Month: August 2025

HHS to Establish New Healthcare Advisory Committee/Seeks Applicants – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the establishment of the new Healthcare Advisory Committee last week. The Committee will be charged with making recommendations directly to the HHS Secretary on improving how care is financed and delivered across Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health Insurance Marketplace. “This is a moment for action,” said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD. “This committee will help us cut waste, reduce paperwork, expand preventive care, and modernize CMS programs with real-time data and accountability, all while keeping patients at the center. We are calling on experts across the country to join us in this effort to help us Make America Healthy Again.” The administration is inviting individuals with expertise in chronic disease prevention and management, federally administered health care financing, and delivery system reform to apply to serve on the committee by September 22. According to HHS, the new panel will focus on:

• Actionable policy initiatives to promote chronic disease prevention and management;
• Opportunities for a regulatory framework of accountability for safety and outcomes that reduces unnecessary red tape and allows providers to focus on improving patient health;
• Levers to advance a real-time data system, enabling a new standard of excellence in care, rapid claims processing, rapid quality measurement, and rewards;
• Structural opportunities to improve quality for the most vulnerable in the Medicaid program; and
• Sustainability of the Medicare Advantage program, identifying opportunities to modernize risk adjustment and quality measures to assess and improve health outcomes.

 

Texas’ Doggett, Roy Announce Retirements from Congress – Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) announced last week that he will not seek reelection in 2026 if Republicans in the Texas state legislature proceed with their plans to redistrict. Doggett would face Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) in the race for the state’s 35^th Congressional District under the redrawn map.  Doggett, 78, has served in the House of Representatives since 1995 and currently serves as Ways and Means Health Subcommittee ranking member. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) has launched a bid for Texas attorney general. Roy, a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus, has served in Congress since 2019. He is a member of the Judiciary, Rules, and Budget committees.

 

New Analysis Details HHS Reductions in Force – A new analysis from ProPublica examining cuts to federal health agencies found that over 20,500 HHS employees or 18% of the HHS workforce – have been lost since January. This includes 15% of staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 16% of staff at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 21% of staff at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The report further details cuts to FDA regulators, vaccine regulators, CDC scientists, chronic disease experts, NIH research staff, and infectious diseases researchers.

 

Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee Bobby Scott (D-Va.) sent a letter to Chair Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) on Wednesday to follow up on a previous request for an oversight hearing on the administration’s proposed HHS reorganization and related layoffs at the Department.  “We have not yet received comprehensive information from HHS regarding the impacts of the proposed reorganization and the reductions in force undertaken by the Department,” Rep. Scott wrote. “These actions threaten the core functions of essential programs.”

 

HHS Launches New MAHA Website – HHS has launched a new webpage to track the Trump administration’s progress on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. The online tool specifically highlights actions taken by HHS related to the first MAHA report, petroleum-based food dyes, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) standards, Operation Stork Speed, the cause of autism, trust in vaccine safety, dietary guidelines, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reform, and efforts to bring radical transparency to the department. The website also includes an interactive map of new MAHA aligned state policies along with details on Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s tour across the nation.

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.656 — Condemning the tragic act of gun violence on July 28, 2025, in New York City that led to one of the deadliest mass shootings in the city’s history, and calling for stronger, comprehensive Federal action to prevent gun violence nationwide; Sponsor: Goldman, Daniel S. [Rep.-D-NY-10]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.Res.657 — Affirming the President’s promise not to raise the Social Security and Medicare retirement age; Sponsor: Kaptur, Marcy [Rep.-D-OH-9]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4977 —To identify and address barriers to coverage of remote physiologic devices under State Medicaid programs to improve maternal and child health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women. Sponsor: Frankel, Lois [Rep.-D-FL-22]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4979 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to award grants to States to implement a tick identification pilot program; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4980 — To establish a comprehensive national vector-borne disease prevention system; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4981 — To provide for the issuance of a Lyme Disease Research Semipostal Stamp; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4991 — To prohibit the disposition of a firearm to, and the possession of a firearm by, an adult who, while a juvenile who had attained 15 years of age but not 18 years of age, committed an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult; Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4993 — Joe Fiandra Access to Home Infusion Act of 2025; Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [Rep.-R-PA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5003 — Equal Treatment of the District of Columbia Under the Rural Health Transformation Program Act of 2025; Sponsor: Norton, Eleanor Holmes [Del.-D-DC-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

