Friday that he will retire from Congress. Graves was first elected to federal office in 2001. A growing number of members have announced their retirements or indicated plans to seek other offices; the House Press Gallery’s Casualty List tracks those departures. Special elections to fill seats vacated by Marjorie Taylor Greene and Mikie Sherrill will take place in Georgia on April 7 and in New Jersey on April 16.

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.8129 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a full risk ACO program. Sponsor: Tenney, Claudia [Rep.-R-NY-24]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8124 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to support models for providing stabilization services to individuals with serious thoughts of suicide, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Raskin, Jamie [Rep.-D-MD-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8122 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to award grants to eligible crisis centers to provide follow-up services to individuals receiving suicide prevention and crisis intervention services, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to improve the accessibility of 9-8-8, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Raskin, Jamie [Rep.-D-MD-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8119 — To ensure coverage for the treatment of infertility for certain conditions. Sponsor: Nunn, Zachary [Rep.-R-IA-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.8115 — Precision Brain Health Research Act – To modify the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [Rep.-R-IA-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services

 

H.R.8112 — To amend titles II and XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit Social Security and Medicare benefits to certain individuals, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8109 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy. Sponsor: Kustoff, David [Rep.-R-TN-8]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.8100 — To amend titles XI, XVIII, and XIX of the Social Security Act with respect to minimum staffing levels in skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Sponsor: Doggett, Lloyd [Rep.-D-TX-37]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8095 — Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2026 Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8094 — To direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish requirements for making information available to the public about the training data and algorithms used in artificial intelligence foundation models, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Beyer, Donald S. [Rep.-D-VA-8] (Introduced 03/26/2026); Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.4257 — A bill to apply user fees with respect to tobacco products deemed subject to the requirements of chapter IX of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4255 — A bill to provide for phased-in payment of Social Security Disability Insurance payments during the waiting period for individuals with a terminal illness. Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4254 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a health care workforce innovation program. Sponsor: Wyden, Ron [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4242 — A bill to amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to clarify the authority of States to use funds for pregnancy centers, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4233 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy. Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4229 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a comprehensive standard for timing between referrals and appointments for care from the Department of Veterans Affairs and to submit a report with respect to that standard, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Scott, Rick [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.4227 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, to carry out a program under which the Secretary requires each covered distributor of a highly pathogenic agent to comply with certain logbook requirements, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Cortez Masto, Catherine [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4225 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot program to furnish doula services to veterans. Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.4220 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish within the Veterans Health Administration an Office of Novel Therapeutics, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sheehy, Tim [Sen.-R-MT]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.4217 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate copayments by the Department of Veterans Affairs for preventive health services and medicines relating to preventive health services, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Duckworth, Tammy [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.4216 — A bill to repeal the Executive order entitled “Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence”. Sponsor: Schatz, Brian [Sen.-D-HI]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

S.Con.Res.32 — A concurrent resolution supporting the goals and ideals of International Transgender Day of Visibility. Sponsor: Schatz, Brian [Sen.-D-HI]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

H.R.8032 — Facilitating Access to Innovation in Cancer Care Act (FAIC Act) – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure equitable payment for, and preserve Medicare beneficiary access to, cancer treatments under the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system. Sponsor: Dunn, Neal P. [Rep.-R-FL-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.4176 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to direct State Medicaid fraud control units to investigate and prosecute instances of beneficiary fraud; Sponsor: Moody, Ashley [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.1133 — Designating November 7 of each year as ”Shwachman Diamond Syndrome Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Kean, Thomas H. [Rep.-R-NJ-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8043 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of the recovery and collection of revenue for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections Fund, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ciscomani, Juan [Rep.-R-AZ-6]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.8052 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to require that a sterile processing technician of the Veterans Health Administration holds an appropriate professional certification, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kiggans, Jennifer A. [Rep.-R-VA-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.8057 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the rate of pay for care or services provided under the Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs based on the location at which such care or services were provided, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [Rep.-R-IA-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.8060 — To reauthorize funding for programs to prevent, investigate, and prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Neal, Richard E. [Rep.-D-MA-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Judiciary

 

H.R.8067 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a program under which the Secretary will collect data with respect to sickle cell disease in the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Vindman, Eugene Simon [Rep.-D-VA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8091 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modernize payments for ambulatory surgical centers under the Medicare program. Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8089 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Moore, Gwen [Rep.-D-WI-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8084 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on contraceptive access at community health centers in health care deserts. Sponsor: Hinson, Ashley [Rep.-R-IA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8083 — To allow women greater access to safe and effective oral contraceptive drugs intended for routine use, and to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on Federal funding of contraceptive methods. Sponsor: Hinson, Ashley [Rep.-R-IA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Natural Resources; Armed Services

 

H.R.8082 — To ensure competition in health insurance markets. Sponsor: Grothman, Glenn [Rep.-R-WI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8081 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to mental health services under the Medicare program. Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [Rep.-R-PA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8080 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve maternal health data collection processes and quality measures, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Davids, Sharice [Rep.-D-KS-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources

 

H.R.8074 — To end preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the United States and close disparities in maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8070 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

 

H.Res.1136 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “Long COVID Awareness Month”. Sponsor: Foushee, Valerie P. [Rep.-D-NC-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.4210 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to establish or expand programs to implement evidence-aligned practices in health care settings for the purpose of reducing the suicide rates of covered individuals, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Schatz, Brian [Sen.-D-HI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4209 — A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to extend the limitations period for certain offenses resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Sponsor: Sullivan, Dan [Sen.-R-AK]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.4208 — A bill to establish a demonstration program to provide payments on eligible loans for individuals who are eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4204 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a rural health center innovation awards program and a rural health department enhancement program, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4202 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to mental health services under the Medicare program. Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4195 — A bill to prevent maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals and other underserved populations, to provide training in respectful maternity care, to reduce and prevent bias, racism, and discrimination in maternity care settings, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Warnock, Raphael G. [Sen.-D-GA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4189 — A bill to reduce the price of insulin and provide for patient protections with respect to the cost of insulin. Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4187 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve maternal health data collection processes and quality measures, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Smith, Tina [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4186 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Senate Democrats Announce Effort to Lower Costs, Improve Health Coverage – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) unveiled plans last week to tackle rising health care costs. Sen. Wyden and 11 other Senate Democrats – Mark Warner (Va.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Raphael Warnock (Ga.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (Del.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Tina Smith (Minn.), and Peter Welch (Vt.) – sent a Dear Colleague letter stating their intention to develop policies “that lower costs, make it simpler to get and use insurance, and rein in shameless profiteering by corporate insurance companies.” Their efforts will be centered on the goals of (1) reversing Republican cost increases and reimagining a better path; (2) making health care simpler for families; and (3) taking on corporate greed. While specific legislative proposals are not detailed in the letter, the lawmakers plan to release more information in the coming weeks and months. Democrats also published a flash report in conjunction with their Dear Colleague that outlines the impact of the Trump administration’s health care agenda on costs and coverage.

 

Senate Appropriations Leadership Release FY 2027 Guidance – The Senate Appropriations Committee has released guidance for fiscal year (FY) 2027 programmatic, language, and congressionally directed spending (CDS) requests. Members of Congress have until April 7 to submit CDS requests and until April 14 to submit programmatic requests to the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee. Members have until April 21 to submit CDS and programmatic requests to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee.

 

Comer, Aderholt Pen Letter on PBM Use of Utilization Management – Two House Republicans have written a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) asking the agency to ensure that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are not using prior authorization or step therapy to block access to physician-prescribed therapies. The letter, sent by Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-Health and Human Services Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), urges CMS to use its oversight authority to prevent benefit designs that create barriers to appropriate care. “Drug selection must be individualized,” the letter argues. “Blanket step therapy requirements that force patients to try and fail on a PBM-preferred agent before accessing the prescribed one substitute cost and contracting preferences for clinical judgment.”

 

Federal Court Blocks ACIP Changes – A federal judge has blocked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from changing some childhood vaccinations from “routine” recommendations to “shared clinical decision making,” granting a motion for a preliminary injunction brought by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The decision from Judge Brian Murphy also temporarily blocks Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointments to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) while the case moves forward. The decision freezes the appointments of 13 ACIP members made between June and January, as well as all the ACIP votes taken during that time. The Committee postponed its scheduled March 18-19 meeting as a result of the decision. The panel had planned to discuss Covid vaccine injuries, long Covid, and ACIP’s recommendation methodology. It’s unclear whether HHS will appeal the preliminary injunction while the litigation proceeds in the district court.

 

White House Releases AI Framework – On Friday, the White House released a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence which addresses seven key objectives. The White House noted that “this framework can succeed only if it is applied uniformly across the United States” while allowing for states to keep stricter laws that protect children. The framework also called on Congress to “turn this framework into a legislation that the President can sign.” In response, Republican congressional leadership stressed that Congress must take action and expressed their intent to work to “enact a national framework that unleashes the full potential of AI, cements the U.S. as the global leader, and provides important protections for American families.” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), who serves on the House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, stated that “While this framework takes steps in the right direction, including child safety and lower energy costs, it is still a half-measure that falls short of what’s necessary for ‘Smart AI’ regulation. AI is too important, — and too vital to our global competitiveness, economy, jobs, and families — to do anything short of a full-measure.”

