RFK Jr. officially becomes HHS secretary as pressing healthcare policy questions mount
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in Feb. 13 as the new secretary of HHS, and current events in healthcare policy make clear that he’ll be busy in the role. With the Senate having confirmed him by a partisan vote of 52-48, Kennedy faces urgent matters aside from generating momentum for his signature policy of…
New medical debt rule already is just about null and void
The future is shaky at best for a new rule preventing medical debt from appearing on consumer credit reports. The Biden administration’s leadership at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published the regulations in mid-January, with an effective date of March 17. But the Trump administration pushed back the effective date back by 90 days,…
New tariffs are expected to strain the healthcare supply chain
March 3 update: Trump says the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico will begin March 4 as scheduled, while the tariff on China is doubling to 20%. Tariffs implemented by the Trump administration will affect costs in the healthcare supply chain, and the impact would be expected to grow if the original plan for the…
Various 340B issues mean potential headaches for providers in 2025
The 340B Drug Pricing Program, a key source of cost savings for participating hospitals, faces intensifying pressure in the early part of the new year. Drug companies are pursuing efforts to limit the ability of hospitals to realize their full allotment of savings, while Congress eyes the program as a possible way to trim federal…
Latest on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces: Will recent enrollment surge be short-lived?
In its final days, the Biden administration tried to cement gains made during the past few years in the uptake of insurance coverage provided through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. A final rule published Jan. 15 seeks to carry the recent momentum into 2026 via small steps and technical updates such as changes to…
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. articulates his views on chronic disease, vaccines, Medicaid
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will seek to chart a new course for U.S. healthcare if he becomes HHS secretary, he explained during a Jan. 29 confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. “President Trump has asked me to end the chronic disease epidemic and make America healthy again because I’m in a unique position to…
Medicaid funding questions swirl after White House orders widespread spending pause (updated)
Jan. 29 update: The White House on Wednesday retracted the OMB memo implementing the general pause of federal grant and loan spending, saying a stringent review of agency spending nonetheless will continue and funding for agencies and programs could still be frozen if deemed to be used in a way that’s contrary to the administration’s…
Proposed MA rate notice for 2026 looks promising for health plans, which soon could reap more gains
The Biden administration’s final action with respect to Medicare Advantage (MA) provided a boost to health plans, which could fare better yet under the Trump administration. For 2026, MA plans would receive a 2.23% increase in their payment benchmarks, according to an advance rate notice posted Jan. 10. That would represent a reversal from 2024…
Medicare Part D drug price negotiations are set to include GLP-1s, but questions abound
GLP-1 medications made the second round of drugs that are subject to price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), according to a CMS announcement during the final days of the Biden administration. However, the future of Medicare’s price negotiation authority is uncertain following the transition of power in Washington, D.C. Congressional Republicans have criticized…
GOP puts ideas for major healthcare spending cuts in writing
Big healthcare provisions and programs face the prospect of cutbacks as congressional Republicans look to pass a budget for the remainder of FY25. With Donald Trump in place for a second presidential term starting Monday afternoon and narrow Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress, the GOP has a chance to influence federal policy on…