Doc Caucus Recommends USPSTF Reforms – Members of the GOP Doctors Caucus have sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) calling for a complete overhaul of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The letter, led by Rep. Diana Harshbarger, Pharm.D. (R-Tenn.) and Doc Caucus co-chair Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-N.C.), argues that the USPSTF has “allocated substantial attention to divisive social issues,” such as race and gender identity, “that extend beyond traditional clinical parameters.” The lawmakers also raise concerns related to USPSTF’s structure, including the lack of a mandate for the Task Force to be comprised of any specialty, resulting in the task force making recommendations in medical fields in which they have no practical knowledge. The Caucus recommends the creation of such a mandate, full transparency in how USPSTF’s decisions are made, and a renewed focus on public health outcomes rather than social issues.

 

House Democrats Raise Concerns with WISeR Model – A group of 17 Democrats in the House of Representatives have sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting more information about the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model. The model will allow for expanded use of prior authorization in the traditional Medicare program. The letter, led by Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) and Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), expresses concerns that WISeR will “likely limit beneficiaries’ access to care, increase burden on our already overburdened health care work force, and create perverse incentives to put profit over patients.” The model is set to begin on January 1, 2026, and run for six performance periods. It will apply to a list of outpatient procedures identified as vulnerable to fraud, waste and abuse, or inappropriate use for providers and patients in New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, and Washington. The letter highlights how the Trump administration has publicly recognized the problems with prior authorization and secured pledges from health insurers to curtail abuses of the practice. The lawmakers request a response from CMS with details about the model’s scope, implementation, and beneficiary safeguards by September 1.

 

President Signs Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Resiliency Order – President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to ensure a resilient domestic supply chain for essential medicines by filling the Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Reserve (SAPIR) with critical drug components. The order directs the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to develop a list of approximately 26 “critical drugs vital to national health and security” and to then fill the reserve with a six-month supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredients necessary to produce those medications. President Trump established the SAPIR during his first term amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week’s executive order also instructs ASPR to develop a proposal for opening a second SAPIR repository to further enhance pharmaceutical supply chain resilience.

 

RFK Jr. Revives Vaccine Safety Task Force – HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the reinstatement of the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines last week. The task force was first established in 1986. It was charged with promoting the development of effective immunizations that produce fewer serious adverse events and providing a related report to Congress every two years. The task force was disbanded in 1998 after issuing a report containing vaccine safety recommendations. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD will lead the revived task force, which will also include participation by leadership from the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “By reinstating this task force, we are reaffirming our commitment to rigorous science, continuous improvement and the trust of American families,” Dr. Bhattacharya said in a statement. “NIH is proud to lead this effort to advance vaccine safety and support innovation that protects children without compromise.” HHS has not provided further information about the membership of the task force, which will collaborate with the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines in the development of its recommendations.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups  

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee field hearing “Separating Fact from Fiction: Exploring Alternative Therapies for Veterans’ Mental Health;” Montevallo, AL; 12:00 p.m.; August 22

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation      

H.Res.641 — Expressing support for community health centers during National Health Center Week, August 3 through August 9, 2025, and encouraging all Americans to take part in this week by visiting their local community health center and celebrating the important partnership between America’s community health centers and the communities they serve; Sponsor: Davis, Donald G. [Rep.-D-NC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4918 — To authorize the Attorney General to carry out a pilot program to make grants to entities to develop gun safety technology, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4953 — To authorize a civil right of action for individuals on whom gender-related medical treatment was performed while such individual was a minor, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4958 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require notification to the Food and Drug Administration prior to use of substances as generally recognized as safe, reassessment of the safety of certain substances marketed as generally recognized as safe, provide resources for reviews and reassessments, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Pallone, Frank [Rep.-D-NJ-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4960 — BENES 2.0 Act – Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4963 — To provide for the rescheduling of marijuana into schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

