Month: August 2026

Appropriations Update – The House of Representatives is expected to vote under suspension of the rules this week on the Senate-passed continuing resolution (H.R. 6500) to fund the federal government through December 11. The bill would block the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed rule regarding federal financial assistance from taking effect during the length of the stopgap, and would delay a ban on intoxicating hemp products, which is set to go into effect November 12. The White House has issued a statement of administration policy backing the Senate-passed bill.

 

New MFN Deals Expected from Trump Administration – The White House is expected to announce a new slate of most-favored-nation (MFN) deals with several midsized biotech companies as early as Monday of this week. The agreements reportedly involve discounts on outpatient drugs for state Medicaid programs to keep prices aligned with those charged in foreign countries. The Trump administration has already signed confidential MFN agreements with 17 pharmaceutical companies.

 

Senate Republicans Release Report on Chemical Abortion Companies – Senate Republicans have released a new report on the business practices of chemical abortion companies and prescribing patterns of mifepristone. The report, led by Sens. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and the late Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), asserts that Danco, GenBioPro, and Evita have not taken sufficient steps to ensure that certified prescribers and pharmacies comply with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) requirements for chemical abortion drugs, particularly when the pills are sold online. Since the 2016 removal of the requirement for prescribers to report non-fatal adverse events to the mifepristone sponsor, the total number of adverse events reported to the FDA has dropped from over 4,000 events between 2000 and 2016 to only 150 events in the time that followed. The report’s authors have since raised questions about whether adverse events are being undercounted.

 

Darline Graham Wins GOP Runoff Race – Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) won the South Carolina Senate GOP primary on Tuesday, defeating  Rep. Ralph Norman in the runoff election. She will replace her late brother, Lindsey Graham, on the ballot in November as the Republica nominee. Sen. Graham will face Annie Andrews, MD, the Democratic nominee and a pediatrician, in November.

 

Georgia’s 13^th District Special Election Runoff – Everton Blair (D) has won the special election runoff for Georgia’s 13^th Congressional District, defeating Marcy Scott to complete the remainder of her father’s term. Blair will serve through January 3, 2027, filling the seat left vacant after Rep. David Scott’s death in April. The District will have new representation in the upcoming 120^th Congress since neither Blair nor Scott are running in the general election.

 

MedPAC 2026-2027 Analytic Agenda – The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has announced its analytic agenda for its 2026-2027 meeting cycle. Issues the commission plans to consider include:

• Recent trends in Part D spending and the effects of the 2025 Part D benefit redesign;
• Recent trends in access to pharmacies;
• Processes and information involved in beneficiary enrollment in Medicare, and opportunities to simplify the enrollment experience and better support beneficiaries as they enroll in Medicare;
• Whether Medicare’s quality measurement and value-based payment programs are improving quality and providing value for the Medicare program, with a particular focus on clinician quality measurement programs;
• Accuracy of Medicare payments to skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies;
• Trends in Part B drug utilization and spending;
• Hospice use patterns and effects on Medicare spending;
• Medicare’s payments for software as a medical service and prescription digital therapeutics;
• Cost-sharing liability for services furnished by rural health clinics and the effects of converting to a rural emergency hospital on provider financial performance and beneficiary access to care;
• Average generosity of medical benefits in Medicare Advantage (MA) relative to fee-for-service (FFS), and how MA enrollees’ out-of-pocket spending on premiums and health care services compare to what their spending would have been in FFS;
• How MA enrollees use different types and amounts of post-acute care services; and
• How MA plans pay providers for care.

MedPAC will convene its first public meeting of the new cycle on September 3-4.

 

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade markup including H.R.____, Open-Source AI Leadership Act; H.R. ____, American Quantum Competitiveness Act; and H.R. 7945, Nitrous Oxide Safety Act; 10:15 a.m.; September 1

 

House Ways and Means Committee hearing “Strategic Partnerships to Secure Critical Resources and Supply Chain;” 10:00 a.m.; September 2

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee oversight hearing “Beyond Go-Live: VA Electronic Health Record Modernization Status Update;” 10:00 a.m.; September 2

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.10140 — SPF Act of 2026; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Natural Resources

 

