Short Congressional Recess, Short Preview -
While Congress is in recess this week, we are still on reconciliation watch as consideration of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act moves to the Senate. We are on the lookout for a...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
- House Passes Reconciliation Package. The package now moves to the Senate, where substantive changes, including in healthcare, will likely be made.
- HHS Secretary Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Makary...more
5/27/2025
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Executive Orders ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare Advantage ,
New Legislation ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
MAHA and More Medicaid -
Late Sunday night, May 18, 2025, the House Budget Committee voted to advance the reconciliation package drafted by the Energy and Commerce Committee and Ways and Means Committee last week. The four...more
5/20/2025
/ Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Budget ,
Government Agencies ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
- Republicans Advance Reconciliation Debate. Work continued behind the scenes among Republicans to reach consensus on Medicaid policies, with a House Energy and Commerce Committee markup announced for May...more
Reconciliation Hits a Speedbump -
As of May 6, 2025, it will not be what was anticipated on Capitol Hill. Multiple committees, including the House Energy and Commerce Committee, reportedly had planned to spend this week...more
5/7/2025
/ Budget Reconciliation ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
Trump Administration
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
- House Committees Begin Reconciliation Markups. Non-health-related committees moved forward this week, with the House Energy and Commerce Committee tentatively scheduled to mark up its legislative text in...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
House Passes Concurrent Budget Resolution for Reconciliation Process. Passage of the resolution didn’t resolve the policy differences between the House and the Senate. Those still need to be addressed as...more
Final Week Before Easter Recess -
Focus this week on Capitol Hill will remain on reconciliation, as Republicans aim to pass the unified budget resolution in the House before leaving on Thursday for the two-week Easter...more
4/8/2025
/ Budget Reconciliation ,
Congressional Committees ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Physician Fee Schedule ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
Trump Administration
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
- Reconciliation Moves Forward with Senate Introduction of Concurrent Budget Resolution. This move initiates the next stage in the reconciliation process, which requires House and Senate passage of a...more
Reconciliation Watch -
Reports indicate that the Senate will move as soon as Wednesday to begin advancing a unified budget plan. The Senate hopes to be able to advance the budget resolution by having the two chambers...more
4/1/2025
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Budget Reconciliation ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Senate Committees ,
Trump Administration
Lawmakers are back in Washington, DC, after a week-long recess. Both chambers will be in town for three weeks before a two-week Easter recess in mid-April. With the government funded through the end of this fiscal year, focus...more
Government Is Funded, Congress at Home for the Week. On March 15, 2025, President Trump signed a continuing resolution (CR) into law that funds the government and provides short-term extensions of certain healthcare programs...more
3/24/2025
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Technology Sector ,
Telehealth ,
Trump Administration
THIS WEEK’S DOSE -
- Congress Debates Government Funding. A continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through September passed the House and may pass the Senate today.
- Senate HELP Committee Advances NIH, FDA...more
3/17/2025
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Agenda
Government Funding Deadline, Healthcare Program Expirations Approach. Following recent House and Senate passage of their competing budget resolutions, Congress’ attention has now turned to the March 14, 2025, government...more
3/10/2025
/ Continuing Resolution ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
EMTALA ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Government Agencies ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Senate Finance Committee ,
Trump Administration
Attention Turns to Government Funding -
Last week, after some drama on the floor, the House passed its version of a budget resolution in a 217 – 215 vote, a week after the Senate passed its “skinny” resolution. For the...more
3/4/2025
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Budget ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Telehealth ,
Trump Administration
House Passes Budget Resolution. On February 25, the House voted 217 – 215 to advance its version of a budget resolution to outline the reconciliation process. In a dramatic display of how quickly things can change, the vote...more
3/3/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Technology Sector ,
Trump Administration
Can the House Pass a Budget Resolution This Week?
The House is back from recess, so both chambers of Congress are in session this week (although the House is out again on Friday).
With 18 days left to pass a budget before...more
Senate Passes Budget Resolution. Last week, the Senate and House Budget Committees each passed separate, and very different, budget resolutions as their first steps toward negotiating a unified budget resolution that must...more
After the Presidents Day long weekend, the House is out of session this week. The Senate is in session, with a continued focus on nominations and potential floor action on the budget resolution that the Senate Budget...more
2/19/2025
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Funding ,
Healthcare ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
Trump Administration
RFK Jr. Confirmed as HHS Secretary. In a 52 – 48 Senate vote, Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. was confirmed as the next HHS secretary. All Democrats voted no, and Sen. McConnell (R-KY) was the only Republican to join them. He...more
2/14/2025
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Healthcare ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
National Institute of Health (NIH) ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Trump Administration
Budget Reconciliation Process Begins -
The Senate Budget Committee will hold a two-day markup on its budget resolution, officially kickstarting the reconciliation process. The resolution includes directions for committee...more
Key Nominations Move Forward. The Senate Finance Committee advanced Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr.’s nomination to lead the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) in a 14 – 13 vote along party lines. The nomination now...more
2/10/2025
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Gender Identity ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Opioid ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Public Health ,
Senate Committees ,
Senate Confirmation Hearings ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. House
The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote on the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr., President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on Tuesday morning. All eyes are...more
2/4/2025
/ Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Healthcare ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Life Sciences ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Public Health ,
Senate Committees ,
Senate Confirmation Hearings ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. House
Senate Finance, HELP Committees Hold RFK Jr. Nomination Hearings. RFK Jr., nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), testified before the Senate Finance Committee on January 29 and before the Senate Health,...more
1/31/2025
/ Abortion ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Veterans Affairs ,
Executive Orders ,
Food Safety ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HELP ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Finance Committee ,
Transgender ,
Transparency ,
Trump Administration
Republicans hold a trifecta of control after winning the White House, US Senate, and US House of Representatives for the 119th Congress. They will aim to pass an agenda backed by President Trump that is focused on tax cuts,...more
1/31/2025
/ Byrd Amendment ,
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 ,
Energy Sector ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Immigration ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Reconciliation ,
Senate Committees ,
Tax Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. House