 

CMS Convenes First Rural Health Transformation Summit – CMS convened a rural health transformation summit last week. The event featured leaders from state Rural Health Transformation Programs and the Office of Rural Health Transformation to discuss implementation priorities and progress nationwide. Last year’s Republican reconciliation bill established and provided $50 billion to the Rural Health Transformation Program, with the aim of helping states strengthen and modernize their rural health systems. During the summit, state leaders highlighted efforts to strengthen local care delivery, shared best practices, and underscored the importance of integrating this work into health care financing and workforce structures.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations legislative hearing; 2:15 p.m.; March 25

 

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Member Day; 2:30 p.m.; March 25

 

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Member Day; 10:00 a.m.; March 26

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health legislative hearing “Policies to Protect Our Communities From Illicit Drug Threats;” 2:00 p.m.; March 26

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.1117 — Expressing support for the designation of March as “Multiple System Atrophy Awareness Month” to strengthen public awareness of this neurodegenerative disorder; Sponsor: Mullin, Kevin [Rep.-D-CA-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7952 — To amend title 10, United States Code, to prohibit a reduction in the number of personnel assigned to duty with a service review agency, to direct the Secretary of Defense to submit a report regarding consideration of reviews and appeals of discharges or dismissals, based on matters relating to post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to post a summary of such report online, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Walkinshaw, James R. [Rep.-D-VA-11]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

S.Res.646 — A resolution recognizing March 14, 2026, as “Black Midwives Day” and the longstanding and invaluable contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health in the United States; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4106 — A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to improve access to certain medications under the TRICARE program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.4109 — A bill to reauthorize the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Reed, Jack [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4110 — A bill to revise and extend health workforce programs under title VII of the Public Health Service Act; Sponsor: Reed, Jack [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4118 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure the integrity of hospice care furnished under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.1120 — Supporting the recognition of March 14, 2026, as “Black Midwives Day” and the longstanding and invaluable contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health in the United States; Sponsor: Moore, Gwen [Rep.-D-WI-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Armed Services

 

H.R.7953 — To accelerate patient access to innovative medicines and clinical trials for life-threatening diseases by establishing a reciprocal approval mechanism with trusted international regulatory authorities; Sponsor: Sessions, Pete [Rep.-R-TX-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7956 — State Offices of Rural Health Program Reauthorization Act of 2026; Sponsor: Fedorchak, Julie [Rep.-R-ND-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7961 — To exempt H-1B health care workers from the restriction under the Presidential Proclamation entitled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7966 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure the integrity of hospice care furnished under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sánchez, Linda T. [Rep.-D-CA-38]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

S.4131 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide market-based rate adjustments to certain providers for furnishing qualifying specialized surgical services to veterans under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.4132 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to increase vaccination rates of pregnant and postpartum individuals, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4137 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide grants to outpatient mental health facilities for the provision of culturally competent, evidence-based mental health care for veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7970 — To amend the Controlled Substances Act to permanently schedule 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids (commonly referred to as nitazenes) as Schedule 1 controlled substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Latta, Robert E. [Rep.-R-OH-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.7973 — To end preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Veterans’ Affairs; Natural Resources; Judiciary

 

H.R.7976 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the retroactive payment of benefits for veterans with covered mental health conditions based on military sexual trauma, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carbajal, Salud O. [Rep.-D-CA-24]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7980 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to expand certain authorities with respect to the recall of controlled substances to apply with respect to all drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dexter, Maxine [Rep.-D-OR-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7983 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit a chemical abortion without the physical presence of a healthcare provider; Sponsor: Miller, Mary E. [Rep.-R-IL-15]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7985 — To prohibit the marketing, advertising, or provision of professional services without the appropriate licenses, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mullin, Kevin [Rep.-D-CA-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.J.Res.141 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to the withdrawal of the rule relating to “Debt Collection Practices (Regulation F); Deceptive and Unfair Collection of Medical Debt”; Sponsor: Warnock, Raphael G. [Sen.-D-GA]; Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

 

S.4141 — A bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to make temporary zero-percent interest loans under the community facilities direct loan program to construct or renovate certain rural hospitals, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

 

S.4149 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to convene a task force to develop strategies and coordinate efforts to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4153 — A bill to phase out production of nonessential uses of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, to prohibit releases of all perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Environment and Public Works

 

H.R.7994 — To establish a grant program to provide schools with opioid overdose reversal drugs, to direct schools receiving Federal funds to report to certain Federal information systems any distribution of an opioid overdose reversal drug, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.8000 — To amend the Controlled Substances Act to schedule synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine as a Schedule I controlled substance; Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.8005 — To amend the Controlled Substances Act to prohibit certain acts related to fentanyl, analogues of fentanyl, and counterfeit substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Evans, Gabe [Rep.-R-CO-8]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8008 — To address social determinants of maternal health to eliminate maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hayes, Jahana [Rep.-D-CT-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8011 — To increase global health security, create more stable societies, and save lives, especially children’s lives, by clarifying and focusing United States support for frontline health workers across global health and humanitarian investments, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kiggans, Jennifer A. [Rep.-R-VA-2]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs; Armed Services; Intelligence (Permanent Select)

 

H.R.8016 — To phase out production of nonessential uses of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, to prohibit releases of all perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCollum, Betty [Rep.-D-MN-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Oversight and Government Reform; Science, Space, and Technology; Transportation and Infrastructure; Armed Services

 

H.R.8018 — To regulate human cadaveric islets for transplantation as organs; Sponsor: Norman, Ralph [Rep.-R-SC-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8022 — To require the Science and Technology Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Drug Enforcement Agency to develop greater capacity to detect, identify, and disrupt illicit substances, such as nitazenes, in very low concentrations; Sponsor: Pfluger, August [Rep.-R-TX-11]; Committees: House – Homeland Security

 

H.R.8024 —  To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to maternal vaccination awareness and equity, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sewell, Terri A. [Rep.-D-AL-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

House GOP Holds Annual Policy Retreat – The House of Representatives was not in session last week, with Republican members attending their annual policy retreat at President Donald Trump’s resort in Doral, Florida. During the retreat lawmakers discussed their legislative priorities for the year ahead of the November midterm elections.  House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) proposed revisiting Medicaid spending cuts previously considered during the last budget reconciliation process as a part of Republicans’ broader focus on fraud prevention. While House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has indicated some support for pursuing a second reconciliation bill, the idea has not been endorsed by the President and was not mentioned in his address to lawmakers during last week’s retreat.

 

Sen. Johnson to Probe FDA Denial of Rare Disease Treatments – Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) plans to launch an investigation into the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent denial of several treatments for rare diseases. The announcement was made during a news conference last week attended by patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Sen. Johnson is seeking to review the FDA’s complete response letters – the written denials to drug manufacturers to reject their applications as submitted. The lawmaker specifically characterized the FDA’s request for a new trial of an experimental gene therapy for Huntington’s disease as “bureaucratic idiocy.” Johnson is also considering calling FDA officials to testify before the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which he chairs.

 

Comer Asks GAO to Investigate Medicaid, CHIP Fraud – House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) has asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review allegations of fraud in Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and other federally funded state-administered benefits programs. Chairman Comer’s letter to GAO Acting Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown calls on the agency to conduct a comprehensive investigation of federally funded, state-administered programs to identify indicators of fraud, assess fraud prevention efforts, and determine whether existing oversight mechanisms are sufficient to safeguard taxpayer dollars nationwide. “It is critical that federal programs identify issues before they arise, therefore a close review of programs across states would benefit the Committee’s further nation-wide oversight and legislative reform work,” Comer wrote. “The intent of this work is for GAO and the Committee to gain a thorough understanding of how such federally funded, state-administered programs can be reformed by addressing program specific federal authorizing statutes, federal or State level policies, or specific executive branch agency management and administrative practices and controls.”

 

Lawmakers Request Details on Study of Reusable PPE – A bipartisan group of lawmakers are urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to release a study on the benefits and feasibility of expanding the use of reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) and other health care textiles. A related study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health was expected to be completed in 2024 but has not yet been published. The lawmakers cite evidence that reusable equipment reduces greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and solid waste, improves supply-chain resilience, and provides equal or better liquid barrier performance compared with disposable products. The letter was signed by Reps. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), and Troy Carter (D-La.).

 

JEC Releases Brief on Impact of MA on Part B Premiums – The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released an issue brief last week titled The Part B Premium Pass-Through: Medicare Advantage Overpayments Inflate Premiums for All. According to the brief, Medicare Advantage (MA) overpayments increased Part B premiums by $212 per enrollee in 2025, totaling $13.4 billion in higher premiums. Since 2016, MA overpayments have added an estimated $82 billion to Part B premiums, with the Committee estimating that traditional Medicare beneficiaries bore roughly $6 billion of that cost. The brief suggests that aligning MA payments with traditional Medicare would prevent unnecessary premium growth, increase the affordability of Medicare, and protect net Social Security benefits, given that Part B premiums are withheld from Social Security checks for most seniors.