H.R.10145 — SOUND Pesticide Research Act; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10147 — To amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for the United States to establish a new subheading in chapter 39 for silicone prosthetics for women who are breast cancer survivors and a new subheading in chapter 90 for mastectomy bras; Sponsor: Miller, Carol D. [Rep.-R-WV-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.10148 — Safeguarding America’s Nonprofits Act; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.Res.1491 — Expressing support for the designation of the week of August 25 through August 31, 2026, as “Black Breastfeeding Week”; Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10150 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide a period of market exclusivity for botanical drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Boebert, Lauren [Rep.-R-CO-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10160 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve mental health care for veterans through the establishment of a minimum requirement for the number of Vet Centers per State; Sponsor: Kean, Thomas H. [Rep.-R-NJ-7]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.10161 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to require States to prohibit the sale of certain products containing nitrous oxide as a condition on receipt of block grants for community mental health services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kean, Thomas H. [Rep.-R-NJ-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10177 — Competition in State Healthcare Markets Act; Sponsor: Spartz, Victoria [Rep.-R-IN-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

White House Aide Heidi Overton Nominated to Lead FDA – President Donald Trump plans to nominate White House policy aide Heidi Overton, MD, PhD to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Overton is a medical doctor who is board-certified in public health and general preventive medicine; she also has a doctorate in clinical investigation. She is currently a deputy assistant to the President for domestic policy, working on health issues. Overton previously led the Center for a Healthy America at the America First Policy Institute and worked as a White House fellow during the President’s first term in office.

 

Overton’s involvement in the President’s recent executive order to reduce the number of vaccines recommended for children has been criticized by Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.). “Dr. Overton’s active role in last week’s nonsensical vaccine executive order calls into question her commitment to standing up for sound science and protecting children’s health. That alone is almost disqualifying,” Cassidy said in a social media post last week. Cassidy chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which is responsible for considering FDA commissioner nominations. Many Democrats have already pledged to oppose her nomination as well. The FDA has been without a permanent leader since Commissioner Marty Makary, MD resigned in May.

 

Comer Presses Becerra on COVID-19 Investigation – House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is requesting information from former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Xavier Becerra as a part of a prior investigation into the nation’s COVID-19 response. The request relates to the diary and phone records of Anthony Fauci, MD, which Comer alleges were withheld by HHS last congress. “The Committee is concerned that you either intentionally withheld this information, or that you failed to conduct an adequate search of the Department’s systems as requested in the November 2, 2023, letter,” Comer says. He also asks whether any Biden administration officials advised or pressured Becerra to omit those documents from the agency’s response to the committee at the time. A response from Becerra is requested by September 2.

 

Florida Republican Cory Mills Loses Primary Election – Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) lost his primary race to represent Florida’s 7^th congressional district last week. He was defeated by former local television news reporter Ryan Elijah. Mills has served in Congress since 2023 and currently sits on the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. He has been investigated by the House Ethics Committee over the last year due to allegations of fraud as well as misconduct toward women.

 

HHS Publishes RFI on Vaccine Recommendation Categories – HHS has released a request for information seeking input on federal vaccine recommendation categories and the role of shared clinical decision making. The RFI questions whether the three vaccine categories currently used in federal vaccine recommendations – routine, risk-based, and shared clinical decision making – are adequate, clear, and well understood, and asks whether additional or different categories should be adopted.  The Department also requests comment on “the considerations that should be relied upon in setting vaccine recommendations, including the availability and strength of available scientific evidence, the appropriate approach when randomized controlled trial evidence is limited or absent, a presumption in favor of individual autonomy and religious freedom, the downstream legal and programmatic consequences of category assignment, and the communication practices necessary to earn and maintain public trust.” Comments are due by September 20.

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.10116 — To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish an EMS and First Responder Wellness Grant Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Salinas, Andrea [Rep.-D-OR-6]; Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure

 

H.R.10127 — To prohibit the use of Federal funds to conduct, support, or fund research that studies the effects of gender-related medical treatment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10133 — 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 ensure cost sharing for a drug does not exceed the nationwide average of consumer purchase prices for such drug; Sponsor: Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10134 — To establish an eligibility exception for the drug discount program due to cuts to the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

President Signs Vaccine Executive Order – President Donald Trump signed executive order (E.O.) 14420 on Monday to recognize “Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations.” According to the White House, the order is aimed at maximizing parental choice over vaccinations for their children and aligning the U.S. with the scientific evidence and best practices from peer, developed countries. The E.O. recommends all children get immunizations to provide protection for 11 diseases – a decrease from the 18 diseases recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2024. Immunizations no longer recommended for all children are recommended for shared clinical decision-making. The order also recommends separating out the combined MMR vaccine into three single-disease shots, and administering all vaccines during separate medical visits. States that enact school vaccine requirements are advised to consider the Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations and consider updating their laws to reflect the recommendations, while all federal agencies are advised to advance the Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations based on their relevant authorities. The order has been criticized by many public health experts, who have argued that there is no scientific basis for such changes. The feasibility and potential timeline for vaccine manufacturers to reformulate the MMR vaccine into three distinct shots has also been called into question.

