Month: April 2026

House Passes Three Health Bills – The House of Representatives passed three healthcare related bills last week.

• R. 3419 would reauthorize the Telehealth Network Grant Program and Telehealth Resource Centers. The bill was passed by voice vote.
• R. 2319, the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act, would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to conduct an interagency review to accelerate lung cancer research, prevention, and awareness with respect to women and underserved populations. The bill was passed by voice vote.
• R. 2493, the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act,would reauthorize grant programs administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration that provide funding to health care service providers and related entities in rural areas. The bill was passed in a 406-4 vote.

 

Senate Adopts Budget Resolution – Senate Republicans adopted a budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 33) last week that will enable lawmakers to consider the next budget reconciliation package. During the vote-a-rama that lasted from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, lawmakers considered several healthcare related measures related to costs, drug pricing, and abortion. None of the healthcare amendments cleared the 60-vote threshold needed for passage. The House of Representatives is expected to consider the budget resolution this week. The forthcoming reconciliation bill will focus on ending the partial government shutdown currently impacting the Department of Homeland Security.

 

Appropriations Update – Appropriators in the House of Representatives released fiscal year (FY) 2027 funding levels – known as 302(b) allocations – for six of the 12 annual spending bills last week. These allocations for Agriculture-Rural Development-Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Commerce-Justice-Science; Financial Services-General Government; Legislative Branch; National Security-Department of State; and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs will be used in the development of each subcommittee’s respective appropriations legislation.  Appropriators marked up the Agriculture-FDA bill in subcommittee on Thursday. The legislation provides $7.1 billion for the FDA, a small increase over FY 2026 funding levels. The bill was favorably reported in a 10-7 party line vote, and will be marked up by the full committee on Tuesday. The National Security-State Department Subcommittee also advanced its FY 2027 legislation in a party-line vote. The bill includes $8.9 billion in global health funding, $532 million below currently enacted levels. The full committee is scheduled to consider the bill on Tuesday. In the Senate, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies has released instructions for the submission of outside witness testimony due by May 22. The Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies’ set a deadline of May 20 to submit outside witness testimony.

 

Grassley, Hassan Request GAO Report on Pharmaceutical Coupons – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have requested that the Government Accountability Office investigate brand pharmaceutical manufacturers’ use of coupons. The lawmakers express concern that coupons are being used with the intent of steering patients away from generic medications, and request information about the availability and characteristics of coupons for high-cost drugs on the commercial market. “While these coupons often lower or eliminate the patient’s copays in the short-term, in the long-term they could lead to the patient unnecessarily paying more for the brand-name drug,” the lawmakers write. “We are concerned that these coupons can enable drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers to maintain high list prices and drive-up costs for all patients through higher insurance premiums.”

 

Lawmakers Push for at Least $51.3 Billion in NIH Funding – A  bipartisan group of more than 180 members of the House of Representatives have sent a Dear Colleague letter recommending $51.3 billion in base funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year 2027. “For the entirety of human health, NIH supports research nationwide that has a real-world, positive impact on patients, families, and communities,” the letter led by Reps. André Carson (D-Ind.), Brian Fitzpatrick, (R-Pa.), and Suzan DelBene, (D-Wash.) states. “In a time of unprecedented scientific opportunity across all disease areas, it is critical that the United States make forward-thinking investments that promote medical breakthroughs, equip the next generation of students and scientists, and sustain our international leadership in medical research.”

 

New Jersey Democrat Mejia Sworn In – Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-N.J.) was sworn in to the House of Representatives last week. Rep. Mejia won the special election for the state’s 11th congressional district in February, running for the seat previously held by New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill (D). Mejia will run again for a full-term in office this November.

 

Congressional Resignations, Retirements – Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) resigned from the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The decision came shortly before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to consider its response to allegations of financial misconduct by the three-term lawmaker. Cherfilus-McCormick has been charged with stealing $5 million in Covid relief funds. She was a member of the Veterans’ Affairs and Foreign Affairs committees.

 

Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) passed away at the age of 80 last week. The 12-term lawmaker was first elected to the House in 2002 following a career in the Georgia state Assembly. He was the first Black chair of the Agriculture Committee, and also served as a member of the Financial Services Committee.

 

The House Press Gallery Casualty List provides a catalog of members who are retiring or seeking other office, as well as those who have resigned or died.