 

Rep. Kevin Kiley Leaves GOP in Switch to Independent – Rep. Kevin Kiley (Calif.) announced last week that he will leave the Republican Party and become an independent. Rep. Kiley had previously announced his plans to run for reelection as an independent in November. His decision involves filing a letter with the House Clerk to drop his GOP identification for the remainder of the current Congress. He cited the redistricting battles occurring across the country, including a recent redrawing of the House map in California, as the reason for his decision. He will continue to caucus with Republicans, allowing him to keep his committee positions. Kiley currently serves on the House Education and Workforce Committee.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies oversight hearing on the National Institutes of Health; 10:30 a.m.; March 17

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing “Protecting Patients and Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars: The Role of CMS in Combatting Medicare and Medicaid Fraud;” 2:00 p.m.; March 17

 

House Select Committee on China hearing “From the Science Lab to the Medicine Cabinet: How China is Cornering the Market on Our Medicines;” 10:00 a.m.; March 18

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the U.S. Provider Landscape;” 10:15 a.m.; March 18

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee legislative hearing; 10:15 a.m.; March 18

 

House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing “Improving Kidney Health Through Better Prevention and Innovative Treatment;” 2:00 p.m.; March 18

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Member Day hearing; 10:00 a.m.; March 19

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.4027 — A bill to ban anticompetitive terms in facility and insurance contracts that limit access to higher quality, lower cost care; Sponsor: Husted, Jon [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4031 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to designate medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs as innovative therapies centers of excellence, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gallego, Ruben [Sen.-D-AZ]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7860 — To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to address fraudulent enrollments in the Exchanges; Sponsor: Barrett, Tom [Rep.-R-MI-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7861 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for certain reforms with respect to medical loss ratios and reducing fraudulent enrollment in qualified health plans; Sponsor: Barrett, Tom [Rep.-R-MI-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7863 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to align payment under Medicare for specified surgical procedures with high-cost supplies furnished in office-based facilities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7868 — To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program; Sponsor: DelBene, Suzan K. [Rep.-D-WA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7871 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to codify value-based purchasing arrangements under the Medicaid program and reforms related to price reporting under such arrangements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Guthrie, Brett [Rep.-R-KY-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7877 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a demonstration program to test mandatory coverage of treatment for wound care for epidermolysis bullosa under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7879 —To require the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other relevant departments and agencies, as appropriate, to formulate a strategy for the Federal Government to secure support from foreign countries, multilateral organizations, and other appropriate entities to facilitate the development and commercialization of qualified pandemic or epidemic products, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Levin, Mike [Rep.-D-CA-49]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

H.R.7884 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit to health care professionals that provide health care services in qualifying facilities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tenney, Claudia [Rep.-R-NY-24]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

S.Con.Res.28 — A concurrent resolution expressing support for the recognition of March 10, 2026, as “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day”; Sponsor: Hirono, Mazie K. [Sen.-D-HI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4036 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to expand the Project ECHO Grant Program, to allow for such program to disseminate knowledge and build capacity to address Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4037 — A bill to ensure continued access to diabetes technology upon Medicare enrollment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4039 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reverse the reductions in Federal loan availability for graduate and professional students enacted under Public Law 119-21; Sponsor: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4043 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to make permanent the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide treatment and rehabilitation for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.4048 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service to require the Secretary to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to establish, maintain, or improve activities related to the detection and monitoring of infectious diseases through wastewater for public health emergency preparedness and response purposes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4061 — A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require local educational agencies to include mental health and suicide prevention information on student identification cards, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4066 — A bill to provide that the approved application under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for the drug mifepristone for the purpose of the termination of intrauterine pregnancy is deemed to have been withdrawn, to establish a Federal tort for harm to women caused by chemical abortion drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hawley, Josh [Sen.-R-MO]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4069 — A bill to direct the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks to ensure certain biological datasets are ready for use in artificial intelligence models, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Young, Todd [Sen.-R-IN];Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

S.4070 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to cover physician services delivered by podiatric physicians to ensure access by Medicaid beneficiaries to appropriate quality foot and ankle care, to amend title XVIII of such Act to modify the requirements for diabetic shoes to be included under Medicare, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Young, Todd [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4076 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4085 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prevent hospitals or skilled nursing facilities that are owned by certain firms from participating in the Medicare program; Sponsor: Murphy, Christopher [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4086 — A bill to establish protections for health care providers who raise concerns about the quality of health care services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murphy, Christopher [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1112 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Con.Res.78 — Expressing support for the recognition of March 10, 2026, as “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day”; Sponsor: Pressley, Ayanna [Rep.-D-MA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.7895 — To amend section 408 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to prohibit kickbacks to pharmacy benefit managers; Sponsor: Allen, Rick W. [Rep.-R-GA-12]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.7902 — To provide that the approved application under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for the drug mifepristone for the purpose of the termination of intrauterine pregnancy is deemed to have been withdrawn, to establish a Federal tort for harm to women caused by chemical abortion drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Harshbarger, Diana [Rep.-R-TN-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.7905 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to cover physician services delivered by podiatric physicians to ensure access by Medicaid beneficiaries to appropriate quality foot and ankle care, to amend title XVIII of such Act to modify the requirements for diabetic shoes to be included under Medicare, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Joyce, John [Rep.-R-PA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7906 — To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and administer a pilot program to provide grants to support Food is Medicine programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kelly, Robin L. [Rep.-D-IL-2]; Committees: House – Agriculture; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7907 — To direct the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to facilitate the establishment of definitions, standards, resources, and frameworks to ensure certain biological datasets are ready for use in artificial intelligence models, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Khanna, Ro [Rep.-D-CA-17]; Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.7909 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an option for individuals who are ages 50 to 64 to buy into Medicare, to provide for health insurance market stabilization, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Krishnamoorthi, Raja [Rep.-D-IL-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7911 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Administration for Community Living, to establish a program under which the Secretary will award grants to nonprofit organizations to carry out programs and activities intended to promote caregiver wellness, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.7912 — To require providers to disclose policies regarding the minimum gestational age at which life-saving care will be provided to an infant in the case of a premature birth; Sponsor: Mackenzie, Ryan [Rep.-R-PA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7920 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prevent hospitals or skilled nursing facilities that are owned by certain firms from participating in the Medicare program; Sponsor: Scanlon, Mary Gay [Rep.-D-PA-5]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7931 — To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to exempt from preemption certain State laws related to dental benefits; Sponsor: Van Drew, Jefferson [Rep.-R-NJ-2]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.7933 — To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the authority to provide a wig and treat traction alopecia under the TRICARE program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12]; Committees: House – Armed Services

Lawmakers Comment on ‘Professional Degree’ Proposed Rule – A bipartisan group of 150 members of Congress have raised concerns about the impact of new borrowing caps for graduate and professional degree students on the nursing workforce. The lawmakers submitted a public comment on the Department of Education’s proposed rule to implement the student financial aid provisions included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last year. The letter expresses disappointment over the Department’s decision to omit post-baccalaureate nursing degrees from the regulatory definition of “professional degree,” and warn that the proposed rule will make it more difficult for nurses to join the health care workforce. “At a time when our nation is facing a health care shortage, especially in primary care, now is not the time to cut off the student pipeline to these programs,” the lawmakers argue. “Nurses and nurse faculty make up the backbone of our health system, and post-baccalaureate nursing degrees lead to demonstrated outcomes…As such, post-baccalaureate nursing degrees should be treated equally to other accredited post-baccalaureate health profession degrees.”

 

Lawmakers Ask HHS Secretary to Address NIH Advisory Council Vacancies – A bipartisan group of lawmakers have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging him to fill outstanding vacancies on advisory councils of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While each of NIH’s divisions has an advisory council to assess scientific grant applications, only one council vacancy has been filled since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term. A STAT analysis found that the majority of NIH advisory councils are operating at less than half capacity, while several institutes, including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Human Genome Research Institute, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute on Aging are at risk of losing all their advisory council members at the end of 2026 when their terms expire. The letter, led by Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), was signed by more than two dozen other members of Congress.

 

Oversight Committee Continues MN Fraud Investigation – House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) released an interim staff report last week regarding fraud in the state of Minnesota’s social services programs. The report asserts that $9 billion in Medicaid funds were lost or put at risk since 2018. “The Committee’s findings raise serious questions about governance and oversight in Minnesota’s administration of federal funds,” the report states, asserting “the failure to act decisively in the face of known fraud allowed criminal schemes to flourish and diverted resources away from eligible recipients: the vulnerable populations these programs were intended to serve.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison appeared before the committee during a hearing last week.

 

Republican Leaders of Energy and Commerce Committee Expand Medicaid Fraud Investigation – House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), E&C Health Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), and E&C Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair John Joyce, MD (R-Penn.) have expanded their investigation into alleged fraud within the Medicaid program. The Republican lawmakers sent letters to the governors and leaders of state health agencies in ten states on Tuesday, including New York, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maine, Nebraska, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington. The Committee asked the states to respond to their inquiries by March 17.

 

Grassley, Wyden Inquire about OPTN Spending – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have sent a letter regarding the $20 million spent by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) on meetings in 2024. The lawmakers also cite allegations from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) had deleted or modified records, and ask the agency how this information was uncovered. UNOS responded to the allegations and asserted that no files or data required by its contract with HRSA to serve the OPTN are missing.