 

Cassidy, Sanders Request Update on Steward Health Care Case – Bipartisan leadership of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee have sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting information on the status of the contempt referral for Dr. Ralph de la Torre, former chairman and CEO of Steward Health Care. The contempt referral was unanimously approved by the Senate in September 2024. Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) outline the committee’s prior work to uncover how Steward Health Care’s bankruptcy impacted patients, healthcare workers, and communities. “Dr. de la Torre’s wealth should not make him immune to requests from Congress,” the letter argues, “especially as communities continue to grapple with the consequences of Dr. de la Torre’s greed.” The lawmakers request an update on the status of the case by August 20.

 

ASPE Releases Report on Impact of Changes to State-Directed Payments and Medicaid Provider Taxes – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) released a report last week on the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on healthcare costs. The report asserts that provider tax and state-directed payment policies in the law are projected to reduce healthcare prices by up to 3.5%. Once fully phased in, these policies are expected to lower annual healthcare spending by $100 billion to $175 billion. ASPE’s full research report can be found here.

 

Sanders Highlights New Medicare for All Study – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is touting a new study from Yale University finding that Medicare for All would save 114,000 lives and reduce healthcare spending by more than $1 trillion a year. “This study confirms what we have known for years: Medicare for All saves lives and saves money,” Sanders stated. “It would save working families thousands of dollars a year. And it would prevent over 100,000 Americans from dying unnecessarily each and every year because they cannot make it to a doctor in time,” he said. The sources of Medicare for All savings identified by the study include reductions in administrative overhead, pharmaceutical prices, fraudulent billing, and avoidable emergency care. The full analysis can be found here.

 

Incumbent Losses in Tuesday’s Primary Elections – Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated Rep. Angie Craig in the Democratic primary to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D) in the upper chamber. Craig has served in the House of Representatives since 2019, and is the current ranking member of the House Committee on Agriculture. In Connecticut, Rep. John Larson (D) lost his primary race to represent the state’s 1^st congressional district to former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. Larson was first elected to the House in 1998. He currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. The special Republican primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina saw both Sen. Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman advance to a runoff. The winner of the runoff on 25 August will face Annie Andrews, MD, the Democratic nominee and a pediatrician, in November.

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.Res.848 — A resolution celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the premier public health institute of the United States. Sponsor: Warnock, Raphael G. [Sen.-D-GA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5382 — A bill to require a report on the artificial intelligence power of the People’s Republic of China. Sponsor: Husted, Jon [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Foreign Relations

 

S.5365 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award grants to train community mental wellness workers, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5361 — A bill to improve the use and management of mobile medical units by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.Res.843 — A resolution expressing support for the designation of the first week of August 2026, as “National Community Health Center Week”, encouraging all people of the United States to participate by visiting their local community health center, and celebrating the important partnership between community health centers and the communities they serve. Sponsor: Cornyn, John [Sen.-R-TX]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent

 

H.R.10072 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals entitled to Medicare Part A to make contributions to health savings accounts; Sponsor: Fischbach, Michelle [Rep.-R-MN-7]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.10086 —To reauthorize the National Diabetes Prevention Program; Sponsor: De La Cruz, Monica [Rep.-R-TX-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10087 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of cancer care planning and coordination under the Medicare program; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10088 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to conduct a study to assess the potential for expanding the safe and effective use of reprocessed single-use devices, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Foushee, Valerie P. [Rep.-D-NC-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10093 —To establish a cancer research trust fund, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hinson, Ashley [Rep.-R-IA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10094 —To require persons who undertake federally funded research and development of a biomedical product or service to enter into reasonable pricing agreements with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hoyle, Val T. [Rep.-D-OR-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10100 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to provide for no-cost coverage for annual screening mammography beginning at 30 years of age; Sponsor: Neguse, Joe [Rep.-D-CO-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

Government Funding Update – The Senate passed the bipartisan Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 (H.R. 6500) on Saturday in a 90-6 vote. The continuing resolution (CR) would fund the federal government through December 11, 2026, one week beyond the CR advanced by the House of Representatives last month. The package would prevent the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed rule regarding federal financial assistance from taking effect during the length of the stopgap spending measure. It also includes language to delay a ban on intoxicating hemp products, which is set to go into effect November 12.  The White House has issued a statement of administration policy in support of the Senate-passed funding bill. The Senate has now officially begun its five-week August recess and is scheduled to reconvene September 14. The House is currently scheduled to return on August 31. The chambers must come to an agreement on government funding upon their return in order to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

 

Senate Confirms New CDC Director – The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH to serve as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday. Republicans were joined by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in support of her nomination. The CDC has been without a permanent director for almost a year. 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. She is departing her most recent job as an executive at UnitedHealth Group to lead the CDC.

