Healthcare Reconciliation Policies in Deliberations: This week, several stories broke regarding potential provisions to be included in this year’s GOP-led reconciliation “megabill”, with House Republicans moving quickly to release legislative text of the Medicaid portion by Monday. However, potential Medicaid savings options being discussed, including capping federal Medicaid allotments to states or beneficiary work requirements, are meeting reported pushback from President Trump and select vulnerable House members. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told the New York Post the package’s savings can be “done without any cuts to Medicare [or] Medicaid.” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) met with President Trump on Thursday evening.  

One Favored Nation Drug Policy Being Discussed for Potential CMS Savings: On Thursday, House Energy & Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) told reporters GOP lawmakers may be “open” to a “one favored nation” drug pricing policy to deliver needed savings in the reconciliation package. The policy, which would link government payments for pharmaceuticals to lower prices paid abroad, could be a potential savings avenue that would avoid Medicaid cuts.

House Lawmakers Seek to Include Regulatory Transformation in Reconciliation Package: On Monday, House Judiciary Committee Republicans released draft text for a bill that would consolidate the federal government's antitrust enforcement powers at the Justice Department rather than the independent FTC and require federal agencies to submit all potential rulemaking for Congressional approval. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Chair of the Republican Policy Committee Kevin Hern (R-OK) admit the measure is “controversial,” but stated confidence it could pass in the reconciliation package.  

Senate HELP Committee Releases 340B Report: Last week, the Senate HELP Committee released their report on 340B program effectiveness, arguing that hospitals “have not, in fact, using [savings] for what they claim to be using it for.” Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is interested in proposals that would require annual reporting from covered entities; investigate the financial benefits contract pharmacies receive for administering the 340B program; or change the definition of 340B-eligible patients.

SUPPORT Act Reauthorization Progresses, but Not Unanimously: On Tuesday, the House Energy & Commerce Committee passed a reauthorization bill for the SUPPORT Act, but many Democrats refused to back the reauthorization and other typically bipartisan issues, critiquing Republicans for ignoring the Trump administration’s staffing cuts at NIH and SAMHSA. Democrats’ several amendments failed along party lines, and the Committee also passed the Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act to create Medicare exceptions for physician self-referral prohibitions for certain outpatient prescription drugs.

RFK Jr. to Testify Before Senate HELP Committee this Month: Last week, an HHS spokesperson confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify before the Senate HELP Committee after Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and ranking member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) had called for answers on HHS reorganization plans. This will be the first time Kennedy appears before Congress after initiating a sweeping overhaul of the agency, which included the firing of thousands of employees.

Oz’s CMS Touts New Fraud Detection Operations Center Successes: On Monday, CMS announced the CMS Fraud Detection Operations Center found and suspended 33 providers suspected of fraud within the first month since its launch. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said the new office has found $31 million in “organized, criminal efforts” to defraud his agency.  

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