 

Latest Congressional Resignations/Retirements – Several lawmakers have announced their decision to not seek reelection in November. The list includes Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), the former Navy SEAL who served as Interior Secretary during President Donald Trump’s first term in office. Rep. Zinke currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee. Montana Sen. Steven Daines (R) also plans to retire. Sen. Daines, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is a member of the Senate Finance Committee. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) also plan to retire at the end of their terms. Owens is a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, while Issa sits on the Judiciary and Science, Space, and Technology committees. Texas Republican Dan Crenshaw was defeated in a primary challenge for the state’s 2^nd congressional district on Tuesday. Rep. Crenshaw is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The President has also tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to replace Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security secretary at the end of the month. Mullin currently sits on both the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Appropriations’ Labor-Health and Human Services and Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration subcommittees. The number of members leaving their seats this cycle is approaching record highs, with nearly 60 members of the House of Representatives and 10 senators planning to retire.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Foreign Dependence: How China Captured America’s Drug Supply;” 3:30 p.m.; March 11

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.3957 — A bill to support National Science Foundation education and professional development relating to artificial intelligence; Sponsor: Moran, Jerry [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

H.R.7745 — To establish certain requirements relating to wellness checks for the health and welfare of certain members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Arrington, Jodey C. [Rep.-R-TX-19]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.7747 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to streamline the certification process for State Veterans Homes by allowing certain facilities certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs to be deemed in compliance with specified Medicare and Medicaid requirements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bergman, Jack [Rep.-R-MI-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3963 — A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide overtime compensation exceptions to employers of emergency medical technicians and paramedics in rural areas; Sponsor: Curtis, John R. [Sen.-R-UT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1098 — Expressing support for the designation of March 3, 2026, as “National Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Day”; Sponsor: Morelle, Joseph D. [Rep.-D-NY-25]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.7777 — To amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure the supply of certain medical materials essential to national defense, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Salazar, Maria Elvira [Rep.-R-FL-27]; Committees: House – Financial Services

 

H.R.7778 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase under the Medicaid program the minimum monthly personal needs allowance for institutionalized individuals and couples; Sponsor: Subramanyam, Suhas [Rep.-D-VA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7779 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program for the conduct and support of research, training, and health information dissemination with respect to environmental risk factors of neurodegenerative diseases, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Subramanyam, Suhas [Rep.-D-VA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.3988 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to offer annual preventative health evaluations to veterans with a spinal cord injury or disorder and increase access to assistive technologies, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moran, Jerry [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3989 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide community-based training opportunities for medical students in rural areas and medically underserved communities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Curtis, John R. [Sen.-R-UT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3990 – A bill to increase access to pre-exposure prophylaxis to reduce the transmission of HIV; Sponsor: Smith, Tina [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3992 — A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to codify authority for the Joint Medical Facility Fund of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7787 — To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to strengthen the mental health workforce, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Troy A. [Rep.-D-LA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7790 —To amend the HITECH Act to allow an individual to obtain a copy of such individual’s protected health information at no cost unless certain circumstances apply, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Foster, Bill [Rep.-D-IL-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7799 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that 501(c)(3) organizations are liable for the use of funding provided as a fiscal sponsor; Sponsor: Moran, Nathaniel [Rep.-R-TX-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.7803 — To rename the program under part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes.; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

S.3999 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that women veterans may schedule appointments for women’s specialty care under the laws administered by the Secretary without requiring a referral, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.4008 — A bill to reauthorize programs relating to oral health promotion and disease prevention; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4009 — A bill to provide for the imposition of sanctions with respect to forced organ harvesting within the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cruz, Ted [Sen.-R-TX]; Committees: Senate – Foreign Relations

 

H.Res.1109 — Supporting the goals and ideals of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Foreign Affairs

 

H.R.7817 — To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to ensure that taxpayer funds for health insurance coverage are available only to authorized individuals, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Boebert, Lauren [Rep.-R-CO-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7830 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require hospitals to develop discharge plans for pregnant individuals as a condition of participation under Medicare, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kelly, Robin L. [Rep.-D-IL-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7837 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model implementing most-favored-nation drug pricing; Sponsor: Meuser, Daniel [Rep.-R-PA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7841 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to include infertility as a condition presumed to be incurred or aggravated by toxic exposure in the course of active military, naval, air, or space service; Sponsor: Morrison, Kelly [Rep.-D-MN-3]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7853 — To increase access to pre-exposure prophylaxis to reduce the transmission of HIV; Sponsor: Takano, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-39]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Oversight and Government Reform; Ways and Means; Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services; Natural Resources; Financial Services; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.7854 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Institute for Biomedical Research and Development, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tlaib, Rashida [Rep.-D-MI-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

President Delivers State of the Union Address – President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday. While health care issues were not a primary focus of the record-length speech, the President highlighted his administration’s efforts on eliminating health care fraud and improving affordability. He reiterated his desire for direct payments to Americans for the purchase of health insurance coverage, and called on Congress to codify his most-favored nation proposal to link domestic pharmaceutical prices to lower prices available in other countries. President Trump also discussed efforts to target Medicaid fraud in Democratic states like Minnesota, and called for further restrictions on gender-affirming care for youths. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger gave the Democratic rebuttal and spoke about the impact of Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, particularly on the Medicaid program and rural health care providers.

 

HELP Advances Two Health Bills – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced two health care related bills last week. The Living Donor Protection Act (S. 1552) would prohibit life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance carriers from denying or otherwise restricting coverage for living organ donors. It would also qualify donors for 12 weeks of medical leave. The Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act (S. 3315) would provide grants to health entities to improve cyberattack prevention and response, and require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a cybersecurity incident response plan. Each bill was approved in a 22-1 vote, with Sen. Rand Paul, MD (R-Ky.) voting in opposition.

 

Collins, Murkowski Remain Undecided on Surgeon General Nominee – Surgeon General nominee Casey Means appeared before the Senate HELP Committee for her confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned the nominee about her position on vaccines; Means repeatedly stated that “vaccines save lives” while also underscoring the importance of a “true” informed consent process between an individual and their health care provider. Means still lacks the votes needed to advance her nomination, with Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) remaining undecided on how they will vote.

 

Marshall, Booker Request Testing of Medically Tailored Meal Model – Sens. Roger Marshall, MD (R-Kan.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) have sent a letter to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) recommending the development of a model to evaluate the impact of medically tailored meals for Medicare beneficiaries with acute and chronic diet-related illnesses. “Congress established CMMI to test innovative payment and service-delivery models that improve care quality while reducing expenditures for the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Medically tailored meals are an ideal candidate therapy for achieving this mission,” the lawmakers argue. The letter highlights evidence that medically tailored meals can reduce hospital stays, improve health outcomes, and lower overall health care costs in Medicaid and other payer settings.

 

House Appropriations Leadership Release FY 2027 Guidance – The House Appropriations Committee has released guidance for fiscal year (FY) 2027 programmatic, language, and community project funding requests. Members of Congress have until March 13 to submit requests for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee and March 20 to submit requests to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Subcommittee. Lawmakers will be allowed to request funding for up to 20 projects, an increase to the current limit of 15, with LHHS project funding limited to the Health Resources and Services Administration account.

 

E&C Plans Next Hearing in Health Care Affordability Series – The House Energy and Commerce Committee will reportedly hear from health care providers and hospitals during the panel’s next hearing in its series on affordability. The Committee has already received testimony from health insurance CEOs and representatives of groups along the pharmaceutical supply chain. Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) recently told reporters that the details of the next hearing are still being determined.

 

Updated Projections of the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund’s Solvency – The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released an updated projection of the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund’s solvency over the next 25 years. CBO estimates that the fund will be exhausted in 2040, 12 years earlier than previously anticipated. The agency attributes the earlier insolvency date largely to changes put in place by the 2025 reconciliation bill, which lowered tax rates and created a temporary deduction for taxpayers aged 65 or older – thereby reducing total revenues from the taxation of Social Security benefits. Increased demand for Medicare Part A services was also a factor in the updated projection. If the balance of the fund were to be exhausted, Medicare would need to reduce total benefits by 8% in 2040 and up to 10% in 2056.

 

CDC Second in Command to Depart – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) principal deputy director Ralph Abraham, MD has departed the agency, citing “unforeseen family obligations” which local press reported was due to the “failing health of a close relative in his 80s.” Dr. Abraham, the former surgeon general of Louisiana, assumed his post as the second highest ranking CDC official less than two months ago. His announcement follows other recent health personnel changes in the administration, including the naming of National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD as acting CDC director on February 18. The CDC has been without a permanent director since the firing of Susan Monarez in August 2025.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing “Less Hype, More Help: AI That Improves Safety, Productivity, and Care;” 10:15 a.m.; March 3

 

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing to examine a discussion draft, S.____, the Toxic Substances Control Act Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act; 10:00 a.m.; March 4

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Oversight hearing Delivering for Veterans and Caregivers: Year One of the Dole Act;” 2:15 p.m.; March 4

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Transforming Health Care with Data: Improving Patient Outcomes Through Next-Generation Care;” 10:00 a.m.; March 5

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health oversight hearing Hidden Wounds: Effectively Supporting Veterans with TBI; 10:15 a.m.; March 5

House Appropriations Committee Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Member Day hearing; 10:30 a.m.; March 5

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation        

H.R.7602 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report on the state of men’s health in the United States and to establish an Office of Men’s Health within the Department of Health and Human Services. Sponsor: Carter, Troy A. [Rep.-D-LA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7651 —To provide a private right of action for children and the parents of children whose healthy body parts have been damaged by medical professionals practicing or participating in certain interventions; Sponsor: Onder, Robert F. [Rep.-R-MO-3]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7653 — To enhance diplomatic engagement on international biotechnology and biosecurity matters; Sponsor: Self, Keith [Rep.-R-TX-3]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

S.3898 — A bill to amend the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act to extend burial benefits for certain veterans who die at home while in receipt of hospice care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Boozman, John [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7654 — Advance Global Health Act; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