 

Rand Paul Leads Censure of Former COVID-19 Czar Fauci – The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) voted to hold Anthony Fauci, MD in contempt of Congress on Thursday in an 8-7 party line vote. Dr. Fauci, the former COVID-19 czar and longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, did not answer any questions during a recent hearing on his role in the coronavirus pandemic, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Fauci argued that the proceedings were an attempt by HSGAC Chair Rand Paul, MD (R-Ky.) to goad him into potential perjury. Paul, who has repeatedly called for criminal charges against Fauci for the mishandling of the nation’s Covid response, has asserted that Fauci should not have been able to invoke the Fifth Amendment given his pardon by former President Joe Biden. Under regular procedures, the contempt resolution would next be considered on the Senate floor, where it would require 60 votes to bypass a filibuster. Paul has stated that he instead intends to “hand-deliver” the resolution to Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanne Pirro.

 

Wyden Queries HHS on Deals with Tobacco, Kratom Companies – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has written to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding his relationships with the tobacco and kratom industry. The letter outlines how actions by the Trump administration have weakened restrictions on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and made kratom products widely available in retail stores nationwide. “From kratom and nicotine to pesticides and PFAS, you have yet to draw a line in the sand and buck corporate interests to Make America Healthy Again…your door is always open for corporate donors with demands and a checkbook,” Sen. Wyden wrote. Wyden also sent letters to executives from Botanic Tonics and Reynolds America about reported handshake deals between the companies and the Trump administration.

 

Incumbent Losses in Tuesday’s Primary Elections – Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) lost his primary to state representative and democratic socialist Donavan McKinney on Tuesday. Thanedar, who has served in Congress since 2023, is a member of the Agriculture and Homeland Security committees. In the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, Rep. Haley Stevens was defeated by progressive Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens, who has served in the House of Representatives since 2019, announced in April that she would be giving up her congressional seat to run for the Senate seat currently held by retiring incumbent Gary Peters (D). El-Sayed is an epidemiologist and the former director of the Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services of Wayne County. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) also lost his primary election on Tuesday, conceding the race to former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. Ogles was first elected in 2022 and currently serves on the Financial Services and Homeland Security committees. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) has dropped out of his re-election campaign following a recommendation of censure from the House Ethics Committee. The panel asserted that the congressman engaged in “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.” Edwards, who was first elected to Congress in 2022, will complete his current term in office. He is a member of the Appropriations and Budget committees.

 

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) has dropped out of his re-election campaign following a recommendation of censure from the House Ethics Committee. The panel asserted that the congressman engaged in “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.” Edwards, who was first elected to Congress in 2022, will complete his current term in office. He is a member of the Appropriations and Budget committees.

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.5207 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to maintain the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5213 — A bill to support programs for mosquito-borne and other vector-borne disease surveillance and control; Sponsor: King, Angus S., Jr. [Sen.-I-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5219 — A bill to improve end-of-life care; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1475 — Expressing support for the designation of the first week of August as “National Community Health Center Week”, and encouraging all Americans to participate by visiting their local community health center and celebrating the important partnership between health centers and the communities they serve; Sponsor: Valadao, David G. [Rep.-R-CA-22]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10013 — To improve end-of-life care; Sponsor: Barragán, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10015 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify 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; Financial Services

 

H.R.10020 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare home care benefit, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10024 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act and title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require health insurance issuers and MA organizations to make publicly available certain information with respect to coverage request rejection; Sponsor: Hinson, Ashley [Rep.-R-IA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.5231 – A bill to remove limitations under Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and the Department of Veterans Affairs on benefits for persons in custody pending disposition of charges; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5232 —A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize rural residency planning and development grant programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smith, Tina [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5236 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure Medicaid coverage of mental health services and primary care services furnished on the same day; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5237 — A bill to require the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to award a competitive grant for the Antibiotic Resistance Leadership Group for the purpose of facilitating a clinical research network on antibiotic resistance, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5239 — A bill to ensure that nitrile glove procurements comply with the requirements of the Make PPE in America Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moreno, Bernie [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