 

Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer Resigns – The White House announced last week that Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving the administration for a job in the private sector. Her departure comes amidst allegations of misconduct. Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling will serve as acting secretary.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Ways and Means Committee hearing with health system CEOs; 10:00 a.m.; April 28

 

House Appropriations Committee markup of FY27 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill; 10:00 a.m.; April 29

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing to discuss legislation that protects American food producers and improves FDA’s food safety review; 2:00 p.m.; April 29

 

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing “Unmasked: How Biden Health Officials Purposely Turned a Blind Eye Toward COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Signals;” 2:30 p.m.; April 29

 

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing to consider pending legislation; 4:00 p.m.; April 29

 

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies markup of FY27 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill; 8:00 a.m.; June 5

 

House Appropriations Committee markup of FY27 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill; 11:00 a.m.; June 9

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.8358 — To amend title 39, United States Code, to extend the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to raise funds for breast cancer research; Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform; Energy and Commerce; Armed Services

 

H.R.8355 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model to reduce chronic diseases by using accountable produce is medicine; Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8339 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to enhance drug manufacturing amount information reporting, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Matsui, Doris O. [Rep.-D-CA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8335 — To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program, with exceptions for certain vital professions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kennedy, Mike [Rep.-R-UT-3]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.8324 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the limitations on contributions to health savings accounts, to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for hospital and insurer price transparency, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Burlison, Eric [Rep.-R-MO-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce; Judiciary; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs; Foreign Affairs

 

H.R.8319 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand certain remote monitoring services furnished by physicians to individuals with end stage renal disease under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Yakym, Rudy [Rep.-R-IN-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.Res.1187 — Supporting the designation of the week of August 24 through August 28, 2026, as the fourth annual “National Community Health Worker Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1183 — Supporting the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 2026, as “Black Maternal Health Week”, founded by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. (BMMA), to bring national attention to the maternal and reproductive health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing people; Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.4339 — A bill to reform Federal firearms laws, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.4336 — A bill to amend the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 to repeal the antitrust exemption applicable to graduate medical resident matching programs; Sponsor: Lee, Mike [Sen.-R-UT]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.4332 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make determinations of the exclusivity periods for which licensed biological products are eligible; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4329 — A bill to amend title X of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit family planning grants from being awarded to any entity that performs abortions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4327 — A bill to require regulatory review of pharmaceutical products from Chinese entities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4323 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require PDP sponsors of a prescription drug plan and Medicare Advantage organizations offering an MA-PD plan under part D of the Medicare program that use a formulary to include certain generic drugs and biosimilar biological products on such formulary, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lankford, James [Sen.-R-OK]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4318 — A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to extend the authority of the United States Postal Service to issue a semipostal to raise funds for breast cancer research; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

S.Res.675 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 2026, as “Black Maternal Health Week”, founded by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc., to bring national attention to the maternal and reproductive health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing people; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.674 — A resolution designating the week of April 13 through April 19, 2026, as “National Osteopathic Medicine Week”; Sponsor: Wicker, Roger F. [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

H.Res.1192 — Recognizing the roles and the contributions of care workers in the United States and expressing support for the designation of April 2026 as “Care Worker Recognition Month”; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1195 — Supporting the designation of May as “National Myositis Awareness Month”; Sponsor: McCormick, Richard [Rep.-R-GA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1196 — Recognizing April as Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month; Sponsor: Miller, Max L. [Rep.-R-OH-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1200 — Supporting the designation of March 2026 as Endometriosis Awareness Month; Sponsor: Scott, David [Rep.-D-GA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8366 — To protect the religious freedom of pharmacists choosing not to dispense or sell abortion-inducing drugs; Sponsor: Burchett, Tim [Rep.-R-TN-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8367 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance outreach to first responders in the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cammack, Kat [Rep.-R-FL-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8370 —To improve transparency and the availability of information regarding dietary supplements by amending the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers of dietary supplements to list dietary supplements with the Food and Drug Administration; Sponsor: Dexter, Maxine [Rep.-D-OR-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8375 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for certain reforms under the Medicare Advantage program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Joyce, John [Rep.-R-PA-13]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8376 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to clarify the policy for coverage under the Medicare program for palliative dialysis services, and clarify separate payment for such palliative dialysis services, furnished by renal dialysis facilities and providers of services to certain individuals electing hospice care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kelly, Mike [Rep.-R-PA-16]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8377 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of prior authorization under Medicare Advantage plans, to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to limit the implementation of payment models testing prior authorization under traditional Medicare, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Khanna, Ro [Rep.-D-CA-17]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8386 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the payment reduction for certain multiple therapy services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Ross, Deborah K. [Rep.-D-NC-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8390 — National Food as Medicine Program Act of 2026; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Agriculture