H.R.7666 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow payments under the Medicare program for certain items and services furnished by off-campus outpatient departments of a provider to be determined under the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smith, Adrian [Rep.-R- NE-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.Res.614 — A resolution designating February 2026 as “American Heart Month”; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.3908 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow payments under the Medicare program for certain items and services furnished by off-campus outpatient departments of a provider to be determined under the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hoeven, John [Sen.-R-ND]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3922 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration’s jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing, and distribution of traditional and premium cigars; Sponsor: Moody, Ashley [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1079 — Recognizing the significance of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and the need for robust funding of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1081 — Raising awareness for the sarcoma cancer chordoma; Sponsor: Johnson, Henry C. “Hank” [Rep.-D-GA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1084 — Support for the designation of February 28 as “HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day” and affirming that people living with HIV should not be criminalized based on their HIV status; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7677 — Closing the Provider Fraud Gap Act; Sponsor: Owens, Burgess [Rep.-R-UT-4]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.7681 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand eligibility for health savings accounts, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bean, Aaron [Rep.-R-FL-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.7685 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to specify that hair straightening or smoothing products containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasing substances will be considered adulterated, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Brown, Shontel M. [Rep.-D-OH-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7686 — To recognize the importance of clinical roles of locum tenens physicians, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Energy and Commerce; Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration

 

H.R.7693 — To mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on incentives under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for the development of orphan drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7694 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase participation by women in clinical trials that are conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7713 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure the appropriate availability of personal care services under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Schweikert, David [Rep.-R-AZ-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7717 — To establish a pilot program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support local jurisdictions in developing neighborhood-level, publicly accessible health data platforms, to establish a National Neighborhood Health Data Repository, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Torres, Ritchie [Rep.-D-NY-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.Res.620 — A resolution designating February 28, 2026, as “Rare Disease Day”; Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.3934 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of medical nutrition therapy services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3944 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the WISEWOMAN program; Sponsor: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1087 — Recognizing community water fluoridation as a safe, effective public health intervention to prevent tooth decay and promote oral and physical health; Sponsor: Frankel, Lois [Rep.-D-FL-22]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1090 — Expressing support for the designation of February 2026 as “Low Vision and Vision Impairment Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Veasey, Marc A. [Rep.-D-TX-33]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7727 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure the continued designation of certain critical access hospitals under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Alford, Mark [Rep.-R-MO-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.7733 —To amend title 18, United States Code, to ensure access to obstetrician-gynecologists for female prisoners, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Foushee, Valerie P. [Rep.-D-NC-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7735 — To require the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee to assess the effectiveness of certain mental health activities of the Departments, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Golden, Jared F. [Rep.-D-ME-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services

 

H.R.7739 — To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide overtime compensation exceptions to employers of emergency medical technicians and paramedics in rural areas; Sponsor: Maloy, Celeste [Rep.-R-UT-2]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

Cassidy Releases FDA Modernization Recommendations – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD has released a new report that makes legislative and regulatory recommendations for modernizing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The 20-page report, titled “Patients and Families First: Building the FDA of the Future,” recommends:

• Congress and FDA should apply the “least burdensome” approach beyond medical devices to other product categories.
• To reshore early-stage clinical research, FDA should launch a voluntary program in which FDA pilots a notification pathway for eligible Phase 1 clinical trials.
• As clinical trials continue to evolve from three-phase, site-based studies towards more decentralized and innovative designs, FDA should continue supporting the use of digital health technologies, while ensuring that validation requirements for these tools are tailored to their relative risks.
• To ensure that AI standards and frameworks do not conflict, and that FDA grows its talent pipeline, FDA should further its partnerships across U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies while expanding external fellowships.
• FDA should consider how to improve predictability in the drug review process, which should include more judicious use of clinical holds and greater transparency in its dialogue with sponsors.
• Congress should codify recent agency actions to tailor chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) requirements for therapies intended for small populations.
• To accelerate rare disease drug development, FDA should more consistently use tools like accelerated approval and better coordinate reviews across its divisions and offices.
• Congress should create a new streamlined intermediate pathway for biologics through which more innovative and affordable products can get to patients.
• Congress should simplify the current requirements for new biologics, including simplifying the outdated interchangeability designation and streamlining the studies needed to obtain biosimilar approval.
• Congress should pass bills advanced by the HELP Committee to address abuses in the health care system that permit FDA to reject frivolous citizen petitions aimed at delaying generic entry and tackling exclusivity “parking” to incentivize timely market entry of competitive generic products.
• Congress could require FDA to provide clearer guidance on the clinical data and evidence needed to support premarket submissions, especially for novel, complex health technologies.
• Congress should consider ways to change or supplement the existing medical device review pathways to properly evaluate software, so these new products have an efficient and appropriate pathway to market.
• Congress should ensure that FDA implements guidance on clinical decision support (CDS) in the spirit of what it directed in the 21st Century Cures Act.

 

NIH Director Bhattacharya to Lead CDC in Acting Capacity – Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Jay Bhattacharya, MD has been tapped to serve as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acting director. Bhattacharya replaces previous CDC acting director and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deputy director Jim O’Neill, who was recently removed from those positions as a part of a broader restructuring across the Department. The administration reportedly plans to nominate O’Neill to lead the National Science Foundation. Bhattacharya will continue in his role leading the NIH while at the helm of the CDC.

 

Senate Republicans Urge Recovery of Fraudulent ACA Subsidy Payments – A group of Senate Republicans are requesting that the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate and pursue civil remedies to recover Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace subsidies paid to insurance companies due to fraudulent, unauthorized, or improper enrollment in insurance plans. The letter, signed by 17 lawmakers, highlights that the Government Accountability Office could not identify evidence of reconciliation for over $21 billion in ACA marketplace subsidies in tax year 2023. The lawmakers praise the recent reconstitution of the False Claims Act Working Group, while underscoring DOJ’s “responsibility to ensure taxpayer funds are not misused and to enforce federal civil fraud remedies, when necessary.”

 

New GAO Reports on Impact of No Surprises Act, Gain-of Function Research – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a new report examining provider participation and payments for selected services before and after the enactment of the No Surprises Act (NSA). Among the specialties most likely to be affected by the law – emergency medicine, radiology, anesthesiology, and air ambulances – the GAO found that the percentage of in-network claims increased for three of the four specialties since the NSA was implemented. The report also details how payment changes for the selected services largely reflect continuations of trends that existed prior to the NSA taking effect. The full report can be found here.

 

The GAO also released a report on high-risk, gain of function research. The agency found that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services does not consistently disclose important details about its process for weighing the risks and benefits of this research or reveal how many projects involve these potentially dangerous pathogens, and recommends that the Department address this issue to ensure public trust in federally funded research. The report was requested by Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

 

ACIP Delays February Meeting – The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will delay its next meeting amidst an ongoing lawsuit brought by public health and medical groups questioning the legality of recent changes to the nation’s vaccine policy and recommendation processes by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACIP had been scheduled to meet February 25-27. While an agenda for the meeting had not yet been published, the panel typically discusses the effectiveness of upcoming seasonal influenza vaccines during its February meeting. ACIP now plans to meet in March, with an exact date yet to be determined.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing “Advancing the Next Generation of America’s Health Care Workforce;” 10:00 a.m.; February 24

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing on the nomination of Casey Means to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and Surgeon General of the Public Health Service; 10:00 a.m.; February 25

 

Senate HELP Committee markup of legislation including S. 1782, Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act; S. 1552, Living Donor Protection Act of 2025; and S. 3315, Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2025; 10:00 a.m.; February 26

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “From Regulator to Roadblock: How FDA Bureaucracy Stifles Innovation;” 9:30 a.m.; February 26

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.7590 – To promote minimum State requirements for the prevention and treatment of concussions caused by participation in school sports, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

Judiciary Republicans Subpoena Insurance Providers for Documents About ACA Marketplace Fraud – House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and panel Republicans are subpoenaing health insurers participating in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace citing allegations of fraudulent use of federal subsidies. The eight insurers subpoenaed include Blue Shield of California, Centene Corporation, CVS Health, Elevance Health, GuideWell, Health Care Service Corporation, Kaiser Permanent, and Oscar Health. The lawmakers reference a recent Government Accountability Office report which found billions of dollars in unreconciled ACA subsidies per year and examples of tens of thousands of Social Security Numbers subject to potential fraud. The subpoenas demand details about each company’s fraud protection measures, requesting a response by February 23.

 

Banks Asks FDA to Detail Plan for Enforcement Against Certain GLP-1 Compounders – Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) has written to Marty Makary, MD urging the commissioner of Food and Drugs to take enforcement against compounded weight-loss medications that are being marketed by telehealth and online pharmacy platforms. Sen. Banks suggests the agency consider the feasibility of requiring more explicit warnings on those websites in violation of federal drug law. He also asks the commissioner to expound on a recent statement that the Food and Drug Administration would work to limit the active ingredients used to make “non-FDA-approved compounded drugs that are being mass-marketed by companies… as similar alternatives to FDA-approved drugs.” The letter follows Banks’ introduction of the Safeguarding Americans from Fraudulent and Experimental (SAFE) Drugs Act (S. 3794), which would impose new restrictions on compounding pharmacies to prevent the mass marketing of non-FDA- approved drugs.