S.5242 — A bill to provide for digital communication of prescribing information for drugs (including biological products), and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5244 —A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the drug discount program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moran, Jerry [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5246 —A bill to amend title XXX of the Public Health Service Act to establish standards and protocols to improve patient matching; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5250 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to decrease fraud related to home health agencies in Medicare, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5258 — A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to establish a payment model to reimburse providers for furnishing comprehensive breast cancer risk assessments and developing personalized screening and risk-reduction plans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5260 —A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out research and data collection to improve the quality of stroke care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Luján, Ben Ray [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5261 — A bill to amend the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to make available under the assistance to firefighters grant program the establishment of cancer prevention programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

S.5267 — A bill 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: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5269 — A bill to provide for the establishment of hybrid primary care payments under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Whitehouse, Sheldon [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5270 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare home care benefit, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kim, Andy [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5283 — A bill to end preventable maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, and maternal health disparities in the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5287 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to make grants to States to increase awareness and education for colorectal cancer and improve early detection of colorectal cancer in young individuals, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ossoff, Jon [Sen.-D-GA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5292 – A bill to provide for green and resilient health care infrastructure, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5295 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to strengthen mentorship and career development support for early-career researchers receiving funding from the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCormick, David [Sen.-R-PA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5296 — A bill to provide low-income individuals with opportunities to enter and follow a career pathway in the health professions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Heinrich, Martin [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5297 —A bill to require the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to submit a report regarding the use of coverage and reimbursement authorities to protect the markets for active pharmaceutical ingredients and key staring materials; Sponsor: Schiff, Adam B. [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5305 —A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to modify the grant program for mental health and substance use disorder services for students in higher education and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program to address youth suicide prevention and intervention, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCormick, David [Sen.-R-PA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5312 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a Reducing Youth Use of E-Cigarettes Initiative; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5319 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by limiting the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work in certain providers of services to which payments are made under the Medicare Program; Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5321 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require coverage of, and expand access to, home and community-based services under the Medicaid program, to award grants for the creation, recruitment, training and education, retention, and advancement of the direct care workforce and to award grants to support family caregivers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Luján, Ben Ray [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5326 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to strengthen program integrity oversight for the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cortez Masto, Catherine [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5327 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study on suicide risk factors faced by construction workers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cortez Masto, Catherine [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.R.10056 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by limiting the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work in certain providers of services to which payments are made under the Medicare Program; Sponsor: Matsui, Doris O. [Rep.-D-CA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10068 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a Reducing Youth Use of E-Cigarettes Initiative; Sponsor: Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [Rep.-D-FL-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

HELP Advances Health Nominees, Health Data Privacy Bill – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced the nominations of Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Sean Kaufman to be Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response on Thursday. Schwartz was approved in a 13-10 vote, with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) joining panel Republicans in support of her nomination. Kaufman was advanced in a party line 12-11 vote. Kaufman, who has faced criticism for his past positions on the safety of the Covid-19 and hepatitis B vaccines, secured the support of Chair Bill Cassidy, MD by disavowing his prior remarks and providing reassurances that he would not play a role in setting vaccine policy.

 

The HELP Committee also marked up the Health Information Privacy Reform Act (S. 3097) on Thursday, advancing the data privacy bill with unanimous support. The legislation would expand health privacy protections to account for new technologies such as smartwatches and health apps. It would require such technologies not currently governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to disclose how consumer information is collected and shared, and create requirements around patient notification in cases of a data leak or security breach.

 

Administration to Release GAVI Funding – Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced last week that the Trump administration has agreed to release $600 million in congressionally appropriated funding for GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. GAVI is a global health partnership whose mission is to increase access to vaccines in developing countries. Sen. Collins recently lead outreach by a group of senators urging the Department of State to release the money – representing approximately 15% of GAVI’s funding – before the money expires at the end of the fiscal year. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized GAVI for using immunizations with ingredients like thimerosal. While GAVI has asserted that thimerosal is safe and necessary in countries that lack the refrigeration resources necessary to prevent bacterial contamination of the vaccines, the organization has also offered a timeline for phasing out shots that contain the preservative and expanding access to newer alternatives.

 

Senate Releases CR to Prevent Government Shutdown – On Sunday, the Senate Appropriations Committee leadership released the bipartisan Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 – a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the Federal government through December 11, 2026 (one week beyond the House-passed CR). Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) explained that “This measure gives Congress the time we need to continue our work on bipartisan appropriations bills” and announced that the agreement “prevents the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s proposed rule regarding federal financial assistance from taking effect.” Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) noted that they “were able to produce a much-improved CR to keep the government funded and avert a shutdown that no one wants.” The chamber is expected to take up the short-term government funding measure this week.