 

H.R.8391 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require coverage of certain food and nutrition services under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8394 — To streamline the process for institutions of higher education to research marijuana; Sponsor: Titus, Dina [Rep.-D-NV-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Agriculture; Education and Workforce

 

S.4353 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand eligibility for health savings accounts; Sponsor: Marshall, Roger [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4355 —A bill to require the Department of Health and Human Services to release documents, communications, and other information relating to most favored nation pricing agreements and other private or confidential drug pricing deals struck with manufacturers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Wyden, Ron [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4357 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for emergency grants to safeguard essential health care workers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4358 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage of medically necessary home resiliency services under Medicare; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4359 — A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to ensure services for home modifications under part B of title III of such Act may be used for certain purposes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4363 — A bill to extend the requirement for annual briefings on National Biodefense Strategy and to require analysis and recommendations relating to the risks of engineering biology, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

H.R.8412 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to revise certain regulations related to infant and toddler beverages, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Jacobs, Sara [Rep.-D-CA-51]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8413 — To establish a national framework for consumer privacy rights and the protection of personal data, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Joyce, John [Rep.-R-PA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.8425 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure access to immunizations under the Medicaid program and the Vaccines for Children program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schrier, Kim [Rep.-D-WA-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.Res.685 — A resolution designating April 22, 2026, as “National Assistive Technology Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.4370 — A bill to establish and support primary care team education centers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.R.8440 — To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to seek congressional approval prior to dismissing lawsuits, or withdrawing referrals to the Department of Justice of claims, relating to the release of certain carcinogens, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Troy A. [Rep.-D-LA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure; Agriculture; Science, Space, and Technology; Rules

 

H.R.8442 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to establish civil liability for health insurance issuers with high levels of claims denials; Sponsor: Craig, Angie [Rep.-D-MN-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8447 — To protect against seasonal and pandemic influenza, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Larsen, Rick [Rep.-D-WA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Budget

 

H.R.8473 — Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act; Sponsor: Begich, Nicholas J. [Rep.-R-AK-At Large]; Committees: House – Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture

 

H.R.8484 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for emergency grants to safeguard essential health care workers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lee, Summer L. [Rep.-D-PA-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8486 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program to award grants for the development of predictive models to evaluate risk factors that contribute to the incidence of suicide among veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mackenzie, Ryan [Rep.-R-PA-7]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.8487 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to adjust coverage and payment for certified community behavioral health clinic services under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Matsui, Doris O. [Rep.-D-CA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8490 — To amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service; Sponsor: Schneider, Bradley Scott [Rep.-D-IL-10]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.8493 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish an interagency working group on peer-to-peer behavioral health programs for law enforcement officers and first responders, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Subramanyam, Suhas [Rep.-D-VA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Transportation and Infrastructure

Thune Confirms Narrowly-Focused Plan for Reconciliation – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has stated that Senate Republicans do not plan to include changes to the Medicare or Medicaid programs in the next budget reconciliation package. The reconciliation bill will instead focus on ending the partial government shutdown currently impacting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Sen. Thune confirmed that reconciliation instructions will not be sent to the Senate Finance Committee, the panel with Medicare/Medicaid spending jurisdiction.

 

House Appropriators Release FY 2027 Markup Schedule – The House Appropriations Committee has released a tentative schedule for fiscal year (FY) 2027 subcommittee and full committee markups. The panel aims to complete work on all 12 annual appropriations bills by the end of June. Health policy related markups include:

• April 23: Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee
• April 28-29: Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration Full Committee
• June 5: Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Subcommittee
• June 9: Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Full Committee

 

Cassidy Releases Money and Value for Patients Agenda – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) unveiled a Money and Value for Patients (MVP) agenda last week with the aim of lowering costs and improving Americans’ health. The agenda calls for enacting the following policies: giving money in advance to individuals to cover out-of-pocket costs; taking power away from middlemen and giving it to patients, expanding TrumpRx and price transparency, stopping waste, fraud, and abuse, increasing access to safe and nutritious foods, and tackling chronic disease.