 

HELP Chair Cassidy Requests Details on Cyberbreach – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) is investigating a recent data exposure that took place within the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Sen. Cassidy’s letter to Gov. JB Pritzker (D) requests detailed records from the exposure. “Protecting the privacy and security of sensitive health information is essential to ensure that patients receive the best care and that their information is not misused,” Sen. Cassidy wrote. “Despite IDHS’ role in helping vulnerable communities, its repeated failures to implement basic security processes highlight IDHS’ disregard of its responsibility to over 4.6 million Illinois residents.”

 

HHS Personnel Changes – Several notable personnel changes were announced at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last week.

• HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and General Counsel Mike Stewart will not remain in their current positions, but are reportedly being offered other jobs within the administration.
• Arman Sharma has been hired as the Deputy Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. Sharma is a recent Stanford University graduate. During his time in school, he co-authored a book on the economics of medicine with current National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya.
• Director of the Center for Medicare Chris Klomp is the new chief counselor at HHS and in charge of overseeing all Department operations. He will retain his current role as well while reporting to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. HHS Chief of Staff Matt Buckham will become Senior Counselor for Operations and Personnel, and HHS Chief Policy Adviser Ken Callahan will become Senior Counselor for Policy. Both will report to Klomp.
• At the Food and Drug Administration, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Kyle Diamantas and Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs Grace Graham have been appointed senior counselors. They will also remain in their current roles.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer John Brooks will also serve as senior counselor while remaining in his current role.

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.3809 — A bill to authorize the Director of the National Science Foundation to identify grand challenges and award competitive prizes for artificial intelligence research and development; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

H.Res.1043 — Expressing support for the designation of February 2026 as “American Heart Month”; Sponsor: Beatty, Joyce [Rep.-D-OH-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7417 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the WISEWOMAN program; Sponsor: Beatty, Joyce [Rep.-D-OH-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7434 —To authorize the Director of the National Science Foundation to identify grand challenges and award competitive prizes for artificial intelligence research and development; Sponsor: Lieu, Ted [Rep.-D-CA-36]; Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.7444 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect access to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Pappas, Chris [Rep.-D-NH-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7451 — To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to discontinue the H-1B program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7453 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make sex offenders ineligible for the refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan and to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to make sex offenders ineligible for Federally funded medical assistance under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

S.3812 — A bill to require the Secretary of Labor to issue guidance and regulations regarding opioid overdose reversal medication and employee training; Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3816 —A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permit a private cause of action for damages in the case of a group health plan which fails to provide for primary payment or appropriate reimbursement; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.- R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3822 — A bill to prohibit pharmacy benefit managers, insurers, and prescription drug or medical device wholesalers from being under common ownership with certain medical service providers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warren, Elizabeth [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

H.Res.1050 — Expressing support for the designation of September 19, 2026, as “Black Autism Acceptance and Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7465 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a demonstration program to award grants to States to improve the provision of recommended immunizations for children, adolescents, and adults through the use of mobile vaccination units, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7478 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish certain standards and requirements with respect to financial assistance and medical debt collection for hospitals participating in the Medicare program, and to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program for purposes of medical debt relief; Sponsor: Vasquez, Gabe [Rep.-D-NM-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7479 — To require the Secretary of Labor to issue guidance and regulations regarding opioid overdose reversal medication and employee training; Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

S.Res.604 — A resolution recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender and nonbinary people under the law and ensure their access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic security; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3826 — A bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to increase transparency and oversight of third-party litigation funding in certain actions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3829 — A bill to prevent exploitative private equity practices, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warren, Elizabeth [Sen.- D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3834 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the scope of practitioners eligible for payment for telehealth services under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Daines, Steve [Sen.-R-MT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3840 — A bill to provide for the designation of areas as Health Investment Zones to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes in such areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.3848 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish information on expenditures under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R- SC]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3853 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to end the liability shield for vaccine manufacturers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Paul, Rand [Sen.-R-KY]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1058 — Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender and nonbinary people under the law and ensure their access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic security; Sponsor: Jayapal, Pramila [Rep.-D-WA-7]; Committees: House

– Judiciary; Education and Workforce; Energy and Commerce; Financial Services; Oversight and Government Reform; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs; House Administration

 

H.Res.1060 — Expressing support for the designation of April 5, 2026, as “Barth Syndrome Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Tonko, Paul [Rep.-D-NY-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7482 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to fund prize competitions to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smith, Christopher H. [Rep.- R-NJ-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7486 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for support to facility-based providers through contracts with quality improvement organizations; Sponsor: Beyer, Donald S. [Rep.-D-VA-8]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.7496 — To provide for the designation of areas as Health Investment Zones to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes in such areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Harder, Josh [Rep.-D-CA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.7497 — To amend the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to improve trauma support services and mental health care for children and youth in educational settings, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hayes, Jahana [Rep.-D-CT- 5];Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.7514 — To authorize rural health facilities to use certain Federal agricultural credit assistance for the purpose of refinancing debt obligations, updating necessary services, technology, and equipment, and supporting ancillary needs; Sponsor: Salinas, Andrea [Rep.-D-OR-6]; Committees: House – Agriculture

 

S.Con.Res.27 — A concurrent resolution celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the Army Nurse Corps; Sponsor: Wicker, Roger F. [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Armed Services

 

S.3869 — A bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families; Sponsor: Sanders, Bernard [Sen.-I-VT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3872 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for wigs as durable medical equipment under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3883 — A bill to remove linguistic barriers to participation in Gun Violence Prevention Strategies; Sponsor: Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [Sen.-D-NY]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3886 — A bill to establish total nurse staffing hours per resident day, to require 24-hour use of registered professional nurses in nursing homes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Wyden, Ron [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.J.Res.149 — Recognizing the 125th anniversary of the Army Nurse Corps, expressing gratitude for members of the Army Nurse Corps for their service to the Nation, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Joyce, David P. [Rep.-R-OH-14]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.7520 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to delay the implementation of an efficiency adjustment to work relative value units under the Medicare physician fee schedule; Sponsor: Estes, Ron [Rep.-R-KS-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

H.R.7528 — To amend section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to enhance the ability of outsourcing facilities to mitigate drug shortages by allowing a short-term period to continue supplying the market after a drug is in shortage; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7531 — To allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families; Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce; House Administration; Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.7535 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require coverage of 12 mental health telehealth visits per calendar year for certain previously incarcerated individuals under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Foushee, Valerie P. [Rep.-D-NC-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7537 — To prevent exploitative private equity practices, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Goodlander, Maggie [Rep.- D-NH-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Judiciary; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7546 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for wigs as durable medical equipment under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McGovern, James P. [Rep.-D-MA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7558 — To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly adopt and use interoperable image-sharing software technology for the purpose of sharing medical images and related data at medical facilities of the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schweikert, David [Rep.-R- AZ-1]; Committees: House – Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

Partial Shutdown Ends with Most Federal Agencies Funded Through Sept. 30 – Congress approved a spending package (H.R. 7148) on Tuesday to end the partial government shutdown that had commenced January 31, completing the fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations process for nearly all federal agencies. The $1.2 trillion funding package was passed in a bipartisan 217-214 vote. The bill included funding for Defense, Financial Services, Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, National Security-State, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development through September 30, along with funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 13. The agreement provides lawmakers with additional time to negotiate reforms to the DHS bill in light of recent events in Minneapolis involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

 

The package contains nearly $117 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in line with FY 2025 funding levels and rejecting the deeper cuts to HHS proposed by the President’s budget request. The legislation also includes provisions to reform the pharmacy benefit manager industry and extensions of key health care programs, such as the Medicare dependent hospital program, Medicare telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, and virtual cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services. The package also contains approximately $16 billion in congressionally directed spending, with health care related earmarks set to receive $986 million.

 

Cassidy Probes 340B Prime Vendor Apexus – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD is requesting details about the business and revenue generation practices of 340B drug pricing program prime vendor Apexus. The letter is the latest step in Sen. Cassidy’s investigation into the 340B program. Apexus has held an exclusive contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration as the sole 340B prime vendor since 2004. The letter highlights the rapid growth of the 340B program since that time, raising questions about where revenue is generated and whether it is being used for the original intent of the program. Cassidy poses questions to the company regarding its revenue and compensation structure, “share back” practices, organizational structure and internal access controls for 340B data, relationship with parent company Vizient, engagement with regulators, and role in increasing 340B utilization.

 

Latest Congressional Retirements – Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) announced that he will not seek reelection this year. Rep. Loudermilk has served in Congress for more than a decade. He currently sits on the House Finance Services Committee and the Committee on House Administration. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) also announced his plans to retire at the end of his term. Rep. Amodei has served in Congress since 2011. He is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. The House of Representatives Press Gallery casualty list tallying members who are retiring or seeking other office can be found here.

 

Christian Menefee Sworn in to House of Representatives – Texas Democrat Christian Menefee was sworn in to the House of Representatives last week. Menefee recently won a special election to represent Texas’ 18^th congressional district, a seat that has been vacant since Sylvester Turner died in March 2025. He campaigned on a progressive platform that included support for the establishment of a Medicare for All single-payer health care system. Rep. Menefee’s swearing in brings the balance of power in the House to 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats.

 

New GAO Report on FDA Staffing Struggles – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a new report detailing the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) struggle to recruit, retain, and train staff, and the subsequent impact on the agency’s ability to conduct inspections. The staffing issues have arisen despite an increase in FDA funding from 2008 through 2024, money largely stemming from user fees paid by regulated industries. Nevertheless, GAO reports that in 2024, for example, FDA was not able to complete as many drug inspections as it had in prior years. The agency has also faced challenges managing other resources, such as its information technology systems for collecting safety and quality complaints.