Cassidy, Hassan Raise Concerns about UHG’s Failure to Protect Against Cyberattacks – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have sent a letter to UnitedHealth Group (UHG) regarding the February breach of Episource, a UnitedHealth subsidiary. The data breach impacted at least 5.4 million individuals, and occurred less than a year after the breach of United’s Change Healthcare – the largest breach of health data in U.S. history.  The lawmakers request information about how UHG has responded to the Episource and Change attacks and how it plans to prevent future incidents. “The hack on Episource…raises questions about the company’s commitment to securing protected health information, given the repeated security failures at the company,” the letter states. “The failure to properly secure internal systems is particularly troubling given the wide impact that the Change Healthcare attack had on the health care system.” The senators request a response from the company by August 18.

 

Democrats Urge Pause on WISeR Model – A group of 42 Democrats in the House of Representatives have sent a letter to the administration regarding a new initiative within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center to test the expansion of prior authorization in the traditional Medicare program. The letter, led by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) raises concerns about the potential impact of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model on quality of coverage in Medicare and urges the Innovation Center to immediately pause implementation of the model, which is set to begin on January 1, 2026. “We understand that CMMI has intentionally selected health care services that are reported to have limited clinical value and may be vulnerable to abuse in the Medicare program, and we support efforts to ensure Medicare remains a good steward of taxpayer dollars,” the lawmakers state. “However, the expansion of AI-fueled prior authorization will not improve program integrity in traditional Medicare.”

 

President Signs Order Aimed at Grantmaking Oversight – President Donald Trump signed an executive order (E.O.) on Thursday aimed at improving oversight of federal grantmaking. The E.O. directs federal agencies to designate a senior appointee responsible for creating a process to review new funding opportunity announcements and to review discretionary grants to ensure that they are consistent with the administration’s priorities. The order specifies that awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate (1) racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the grant recipient; (2) denial by the grant recipient of the sex binary in humans or the notion that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; (3) illegal immigration; or (4) any other initiatives that compromise public safety or promote anti-American values. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the federal government’s largest grantmaking agency; the National Institutes of Health, for example, has historically relied on a peer-review process to determine which research proposals receive funding.

 

FDA Announces End of IV Saline Solutions Shortage – Commissioner of Food and Drugs Marty Makary, MD announced last week that the nationwide shortage of certain IV saline solutions (sodium chloride 0.9% injection products) has officially ended. The products have been in shortage in recent years in the aftermath of Hurricanes Maria and Helene, which impacted manufacturing facilities. “For other IV fluids still in shortage, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working closely with manufacturers and will continue to monitor the supply to help ensure patients have access to the medicines they need,” Dr. Makary stated. “The FDA remains focused on doing all we can to help mitigate shortages and prevent them from occurring. We will continue working diligently to monitor supply levels, anticipate potential disruptions, and support a robust, secure, and transparent supply chain for medical products.”

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.4871 — To provide remedies to members of the uniformed services discharged for not complying with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Sponsor: Zinke, Ryan K. [Rep.-R-MT-1]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Armed Services

 

H.R.4858 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem adulterated food containing certain color additives, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Meng, Grace [Rep.-D-NY-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4855 —To improve the reproductive assistance provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses or partners, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Larsen, Rick [Rep.-D-WA-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services

 

H.R.4849 — To repeal health-related portions of An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Gray, Adam [Rep.-D-CA-13]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4844 — To establish an occupational safety and health standard to protect farmworkers from wildfire smoke and excessive heat, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Dexter, Maxine [Rep.-D-OR-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4841 — Stomach Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Act – To require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to conduct a review of the current state of stomach cancer incidence, prevention, screening, awareness, and future public health importance, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Chu, Judy [Rep.-D-CA-28]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4837 —To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand a directive of the Veterans Health Administration regarding informed consent to apply to certain types of medications. Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.Res.630 — Recognizing July 28, 2025, as “World Hepatitis Day”. Sponsor: Velázquez, Nydia M. [Rep.-D-NY-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.629 — Honoring the life of Dr. Paul Farmer by recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to adopt a 21st-century global health solidarity strategy and take actions to address past and ongoing harms that undermine the health and well-being of people around the world. Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs; Judiciary

 