 

Democratic Health Leaders Continue to Request Information on Drug Pricing Agreements – Democratic health committee leadership have sent additional letters to those pharmaceutical companies that have entered formal drug pricing arrangements with the Trump administration. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Reps. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) request details of the agreements in writing relating to the cost of certain medications. The lawmakers sent letters to the following companies and requested responses by April 27, 2026:

• AbbVie Inc.
• Amgen
• Bristol Myers Squibb
• Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation
• Genentech
• Gilead Sciences
• GSK
• Johnson & Johnson
• Merck & Co., Inc
• Novartis
• Sanofi

 

Scott, DeSaulnier Urge Expansion of EBSA Proposed Rule on PBMs – House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) have sent a letter urging the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) to strengthen its proposed rule related to pharmacy benefit managers (PBM). While the regulation would partially implement requirements for PBMs to disclose their direct and indirect compensation, the lawmakers argue that the rule should be expanded to include fully insured plans and to require transparency from other service providers, such as third-party administrators. “The proposed rule is a significant step forward that incorporates several ideas to increase transparency,” the letter states. The lawmakers go on to encourage the Department of Labor to “move forward with these aspects of the proposed rule, while taking additional action to further strengthen its provisions to lower costs for workers and their families.”

 

Dr. Erica Schwartz Nominated to Lead CDC – President Donald Trump has nominated Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH to serve as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Schwartz is a career civil servant, having previously served as a U.S. deputy surgeon general and a rear admiral in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. If confirmed by the Senate, she would be the fourth leader of the CDC – with the role being filled by a permanent leader for only one month – during the President’s second term in office. The White House also announced that Sean Slovenski will serve as the CDC’s new chief operating officer, Jennifer Shuford will serve as its chief medical officer, and Sara Brenner will serve as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s senior counselor for public health.

 

Congressional Resignations – Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) resigned from the House of Representatives last week. The decision came one day after Swalwell withdrew from the California governor’s race amidst sexual assault and misconduct allegations. Swalwell was first elected to Congress in 2012, and was a member of the Homeland Security and Judiciary committees.

Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas) also resigned from the House last week, having admitted to having an affair with a staff member. Gonzalez had previously announced that he would not be running for reelection. Gonzalez has served in Congress since 2021, and was a member of the Appropriations Committee.

 

NIH Permanently Blocked from Implementing 15% Indirect Cost Rate Cap – The U.S. Department of Justice has declined to seek Supreme Court review in the litigation challenging a February 2025 guidance document from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which sought to cap indirect cost reimbursement across all NIH grants. The guidance, issued on February 7, 2025, would have replaced longstanding negotiated indirect cost rates with a uniform 15% cap and has now been vacated. The First Circuit Court of Appeals previously upheld the district court’s ruling in favor of the plaintiffs, which included major research organizations and higher education associations. As a result, the district court’s permanent injunction remains in effect, and the NIH will continue to be barred from implementing the nationwide cap. With no further appeal forthcoming, the litigation is now concluded. However, the President’s FY 2027 budget request states that “In FY 2027, the budget will continue the policy to cap indirect cost rates at 15 percent, ensuring that funds support direct scientific research costs rather than administrative overhead.”

 

Kennedy Reiterates Plans to Overhaul USPSTF – HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the House Ways and Means Committee last week that he plans to make changes to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in the near future. USPSTF is responsible for determining which preventive medical services are recommended and thus must be fully covered by insurers due to the Affordable Care Act. The HHS Secretary, who has been on Capitol Hill testifying about his department’s proposed budget for FY 2027, previewed plans to appoint new members to the task force and to reform the panel. While USPSTF usually meets three times a year, HHS has cancelled  three of its four scheduled meetings since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.

 

White House Releases 2026 Economic Report – The White House has released the 2026 Economic Report of the President. The report is prepared annually by the Council of Economic Advisers and provides a review of the past year’s economic policies and their impact on current and future economic conditions. This year’s report is organized according to 14 topics related to the economy, including chapter 5, The Revolution of Artificial Intelligence, and chapter 11, Making America Healthy by Unleashing Competition in Physicians’ Markets.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “The Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Health and Human Services Budget;” 10:00 a.m.; April 21

 

House Ways and Means Committee hearing “Protecting Patients and Taxpayers: Cracking Down on Medicare Fraud;” 10:00 a.m.; April 21

 

House Appropriations Committee markup of fiscal year (FY) 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill; 11:00 a.m.; April 21

 

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Health and Human Services;” 2:30 p.m.; April 21

 

Senate Finance Committee hearing “The President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Health and Human Services Budget;” 10:00 a.m.; April 22

 

House Education & Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions hearing “Profits Over Patients: The PBM Business Model Under Scrutiny;” 10:15 a.m.; April 22