 

CBO Responds to GOP Concerns Re: Part D Expenditures – The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has responded to a letter from House Energy and Commerce, Budget, and Ways and Means committee leadership regarding its projection of Medicare Part D expenditures. The initial congressional letter specifically concerned technical changes in CBO’s Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026 to 2036 resulting in Medicare Part D spending being $600 billion higher than projected the year prior. In its response, CBO stated that the evidence indicates that the spending reductions attributable to drug price negotiation and inflation rebates have been smaller than CBO originally estimated, explaining “the costs of the Part D redesign have been significantly larger because of greater-than-anticipated increases in spending because of greater use of prescription drugs.”

 

Wyden Releases Next in Series of Healthcare Policy RFIs – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has released a request for information on reforms to improve access, quality, and affordability of healthcare coverage. The RFI is organized by three general focus areas: (1) reversing Republican cuts and reimagining a better path, (2) making healthcare simpler for families, and (3) taking on corporate greed. Sen. Wyden, alongside 16 Democratic colleagues, is seeking feedback on a range of policy proposals, including lowering premiums and deductibles, expanding coverage options with Medicare-like choices for all, simplifying enrollment, ending insurance company practices that delay and deny care, and eliminating business tactics used by health care corporations to increase costs. Similar to other healthcare related RFIs issued by Wyden in recent months, the policies outlined in the document could inform the Democratic agenda should the party regain control of one or both chambers of Congress next year.

 

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care hearing “Building a Resilient Health Care Future with Biotechnology;” 10:00 a.m.; August 4

 

Senate Budget Committee hearing “Medicaid: The Reality;” 10:00 a.m.; August 4

 

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing “Prescribing Sunshine: How Competition & Transparency Lowers Prescription Drug Costs;” 10:15 a.m.; August 4

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.5134 — A bill to establish a Green New Deal for Health to prepare and empower the health care sector to protect the health and well-being of our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate crisis, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5137 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish a grant program to be known as the Mental Health Licensure Portability Program to award grants to eligible entities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: King, Angus S., Jr. [Sen.-I-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1462 — Recognizing the historic significance of Medicare on the 61st anniversary of its enactment; Sponsor: Mackenzie, Ryan [Rep.-R-PA-7]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.9948 — To direct the President to establish an interagency task force to review, and provide recommendations on, the impact of addictive design features on youth mental health, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish grant programs to support the activities of the task force, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Balint, Becca [Rep.-D-VT-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.9962 — To establish a Green New Deal for Health to prepare and empower the health care sector to protect the health and well-being of our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate crisis, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Khanna, Ro [Rep.-D-CA-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.9970 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure appropriate payments for ambulance services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Pfluger, August [Rep.-R-TX-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.9972 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust payment for skin substitute products under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Sessions, Pete [Rep.-R-TX-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.5164 — A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to make improvements relating to the designation of rural emergency hospitals; Sponsor: Moran, Jerry [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5166 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to strengthen requirements related to nutrient information on food labels, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5172 — A bill to amend titles XI, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act with respect to screening for childhood-onset fluency disorders, and to require coverage of certain speech therapy services under Medicaid and CHIP; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5180 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure stability for provider payments under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Boozman, John [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5193 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to expand the capacity to improve health outcomes and increase access to specialized care; Sponsor: Schatz, Brian [Sen.-D-HI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5202 — A bill to prohibit the use of Federal funds for gender transition for minors; Sponsor: Lee, Mike [Sen.-R-UT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.R.9981 — To prohibit reductions in force or other staffing reductions for certain Centers of Disease Control and Prevention divisions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.9984 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for payment for services of radiologist assistants under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Joyce, John [Rep.-R-PA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.9988 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to include barley, rye, and oats as major food allergens, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Luna, Anna Paulina [Rep.-R-FL-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.9990 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to psychological and behavioral services; Sponsor: Malliotakis, Nicole [Rep.-R-NY-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.9996 — To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for certain health coverage of newborns; Sponsor: Nadler, Jerrold [Rep.-D-NY-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10007 — To prioritize educating and training for existing and new environmental health professionals; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10012 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Medicare & You handbook to provide information on the impacts of enrollment in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs on Medicare premiums, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Williams, Roger [Rep.-R-TX-25]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Veterans’ Affairs