S.2673 — A bill to require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to improve the transition of medics into the civilian workforce in certain health care occupations and to modify the assistance provided to separated members of the Armed Forces seeking employment with health care providers, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Kelly, Mark [Sen.-D-AZ]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2665 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for notification by manufacturers of critical drugs of increased demand, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Klobuchar, Amy [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2658 — A bill to require sponsors of drug applications and holders of approved applications to provide certain submissions and communications to the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2650 — A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the reallocation of unused waivers of the foreign residency requirement for certain J-visa holders. Sponsor: Ernst, Joni [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.2649 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to release accreditation surveys related to hospitals and psychiatric hospitals and certain information related to such surveys for psychiatric hospitals, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2645 — A bill to establish the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Peters, Gary C. [Sen.-D-MI]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

H.Res.639 — Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning August 3, 2025, as “National Health Center Week”, and encouraging all Americans to take part in the week by visiting their local health center and celebrating the important partnership between America’s community health centers and the communities they serve; Sponsor: Valadao, David G. [Rep.-R-CA-22]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.4876 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide abortion care, counseling, and related services and medication to certain individuals who receive health care furnished by the Secretary, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Brownley, Julia [Rep.-D-CA-26]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4882 — To establish a Gun Safety Board, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4883 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and maintain a local gun violence prevention laws database, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4886 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consideration of certain factors under the Veterans Community Care Program, to provide for expedited approval of certain requests for Veterans Care Agreements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Houchin, Erin [Rep.-R-IN-9]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4901 — To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the brave women who served in World War II as members of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and U.S. Navy Nurse Corps; Sponsor: Stefanik, Elise M. [Rep.-R-NY-21]; Committees: House – Financial Services; House Administration

 

H.R.4903 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to carry out, expand, and coordinate programs relating to plastic exposure health research, to authorize grants, contracts, and agreements with respect to such research, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Stevens, Haley M. [Rep.-D-MI-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

Appropriations Update – The Senate passed the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spending bill on Friday in an 87-9 vote as a part of a minibus package with the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs spending bill for FY 2026. Under the legislation, the FDA would receive $7.1 billion in funding, roughly in line with FY 2025 spending levels. The FY 2026 Labor-Health and Human Services (LHHS) spending bill was advanced by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week in a bipartisan 26-3 vote. The legislation totals $116.6 billion, a $446 million increase in discretionary funding over the current fiscal year. The bill increases funding for the National Institutes of Health by $400 million and maintains funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at current levels. The panel also advanced the FY 2026 Defense spending bill. Together, Defense and LHHS account for approximately two-thirds of federal discretionary spending. The LHHS bill text can be found here, a bill summary here, and the committee- report here.

 

The House of Representatives adjourned for August recess before releasing its FY 2026 LHHS appropriations proposal. House appropriators are currently expected to consider the LHHS bill the first week after reconvening on September 2. Lawmakers will return from their August recess next month with about four weeks to pass legislation to avoid a government shutdown. Without a broader government funding deal, there is a strong likelihood that Congress passes a short-term continuing resolution to extend funding for the federal government beyond September 30.

 

Susan Monarez Confirmed as CDC Director – The Senate confirmed Susan Monarez as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday in a 51-47 vote.  Monarez has worked in the federal government for two decades, most recently serving as the acting director of the CDC after working as the deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. During the first Trump administration, she served as deputy assistant secretary for strategy and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security. Monarez, who has a PhD in microbiology, is the first person without a medical degree to lead the CDC since 1953. She is also the first Senate-confirmed CDC director, following a statutory change made in 2022 requiring approval of the CDC director by the upper chamber.

 

HELP Marks Up Health, Reauthorization Bills – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a markup of several health-related bills on Wednesday. The panel advanced the following bills unanimously via an en bloc vote:

• The Over-the-Counter (OTC) Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments (S. 2292), to reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration’s authority to collect industry fees and review OTC drugs through October 1, 2030.
• The Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act (S. 2301), to reauthorize three grant programs for preventive screenings, telehealth services, and chronic disease management for underserved populations through 2030.
• The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act (S. 2398), to reauthorize programs to combat tick- and vector-borne diseases.
• The Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act (S. 1440), to expand leave for U.S. Public Health Service Commission Corps to be on par with other uniformed services.