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Health and Human Services Budget;” 2:00 p.m.; April 22

 

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs markup of FY 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill; 8:00 a.m.; April 23

 

House Appropriations Committee markup of FY 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill; 11:00 a.m.; April 28

 

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies markup of FY 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill; 8:00 a.m.; June 5

 

House Appropriations Committee markup of FY 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill; 11:00 a.m.; June 9

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.J.Res.159 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to the withdrawal of the rule relating to “Consumer Financial Protection Circular 2022-05: Debt Collection and Consumer Reporting Practices Involving Invalid Nursing Home Debts”; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

 

S.Res.669 — A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of “Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent

 

S.4283 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a public health and bio-preparedness workforce loan repayment program; Sponsor: Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.4291 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow additional catch-up contributions for certain family caregivers; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4292 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain family caregivers to contribute to a Roth IRA; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.1167 — Expressing support for the designation of the month of April 2026 as “Parkinson’s Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Bell, Wesley [Rep.-D-MO-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8260 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require coverage of certain cardiovascular tests without cost sharing under group health plans, group and individual health insurance coverage, and the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Sponsor: Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [Rep.-D-FL-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8261 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove cost-sharing responsibilities for chronic care management services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: DelBene, Suzan K. [Rep.-D-WA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8268 — To support biotechnology education for secondary school students, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McBride, Sarah [Rep.-D-DE-At Large]; Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.8269 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require drug labeling to include original manufacturer and supply chain information; Sponsor: McCormick, Richard [Rep.-R-GA-7]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8270 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require out-of-pocket expenditures for drugs to count towards an individual’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8271 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require that hospitals report intensive care unit bed availability in real time as a condition of participation under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Obernolte, Jay [Rep.-R-CA-23]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8272 — To classify qualified locum tenens professionals and advanced care practitioners as independent contractors for the purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the National Labor Relations Act; Sponsor: Owens, Burgess [Rep.-R-UT-4]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.8273 —To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow additional catch-up contributions for certain family caregivers; Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.8274 —To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow certain family caregivers to contribute to a Roth IRA; Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.8279 — To expand the definition of institution of higher education in the Higher Education Act of 1965 with respect to certain graduate medical schools located outside of the United States; Sponsor: Suozzi, Thomas R. [Rep.-D-NY-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

S.4303 — A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to provide for escalating civil penalties for fraudulent or negligent importation of unauthorized electronic nicotine delivery systems; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.4304 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to assign physicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs to temporarily serve as traveling physicians in the territories and possessions of the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sheehy, Tim [Sen.-R-MT]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.8293 — To abolish the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation; Sponsor: Bean, Aaron [Rep.-R-FL-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8295 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to criminalize abuse with respect to assisted reproductive technology; Sponsor: Bice, Stephanie I. [Rep.-R-OK-5]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.8310 — To establish protections for health care providers who raise concerns about the quality of health care services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scanlon, Mary Gay [Rep.-D-PA-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Judiciary

 

H.R.8317 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to evaluate, develop, and expand the use of technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models to improve maternal health outcomes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

Lawmakers Return from Recess, Health Hearings on the Calendar for This Week – Lawmakers are returning from spring recess this week and are expected to focus on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a path for the next budget reconciliation bill. President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have reached an agreement on the outline of a fast-track spending bill that would focus on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. It remains unclear if Republicans in the House of Representatives will also coalesce around this approach. The President has called for such reconciliation legislation to be signed into law by June 1. DHS has been operating under a partial government shutdown since February 14, the longest partial shutdown in U.S. government history.

 

Congressional health committees have a busy schedule of hearings planned for this week, including:

• A House Ways and Means Committee field hearing to examine how a modernized approach to health care can better prioritize wellness as part of chronic disease prevention and incentivize innovations in care delivery that improve patient outcomes.
• A House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on legislation addressing various areas of public health, including disease research and prevention efforts, bolstering resources for rural medical services and health care providers, promoting healthy activities, and increasing access to care.
• A Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on prescription drug affordability; Chair Bill Cassidy, MD, has said that the proceedings will focus on how to increase competition among generic and biosimilar manufacturers.

 

Congressional hearings on fiscal year 2027 budgets have also begun. The House Ways and Means Committee will hear testimony from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Thursday morning; Secretary Kennedy will then appear before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-Health and Human Services (LHHS) Thursday afternoon. Stakeholders are invited to submit written testimony on the FY 2027 LHHS appropriations no later than Thursday, April 16. The LHHS Subcommittee has tentatively scheduled its appropriations bill markup for June 5.