 

GAO to Review ACIP’s Hep B Vaccine Recommendation Change – The GAO has agreed to conduct a review of the recent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) decision to no longer recommend a universal hepatitis B birth dose vaccine. The agency stated that it will examine “matters relating to public-health, economic, and equity impacts” in its acceptance letter to lawmakers. The GAO report was requested by Reps. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Kim Schrier, MD (D-Wash.), and 108 other Democratic lawmakers who argue that ACIP’s decision was “rooted in reckless conspiracy theories, not science.”

 

Moolenaar Highlights Chinese Control of U.S. Medical Technology – Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) has sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding a Chinese pharmaceutical company’s investment in FastWave Medical, a U.S. developer of laser-based intravascular lithotripsy technology. Rep. Moolenaar chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. He expresses concerns related to national security and urges the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, led by Secretary Bessent, to take immediate action. “Grand Pharma’s predatory investment in FastWave jeopardizes dozens of U.S. engineering and manufacturing jobs, undermines the availability of this life-saving technology for American patients, and weakens U.S. competitiveness in medical innovation,” Moolenaar’s letter states.

 

Grassley Urges More Timely  Suicide-Related Followup Care – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has written to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD to address the findings contained in the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report entitled, Most Children Enrolled in Medicaid Did Not Receive Timely Suicide-Related Followup Care. The OIG discovered that in half of the 258,458 unique hospitalizations or child emergency department visits for suicidal ideations or behaviors in 2023, children did not receive a follow-up visit in the week following being discharged. He requests a response by February 28 detailing what steps CMS has taken in response to the report, whether CMS will require Medicaid programs to ensure children are seen for a follow-up within seven days of treatment for suicide ideations, whether there are systems in place for hospitals to communicate their need for additional assistance with these issues, and whether CMS plans to develop or promote training models for providers to recognize and manage suicidal risk among children while they await specialist care.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing “Opportunities with VHA Reorganization;” 10:15 a.m.; February 11

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the Prescription Drug Supply Chain;” 10:15 a.m.; February 11

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging “Hearings to Examine How Washington’s Rules Drove Physicians Out of Medicine;” 3:00 p.m.; February 11

 

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee “Hearings to Examine Building a 21st Century VA Health Care System, Focusing on Assessing the Next Generation of VA’s Community Care Network;” 4:00 p.m.; February 11

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.7277 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide Medicare coverage of ambulance services that do not include transportation; Sponsor: Balint, Becca [Rep.-D-VT-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7279 — To provide for a wage differential program to support new nursing school faculty members; Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7286 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to revoke the tax-exempt status of organizations that provide, or provide funding for, abortion; Sponsor: Hageman, Harriet M. [Rep.-R-WY-At Large]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.7289 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish an advisory committee on training in community health centers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Johnson, Julie [Rep.-D-TX-32]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7291 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to establish a board to review certain designations that a substance used in food is generally recognized as safe, with respect to the intended use of such substance, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.3758 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make opioid overdose rescue medications available to veterans and their caregivers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3757 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish fair and consistent eligibility requirements for graduate medical schools operating outside the United States and Canada; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3762 — A bill to amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for prior authorization reforms under the Medicare Advantage program; Sponsor: Whitehouse, Sheldon [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3763 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage of ALS-related services under the Medicare program for individuals diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murkowski, Lisa [Sen.-R-AK]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3767 — A bill to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to elevate the position of Director of the Indian Health Service within the Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant Secretary for Indian Health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cortez Masto, Catherine [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Indian Affairs

 

H.R.7324 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand eligibility for incentives under the Medicare health professional shortage area bonus program to practitioners furnishing mental health and substance use disorder services; Sponsor: Budzinski, Nikki [Rep.-D-IL-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7335 — To require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to perform an initial health screening on detainees, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Homeland Security

 

H.R.7336 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage of ALS-related services under the Medicare program for individuals diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.3771 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to codify the requirements for appointment, qualifications, and pay for the therapeutic medical physicists of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.Res.1037 — Expressing support for the designation of February 4, 2026, as “National Cancer Prevention Day”; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1039 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7351 — To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to nurses working in certain facilities; Sponsor: Beyer, Donald S. [Rep.-D-VA-8]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7352 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program to develop innovative antimicrobial drugs targeting the most challenging pathogens and most threatening infections, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Budget

 

H.R.7366 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify and affirm the preemptive authority of the Food and Drug Administration over dietary supplement regulation, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Langworthy, Nicholas A. [Rep.-R-NY-23]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7385 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to establish a grant program related to pre-exposure prophylaxis, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.3783 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish a Mental and Behavioral Health Career Promotion Grant Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3788 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require drug labeling to include original manufacturer and supply chain information; Sponsor: Scott, Rick [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

 

S.3794 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to further regulate compounding pharmacies and outsourcing facilities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3797 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish new prohibited acts relating to dietary supplements; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3799 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the Healthy Start Initiative; Sponsor: Marshall, Roger [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.R.7391 — To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure that Federally-qualified health centers are not required to pay more than the 340B ceiling price for covered outpatient drugs at the time of purchase; Sponsor: Bergman, Jack [Rep.-R-MI-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7394 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish a Mental and Behavioral Health Career Promotion Grant Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Balint, Becca [Rep.-D-VT-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7407 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish new prohibited acts relating to dietary supplements; Sponsor: Pallone, Frank [Rep.-D-NJ-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7409 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the geographic reclassification of certain hospitals under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Taylor, David J. [Rep.-R-OH-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.7411 — To expand the telescreening mammography pilot program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Thompson, Glenn [Rep.-R-PA-15]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

Partial Government Shutdown Likely to Continue into Tuesday – The Senate passed compromise government funding legislation (H.R. 7148) on Friday in a bipartisan 71-29 vote. The deal struck between President Donald Trump and Senate Democrats includes Defense, Financial Services, Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, National Security-State, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development funding through September 30, along with funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 13. The agreement provides lawmakers with additional time to negotiate reforms to the DHS bill in light of recent events in Minneapolis involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

 

The package contains nearly $117 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in line with fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding levels and rejecting the deeper cuts to HHS proposed by the President’s budget request. The legislation also includes provisions to reform the pharmacy benefit manager industry and extensions of key health care programs, such as the Medicare dependent hospital program, Medicare telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, and virtual cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services. The Senate package also contains approximately $16 billion in congressionally directed spending, with health care related earmarks set to receive $986 million.

 

While the deal averts a lengthy government shutdown, a partial shutdown did go into effect early Saturday morning. The House of Representatives will take up the spending package when it returns to session on Monday, but House Democrats informed GOP leadership over the weekend that they will not help fast-track passage of the funding package to reopen the government. As a result, passage of the package through regular order is not expected until Tuesday at the earliest.

 

Bipartisan Talks on ACA Tax Credits Stall – Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have presented Democrats with their “best and final offer” to extend and modify the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced advance premium tax credits. Sens. Moreno and Collins have led the recent bipartisan negotiations, featuring roughly a dozen other senators, to extend the enhanced subsidies that expired at the end of 2025. The proposal pitched by Moreno and Collins would extend the tax credits for three years, with the first year continuing along the status quo; the credits would then be phased out while providing for an on-ramp to the expansion of a health savings account option during the second and third year. The proposal also includes an across-the-board minimum $5 premium, 700% federal poverty level income cap on eligibility, and funding for cost-sharing reduction payments. It also proposes audits to ensure compliance with the Hyde Amendment, restricting the use of federal dollars for abortion services, and the creation of new fines for insurers that deliberately enroll unqualified individuals. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who has helped negotiate on behalf of Democrats, has responded that the proposal does not represent a bipartisan deal and suggested a return to a full, two-year enhanced tax credit extension. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), another Democratic negotiator, has also raised concerns about the plan’s failure to recognize that the Hyde Amendment already applies to the ACA market.

 

HELP Republicans Launch Fraud Task Force – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) and Republican members of the panel Ashley Moody (Fla.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (Kan.), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Jon Husted (Ohio), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.), and Tim Scott (S.C.) have announced the formation of a task force to eliminate fraud in federal spending. The new group’s anti-fraud efforts will be based on subject matter, with Sens. Moody and Marshall leading the work in the health care space. The launch of the task force follows reports of fraud and abuse related to federal child care funding in Minnesota, as well as the committee’s creation of an online portal for Americans to report fraud involving taxpayer dollars.

 

Surgeon General Nomination Hearing Expected Later This Month – The Senate HELP Committee will reportedly hold a confirmation hearing for U.S. Surgeon General nominee Casey Means, on February 25. The hearing was originally scheduled for last November but was postponed due to the nominee’s pregnancy. Means is a medical doctor, wellness influencer, and co-founder of the bio wearables and health-tracking company Levels. She graduated medical school but dropped out of her surgical residency in her fifth year, opting to open a functional medicine practice. Means was tapped for the position of surgeon general last May after the White House withdrew the nomination of former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat.