 

HSGAC Advances Gain of Function Research Oversight Bill – The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) advanced legislation last week to establish a Life Sciences Research Security Board to provide oversight of gain-of-function research. The bipartisan Risky Research Review Act (S. 854) was approved in an 11-2 vote, with Democratic Sens. Andy Kim (N.J.) and Ruben Gallego (Ariz.) voting no. The oversight panel established by the bill would include nine members appointed by the president who serve terms up to eight years in duration. It would be responsible for reviewing research proposals involving enhanced pathogens with pandemic potential. The legislation, which was reintroduced by committee chair Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and ranking member Gary Peters (D-Mich.), was previously advanced by HSGAC last Congress but did not receive a Senate floor vote.

 

Administration Launches Health Tech Ecosystem Initiative – Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hosted a “Make Health Tech Great Again” event during which the Trump administration announced commitments by private sector health care and information technology firms – including Amazon, Anthropic, Apple, Google, and OpenAI – to support the creation of a patient-centric health care ecosystem through interoperability and user-friendly apps. The effort will focus on the promotion of a CMS Interoperability Framework to enable information sharing between patients and providers and increasing the availability of personalized health tools for patients.  The event featured the unveiling of voluntary criteria for trusted, patient-centered, and practical data exchange for all network types. CMS also announced plans to add an app library to Medicare.gov to spotlight trusted, personalized digital health tools. A full list of companies who have currently pledged their support for the initiative can be found here. The event followed a May 2025 request for information from CMS and the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy on ways to modernize the nation’s digital health ecosystem which received nearly 1,400 stakeholder responses. It also coincided with the 60th anniversary of the July 30, 1965, establishment of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Further information on CMS’ Health Technology Ecosystem initiative can be found here.

 

President Urges Implementation of Most Favored Nation Pricing – President Donald Trump has sent letters to the CEOs of 17 pharmaceutical companies urging them to lower drug prices and work with him to implement his executive order related to a most favored nation (MFN) drug pricing policy. The President requests the selected pharmaceutical companies to “bring down the prices of prescription drugs in the United States to match the lowest price offered in other developed nations” within the next 60 days through the following steps:

• Extending MFN pricing to Medicaid for all drugs;
• Guaranteeing MFN pricing for newly launched drugs for Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payers;
• Utilizing U.S. trade policy to raise prices internationally for all “foreign freeloading nations” and reinvesting revenues directly into lowering prices for American patients; and
• Participating in direct-to-consumer and/or direct-to-business distribution models for high-volume, high-rebate prescription drugs to ensure MFN pricing.

The letters warn that if companies “refuse to step up” within this time frame, the administration “will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices.” Merck, Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, Gilead Sciences, EMD Serono, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Genentech, Johnson & Johnson, GSK, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Sanofi received letters from the President.

 

External Experts Cut from ACIP Working Groups – The CDC has informed outside experts that they will no longer be invited to help review vaccine data and develop recommendations for consideration by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). As a result, liaison organizations will not be allowed participate in the private deliberations of the ACIP working group process, though they will still be able to participate in the panel’s open public meetings. Bloomberg Government has reported that the email informing the liaisons of the change characterized the outside groups as biased “based on their constituency and/or population that they represent.”

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.4773 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a SNF-at-home program under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Smith, Adrian [Rep.-R-NE-3]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4770 — To amend chapter 6 of title 5, United States Code, to provide additional requirements for the periodic review of rules, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schweikert, David [Rep.-R-AZ-1]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Small Business

 

H.R.4768 — To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve dependent coverage under the TRICARE Young Adult Program; Sponsor: Ryan, Patrick [Rep.-D-NY-18]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.4762 — To prohibit the export of drugs and prosthetics to the Russian Federation; Sponsor: Luttrell, Morgan [Rep.-R-TX-8]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

H.Res.612 — Sponsor: Mast, Brian J. [Rep.-R-FL-21]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.Res.611 — Expressing the importance of accurate information for medical professionals treating pregnant women and their unborn children in the emergency department, and for informing the general public, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cammack, Kat [Rep.-R-FL-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.2483 — A bill to provide that members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices may not be terminated except for cause and to require the immediate reinstatement of the members of such advisory committee; Sponsor: Blunt Rochester, Lisa [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2482 —A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to reduce the distance required for the Secretary of Defense to reimburse travel expenses relating to specialty care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Heinrich, Martin [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Armed Services

 

S.Res.343 — A resolution recognizing the important work of the United States Preventive Services Task Force; Sponsor: King, Angus S., Jr. [Sen.-I-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2524 — A bill to amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal the prohibition on making payments under the Medicaid program to certain entities; Sponsor: Smith, Tina [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2521 — A bill to allow participants in the National Health Service Corps to defer their obligated service in order to receive training in palliative care services; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2519 — A bill to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit the inclusion of medical debt on a consumer report, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

 

S.2518 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise payment for air ambulance services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2514 — A bill to authorize appropriation of funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2513 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to transparency and reporting regarding over-the-counter drug monograph activities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2497 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require a separate identification number and an attestation for each off-campus outpatient department of a provider; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2496 — A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to provide for continuous eligibility for certain children under the Medicaid program and the Children’s Health Insurance Program; Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2493 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve matters relating to medical examinations for veterans disability compensation, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2491 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve the regulatory review process to determine the safety and effectiveness of nonprescription drugs intended for topical administration, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2490 — A bill to improve the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.620 — Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Medicaid; Sponsor: Evans, Gabe [Rep.-R-CO-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.619 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “Minority Mental Health Awareness Month” and recognizing the disproportionate impacts of mental health conditions and struggles on minority populations and communities; Sponsor: Crockett, Jasmine [Rep.-D-TX-30]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.617 — Supporting the goals and ideals of Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4827 — To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit the inclusion of medical debt on a consumer report, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5]; Committees: House – Financial Services

 

H.R.4821 — To authorize the appropriation of funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention; Sponsor: Strickland, Marilyn [Rep.-D-WA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4807 — To amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal certain changes to provider taxes under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4805 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the long-term physiological and psychological effects of military aviation veterans who served as aviators in the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kiggans, Jennifer A. [Rep.-R-VA-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4796 — To amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal the prohibition on making payments under the Medicaid program to certain entities; Sponsor: Friedman, Laura [Rep.-D-CA-30]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4792 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise payment for air ambulance services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Estes, Ron [Rep.-R-KS-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.2556 — A bill to repeal the changes made by the health subtitle of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schumer, Charles E. [Sen.-D-NY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2546 — A bill to provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs; Sponsor: Coons, Christopher A. [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Energy and Natural Resources

 

S.2540 — A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program of the Department of Justice; Sponsor: Whitehouse, Sheldon [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.2534 — A bill to improve the reproductive assistance provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses or partners, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2531 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to increase early detection of and intervention for uterine fibroids, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2529 — A bill to increase the clarity and predictability of the process for developing applications for Rx-to-nonprescription switches; Sponsor: Husted, Jon [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.358 — A resolution honoring the life of Dr. Paul Farmer by recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to adopt a 21st century global health solidarity strategy and take actions to address past and ongoing harms that undermine the health and well-being of people around the world; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Foreign Relations

 

S.2628 – A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish new payment rules for certain catastrophic specialty hospitals under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Warnock, Raphael G. [Sen.-D-GA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2625 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out certain activities relating to the regulation of independent agents and brokers and third-party marketing organizations under parts C and D of the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rounds, Mike [Sen.-R-SD]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2621 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize support for State-based maternal mortality review committees, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to disseminate best practices on maternal mortality prevention to hospitals, State-based professional societies, and perinatal quality collaboratives, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2620 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to approval of abbreviated new drug applications; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2617 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require that coinsurance for drugs under Medicare part D be based on the drug’s net price and not the drug’s list price; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2612 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include physical therapists and occupational therapists as health professionals for purposes of the annual wellness visit under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Justice, James C. [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2587 — An original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Appropriations

 

S.2575 — A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate certain health care charges for members of the Selected Reserve eligible for TRICARE Reserve Select, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]; Committees: Senate – Armed Services

 

S.2561 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the payment rules regarding skin substitute products; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Finance