 

Secretary Kennedy Signs Updated ACIP Charter – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has signed an updated charter document for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The charter, which guides the mission and makeup of ACIP, is renewed every two years. The 2026 amendments broaden the range of expertise for individuals qualified to serve on the committee to include issues such as toxicology, biostatistics, immunology, family medicine, nursing, pediatric neurodevelopment, and recovery from serious vaccine injury. ACIP’s previous charter required its members to “have expertise in the use of vaccines and other immunobiologic agents in clinical practice or preventive medicine, have expertise with clinical or laboratory vaccine research, or have expertise in assessment of vaccine efficacy and safety.” This change may allow the Secretary to circumvent a recent federal court decision blocking the ACIP appointments made between June and January 2025. The new ACIP charter also includes language specifying that the committee should advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the gaps in vaccine safety research and adverse effects following vaccination. Several new organizations are made eligible to participate as liaisons to ACIP under the new charter, including the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, the Independent Medical Alliance, the Medical Academy of Pediatrics & Special Needs, and Physicians for Informed Consent.

 

Husted to Replace Mullins on LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) is replacing Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-Health and Human Services (LHHS). Husted also serves on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Mullin was recently confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

 

CMS Finalizes 2027 MA Payment Hike – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized a 2.48% net increase to Medicare Advantage (MA) payments for 2027. This increase amounts to a $13 billion payment boost for MA plans for the coming year. The final rate notice is a significant increase compared to the 0.09% originally proposed in January. The advance notice received a record breaking 40,000 comments from stakeholders. Upon finalization of the MA payment rate, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued a statement expressing disappointment in CMS’ decision. “While insurance companies get billions in higher payments and their stock prices soar, American families are stuck with record high premiums and deductibles, all to pay for care that’s locked behind more and more barriers,” Sen. Wyden said.

 

MGMA Releases Latest Report on Regulatory Burdens – The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) has released its 2026 Regulatory Burden Report. MGMA’s survey of more than 230 physician groups found that 95% of providers faced higher regulatory or administrative burdens over the past three years, with 77% attributing those burdens as a cause of physician burnout. The report ties three of the top five burdens – prior authorization, claims denials, and downcoding – to the Medical Advantage (MA) program specifically. Ninety percent of practices surveyed have seen a patient shift to MA, with 79% percent characterizing this shift as having a negative impact on their practice. The report also highlights Medicare reporting requirements as a burden on physicians, with 86% of respondents saying that physicians are heavily impacted by the Merit-based Incentive Payment System’s quality reporting requirements.

 

CMS Launches Hemp, CBD Pilot – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced last week that participants in certain Innovation Center models may begin offering a new Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) starting April 1, 2026. Through this optional incentive, eligible hemp-derived products can be incorporated into patient care plans under clinician guidance. The Substance Access BEI will be available to participants in the ACO REACH Model and the Enhancing Oncology Model, and will be available to participants in the Long-Term Enhanced ACO Design Model beginning in 2027. Under the Substance Access BEI, participating organizations that elect and receive CMS approval may furnish eligible hemp-derived products for up to $500 per year per eligible beneficiary, subject to model requirements, safeguards, and clinical determination.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health field hearing “Modernized Health Care in Practice: Empowering Americans to Live Healthier Lives;” 9:00 a.m.; April 14

 

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee executive session to consider several bills including S.1885, Stop the Scroll Act; S.3257, Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025; and S.3618, No Fentanyl on Social Media Act; 10:00 a.m.; April 14

 

House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations hearing “Fraud Prevention: Understanding Fraud in Federally Funded Programs Run by the States;” 10:00 a.m.; April 15

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health legislative hearing “Healthier America: Legislative Proposals to Improve Public Health;” 10:15 a.m.; April 15

 

House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections hearing “Building an AI-Ready America: Understanding AI’s Economic Impact on Workers and Employers;” 10:15 a.m.; April 15

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations markup including 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 H.R.8052, Veterans Infection Prevention Act; 2:15 p.m.; April 15

 

House Ways and Means Committee hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.; 9:00 a.m.; April 16

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Making Medicines More Affordable: How Competition Can Lower Drug Prices;” 10:00 a.m.; April 16