 

Florida Rep. Buchanan to Retire After Two Decades in Congress – Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), 74, has announced that he will not seek reelection this year. Rep. Buchanan has served in the House of Representatives for 20 years. He currently serves as the vice chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and as the chair of its Subcommittee on Health.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures;” 10:00 a.m.; February 3

 

House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing “Building an AI-Ready America: Adopting AI at Work;” 10:15 a.m.; February 3

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing “Common Schemes, Real Harm: Examining Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid;” 10:30 a.m.; February 3

 

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing “Independent Spirits: Veteran Health & Healing through Adaptive Sports;” 4:00 p.m.; February 4

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.1019 – Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and their critical role in providing quality health care for the public and our Nation’s Armed Forces, for more than 150 years and through multiple public health emergencies and beyond; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7237 – To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that a woman seeking a chemical abortion is made aware of the risks involved, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Stutzman, Marlin A. [Rep.-R-IN-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.J.Res.103 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to “Reproductive Health Services”; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3690 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to remove certain age restrictions on Medicaid eligibility for working adults with disabilities; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3692 — A bill to provide for the inclusion of virtual diabetes prevention program suppliers in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Expanded Model, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3697 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the approval of new abortion drugs, to prohibit investigational use exemptions for abortion drugs, and to impose additional regulatory requirements with respect to previously approved abortion drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hyde-Smith, Cindy [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3698 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require that group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance that provide coverage for mental health services and substance use disorder services provide such services without the imposition of cost-sharing from the diagnosis of pregnancy through the 1-year period following such pregnancy, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3703 — A bill to amend the Veterans’ Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 and the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 to improve the temporary licensure requirements for contract health care professionals who perform medical disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Husted, Jon [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3706 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the provision of produce prescriptions to veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3707 — A bill to provide for a wage differential program to support new nursing school faculty members; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.J.Res.144 — Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to “Reproductive Health Services”; Sponsor: Brownley, Julia [Rep.-D-CA-26]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7267 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the provision of produce prescriptions to veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Pingree, Chellie [Rep.-D-ME-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.Res.590 — A resolution designating January 23, 2026, as “Maternal Health Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3712 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct, and submit to Congress a report describing the results of, a study on the use of home cardiorespiratory monitors for infants, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hyde-Smith, Cindy [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3714 — A bill to amend title V of the Social Security Act to extend funding for the family-to-family health information centers; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3716 — A bill to set forth limitations on exclusive approval or licensure of drugs designated for rare diseases or conditions; Sponsor: Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3729 — A bill to require the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) submit to Congress two reports on agreements with pharmacy benefit managers with respect to prescription drug plans and MA-PD plans; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3730 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide Medicare coverage of ambulance services that do not include transportation; Sponsor: Welch, Peter [Sen.-D-VT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3739 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a demonstration project on coverage by the Department of Veterans Affairs of over-the-counter hearing aids, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3741 — A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to promulgate regulations to improve nucleic acid synthesis security, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

S.3750 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish provider directory requirements, and to provide accountability for provider directory accuracy, under Medicare Advantage; Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3751 — A bill to require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and submit a report on price-related compensation and payment structures in the prescription drug supply chain; Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update – Congress has continued moving the appropriations process forward ahead of the January 30th deadline to avert a government shutdown, address health extenders, and fund federal agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2026. The following annual appropriations bills have been signed into law: Agriculture-Rural Development-Food and Drug Administration, Legislative Branch, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior-Environment. The House of Representatives has also passed a Financial Services and General Government/National Security-Department of State minibus package; a Defense, Labor-Health and Human Services (L-HHS), Transportation-Housing and Urban Development minibus package, and a separate Homeland Security funding bill (H.R. 7147).

 

The bipartisan Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 7148) containing the L-HHS agreement and health extenders passed the House on Thursday in a 341-88 bipartisan vote. It contains nearly $117 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in line with FY 2025 funding levels and rejecting the deeper cuts to HHS proposed by the President’s budget request. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) would receive $48.7 billion, providing a modest increase. The report language contains new guardrails around the use of multi-year funding by NIH, and would prohibit altering “the manner in which negotiated indirect cost rates have been implemented and applied under NIH regulations.”

 

The LHHS spending bill also includes provisions to reform the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry, including new pricing and distribution disclosure requirements and provisions to delink PBMs’ compensation from the cost of Medicare prescription drugs. The package also extends key health care programs, such as the Medicare dependent hospital program, Medicare telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, and virtual cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services.

 

The likelihood of a partial government shutdown increased over the weekend, with Senate Democrats vowing to oppose funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the wake of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shooting in Minneapolis on Saturday. The chamber had been expected to take up a six-bill spending package (including both LHHS and DHS funding) in the coming days. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has stated that Democrats will not help advance the package as long as it includes DHS funding. Democratic support will be required to clear the 60-vote procedural threshold. The situation is further complicated by the winter storm affecting much of the country, keeping the chamber out of session until at least Tuesday.

 

New Congressional Report Alleges Violation of Antitrust Law by CVS Health – Republican leadership of the House Judiciary Committee has released an interim staff report detailing the results of an investigation that began in 2024 into the business operations of CVS Health. The report accuses the company of possible violations of antitrust law, alleging that CVS discouraged independent pharmacies from working with competitor companies. The committee details how CVS acted to stifle innovation and reduce competition from hub pharmacies. According to documents produced to the committee, CVS “developed plans to establish its own suite of digital pharmacy services and then, instead of competing with hubs on the merits of their services, prevented independent pharmacies from using pharmacy services from hubs.”

 

GOP Lawmakers to Investigate MN Medicaid Fraud – Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have opened an investigation into recent findings of Medicaid fraud in the state of Minnesota. Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), John Joyce, MD (R-Pa.), and Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) have sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz requesting information related to the state’s efforts to combat Medicaid fraud. “The swath of criminal schemes coming to light in Minnesota include overbilling, false records, identity theft, and phantom claims in Medicaid social service and health programs for the elderly and disabled, people struggling with addiction, and homelessness,” the letter states. “To inform the committee’s oversight and potential legislative reforms, we are examining the extent of Medicaid fraud in Minnesota and actions the state has taken, and is taking, to strengthen program integrity.” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) also announced plans last week to expand his panel’s investigation into findings of fraud on Minnesota’s social services programs. He is requesting that the Temporary Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services appear for a transcribed interview before the end of the month.

 

Eleanor Holmes Norton Ends Reelection Campaign – D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), 88, will not seek reelection in November. Norton has served as the District of Columbia’s nonvoting delegate in the House of Representatives for more than three decades. Her campaign filed a termination notice with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend. She currently sits on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing “Building a 21st Century VA Health Care System: Assessing Efforts to Restructure the Veterans Health Administration;” 4:00 p.m.; January 28

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Truth in Labeling: Americans Deserve to Know Where Their Drugs Come From;” 9:30 a.m.; January 29

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.7145 —To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to establish a definition of essential health system in statute and for other related purposes. Sponsor: Trahan, Lori [Rep.-D-MA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1010 — Recognizing 2026 as “The Year of The Power of Nurses” in Celebration of the 130th Anniversary of the American Nurses Association; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7147 — Making further consolidated appropriations for the Dept. of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cole, Tom [Rep.-R-OK-4]; Committees: House – Appropriations; Budget

 

H.R.7148 — Making further consolidated appropriations for LHHS/Defense/THUD for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and health extenders; Sponsor: Cole, Tom [Rep.-R-OK-4]; Committees: House – Appropriations; Budget; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7164 — To expand cost-sharing reductions with respect to qualified health plans offered through an Exchange, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schrier, Kim [Rep.-D-WA-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.7165 —To amend section 495 of the Public Health Service Act to require inspections of foreign laboratories conducting biomedical and behavioral research to ensure compliance with applicable animal welfare requirements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1013 — Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to establish a Permanent Select Committee on Aging; Sponsor: Magaziner, Seth [Rep.-D-RI-2]; Committees: House – Rules

 

H.R.7170 —To remove linguistic barriers to participation in Gun Violence Prevention Strategies; Sponsor: Chu, Judy [Rep.-D-CA-28]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7171 — To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to award grants for providing legal resources for petitioners seeking extreme risk protection orders, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Chu, Judy [Rep.-D-CA-28]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7173 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure scientific integrity in the activities of the National Institutes of Health and prevent the diversion of funds to politically driven activities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeGette, Diana [Rep.-D-CO-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7177 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination by abortion against an unborn child on the basis of Turner syndrome; Sponsor: Feenstra, Randy [Rep.-R-IA-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.7181 — To amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to clarify the exemption for replacement parts, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hudson, Richard [Rep.-R-NC-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7184 — To amend the Controlled Substances Act to prevent the importation of illicit pill press machines with the intent to counterfeit substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McDowell, Addison P. [Rep.-R-NC-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.7189 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for certain HIV prevention services furnished by pharmacists under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.Res.1017 — Recognizing the threat of air pollution and extreme heat to maternal and infant health, and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that meaningful interventions must be rapidly and equitably developed and deployed to address the unique vulnerabilities of pregnancy in Latino communities; Sponsor: Barragán, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7196 — To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to prohibit the Council of the District of Columbia from enacting any law to permit euthanasia and assisted suicide in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Barrett, Tom [Rep.-R-MI-7]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.7198 —To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the designation of general surgery shortage areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bera, Ami [Rep.-D-CA-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7199 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a burial allowance for certain veterans who die at home while in receipt of hospice care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Bergman, Jack [Rep.-R-MI-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.7212 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the regulation of cannabinoid hemp products, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Griffith, H. Morgan [Rep.-R-VA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.7227 — To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require that group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance that provide coverage for mental health services and substance use disorder services provide such services without the imposition of cost-sharing from the diagnosis of pregnancy through the 1-year period following such pregnancy, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moore, Gwen [Rep.-D-WI-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means; Oversight and Government Reform