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health markup of H.R. 2283, Recognizing Community Organizations for Veteran Engagement and Recovery Act;  H.R.5999, To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish an opioid antagonist to a veteran without requiring a prescription or copayment;  H.R.6001, Veterans with ALS Reporting Act; H.R.6444, Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act; H.R.6652, U.S. Vets of the FAS Act; H.R.6848, Whole Health for Veterans Act; H.R. 6993, BEACON Act; 10:15 a.m.; April 16

 

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies budget hearing for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2:00 p.m.; April 16

 

House Education and Workforce Committee hearing “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Health and Human Services;” 9:00 a.m.; April 17

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.8199 — 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: Franklin, Scott [Rep.-R-FL-18]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.8201 — To amend Public Health Service Act to require community health centers to provide behavioral and mental health and substance use disorder services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lee, Susie [Rep.-D-NV-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8203 — To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to provide to States and local areas information on the best practices for addressing the effects that substance use disorder has on the workforce, and to provide local areas with grants to provide training activities related to the treatment and prevention of substance use disorder; Sponsor: Mackenzie, Ryan [Rep.-R-PA-7]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.8205 — To amend the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act to reauthorize the provisions of such Act through fiscal year 2031, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Quigley, Mike [Rep.-D-IL-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8209 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the school-based health centers grant program; Sponsor: Tonko, Paul [Rep.-D-NY-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1158 — Recognizing the importance of sleep health and expressing support for the designation of the week of March 9 through March 13, 2026, as “Sleep Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1163 — Supporting the recognition of a “Day of Remembrance and Commitment to Maternal Health Equity”, honoring the life of Kira Johnson, and commending 4Kira4Moms for its unwavering dedication to improving maternal health in Atlanta, throughout Georgia, and across the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8216 — To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study relating to 1–800–MEDICARE; Sponsor: De La Cruz, Monica [Rep.-R-TX-15]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8234 —To amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal the budget neutrality requirement for certain Medicaid demonstration projects; Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8242 —To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the health coverage tax credit; Sponsor: Turner, Michael R. [Rep.-R-OH-10]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

White House Releases FY 2027 Budget Proposal – The White House released President Donald Trump’s fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request on Friday. The proposal would cut the budget for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by $15.8 billion, including a $5 billion, or 10%, reduction for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would see a nearly $4 billion, or 42%, funding cut. The budget proposes $6.8 billion in program management funding for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a $1.4 billion – or 17.3% – cut compared to FY 2026 enacted levels. Separately, it requests an additional $82 million in discretionary and mandatory funding to CMS program integrity activities in Medicare and Medicaid. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would see a $232 million (3.3%) boost in funding. Similar to FY 2026, the budget document again proposes a restructuring of the Department to prioritize the Make America Healthy Again agenda through the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America. The budget asserts that the new agency would save $5 billion through its consolidation of other existing programs across HHS. 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.

 

The President’s FY 2027 budget can be found here, along with the HHS Budget in Brief and the various agency budget justifications to Congress (Administration for a Healthy America; Administration for Children, Families, and Communities; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health; CDC; CMS; FDA; Indian Health Service; NIH).

 

Secretary Kennedy Expected to Testify on HHS Budget Proposal – HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee and both the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees later this month. While the hearings are unlikely to be officially noticed until one week prior to the events, it has been reported that the Secretary will appear before Ways and Means on April 16, and before Finance and HELP on April 22. The hearings will focus on FY 2027 HHS budget request.

 

Senators Submit Comments to CMS on MA Upcoding – A bipartisan group of senators have sent a letter to CMS regarding the agency’s response to Medicare Advantage (MA) overpayments stemming from upcoding. The bipartisan letter was signed by Sens. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Roger Marshall, MD (R-Kan.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). The lawmakers express support for the agency’s recent proposal to exclude diagnoses from unlinked chart review records from risk score calculations as part of the 2027 MA and Part D Advance Notice, but argue that diagnoses submitted through unlinked chart reviews are “just one source of excess risk score growth that increases MA payments beyond beneficiaries’ true health status.” The letter outlines the steps Congress must take to “truly address the persistent issue of risk score gaming and to curb abuses in coding intensity,” including passage of the bipartisan No UPCODE Act (S. 1105).

 

Murphy Introduces Bill to Improve Medicare Reimbursement Stability – Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-N.C.) introduced the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act (H.R. 8163) last week. The bill seeks to modernize and update the underlying mechanics of the Medicare physician fee schedule to create more certainty and stability for physicians. The legislation updates the budget neutrality threshold from $20 million to $54.3 million in 2027, and starting in 2032, indexes the new $54.3 million threshold at five-year intervals by the cumulative percentage increase in the Medicare Economic Index applicable to physicians’ services for each year of the preceding five- year period. The legislation also establishes a “corrections” mechanism related to estimated utilization of codes; provides updates, at minimum every five years, to direct costs used to calculate practice expense relative value units; and limits the annual budget neutrality adjustment to the conversion factor to 2.5% starting in 2027. The bipartisan bill included the following original cosponsors: Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), John Joyce, MD (R-Pa.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Bob Onder, MD (R- Mo.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-Iowa), Kim Schrier, MD (D-Wash.), and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.).

 

Democrats Push to Block Funds for Implementation of WISeR – Thirty-five House Democrats wrote the Appropriations Committee leadership urging they block implementation of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model “or any related model that would introduce prior authorization into traditional Medicare.” The lawmakers argue that the model, which expands Medicare’s use of prior authorization and AI to determine medical necessity, could be used to deny coverage for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare. The letter, which was led by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), asks the Committee to include language prohibiting implementation of the model and in the FY 2027 appropriations legislation. “While prior authorization is often described as a cost-containment strategy, in practice it increases provider burden, takes time away from patients, limits patients’ access to life-saving care, and creates unnecessary administrative burden,” the letter states. “Many patients choose Traditional Medicare because they know their care will be determined by their doctors and not by insurance companies.”

 

Wyden, Sanders Request Testimony from Health Insurance CEOs – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are urging their respective committee chairmen to hold hearings with the CEOs of the nation’s largest health insurance companies. The lawmakers contrast the $54 billion in profits made by the seven major health insurance companies in the U.S. with the more than 85 million Americans who are uninsured or underinsured and the over half a million people facing bankruptcy due to medical debt. They also express concerns with the consolidation and vertical integration taking place across the health insurance industry. “The American public deserves to know why the big insurance executives that testified before the House earlier this year continue to get richer and richer, while over one-third of people with health insurance have been forced to skip or delay getting the care they need because of the outrageous cost,” the senators write.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee executive session to consider several bills including S.1885, Stop the Scroll Act; S.3257, Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025; and S.3618, No Fentanyl on Social Media Act; 10:00 a.m.; April 14

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.8143 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require PDP sponsors of a prescription drug plan under part D of the Medicare program that use a formulary to include certain generic drugs and biosimilar biological products on such formulary, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Matsui, Doris O. [Rep.-D-CA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8145 — To amend the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants Program to expand eligibility for financial assistance to include the construction and enhancement of facilities and technological systems aimed at delivering telemedicine services, strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure, and supporting distance learning initiatives, including digital literacy, workforce development, and job training, in rural communities; Sponsor: McClain Delaney, April [Rep.-D- MD-6]; Committees: House – Agriculture

 

H.R.8149 – To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the accessibility of addiction and mental health care providers and services for farmers and ranchers who have been impacted by severe and persistent drought, extreme weather events, instability in the commodities market, misinformation targeting consumers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Neguse, Joe [Rep.-D-CO-2]; Committees: House – Agriculture

 

H.R.8153 — 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

 

H.R.8156 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a grant program to support the establishment of a national, toll-free telephone helpline to provide information and assistance to parents, caregivers, and youth to prevent child abuse and strengthen families; Sponsor: Torres, Norma J. [Rep.-D-CA-35]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.Res.1147 — Recognizing the United States legacy of dismissed pain and denied autonomy in women’s health care, and affirming the Federal Government’s duty to protect individual dignity and advance patient-centered care in women’s health; Sponsor: Ansari, Yassamin [Rep.-D-AZ-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8158 — Reproductive Healthcare Leave Act; Sponsor: Ansari, Yassamin [Rep.-D-AZ-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration; Judiciary

 

H.R.8159 — Gynecologic Pain Management Study Act; Sponsor: Ansari, Yassamin [Rep.-D-AZ-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8160 — Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Awareness and Research Act of 2026; Sponsor: Ansari, Yassamin [Rep.-D- AZ-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.8163 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure stability for provider payments under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.8164 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title 5, United States Code, to require group health plans, health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage, and Federal Employees Health Benefits Program health benefits plans to meet certain requirements with respect to medical child support orders, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Norton, Eleanor Holmes [Del.-D-DC-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.8192 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidelines for the purpose of addressing the problem of nitazene overdoses, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Taylor, David J. [Rep.-R-OH-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce