28 July 2025 This Week in Health Policy for July 28 The House began its August recess this week and Representatives will not return to Washington DC until after Labor Day. The Senate will be in this week for its last scheduled session before the August recess. Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) could hold members in town for a few additional days to continue work on nominations. This Week in Health Policy will publish next on September 5. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a markup of health care legislation, including OTC Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments and Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025.
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on "Making Health Care Affordable: Solutions to Lower Costs and Empower Patients."
Reconciliation 2.0. On Wednesday (July 23), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) confirmed that Republicans intend to act on another GOP-only reconciliation bill later this year to address items left out of the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" (Public Law No. 119-21). In a Bloomberg interview, Speaker Johnson said he hoped to pass a bill "late in the fall" that would address issues cut out of the OBBBA to meet reconciliation rules, without naming specific provisions. "There are some priorities that did not make it into 'reconciliation one' that are still priorities for people," Johnson said. "A couple of things that didn't survive the Byrd test, and we're looking at other ways, other angles maybe to try to include that." Health and tax policies that could be included in a second reconciliation bill remain unclear. However, House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) has said that Republicans may consider tailoring Medicaid and other changes that fell out of the package to meet reconciliation rules. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) also has introduced a bill to mitigate some of the state funding cuts under the law and bolster the rural health stabilization fund. Health extenders and bipartisan activity. Lawmakers also are discussing how to address health care extenders set to expire at the end of the fiscal year on September 30, including community Health Center funding, the National Health Services Corps, Medicare telehealth flexibilities, several hospital programs including funding for Medicare Dependent Hospitals, and more. They also must decide whether to allow the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) enhanced Premium Tax Credits to expire at the end of the year. The tax credits reduced premiums for individuals above 100% of the federal poverty level who purchase coverage on the exchange marketplaces. Several lawmakers also have discussed revisiting pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms and other elements left out of the reconciliation bill and a December 2024 lame duck package. In an interview, Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith said there are "opportunities to do several bipartisan items in health care and tax and in trade" following the passage of the OBBBA, but added, extending the enhanced tax credits would be "a big problem for a lot of my members." House codifies executive orders. On Friday (July 25), Speaker Johnson's office published a list of 50 executive orders that House Republicans have noted to codify. The list includes EOs related to DODGE, Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), the Hyde Amendment, In Vitro Fertilization and more. Senate confirmations. On Tuesday (July 22), the Senate voted 50-47, along party lines, to confirm Terrance Cole as the next U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator. Mr. Cole previously was the secretary of public safety and homeland security in Virginia and worked at the DEA for more than two decades. Senate HELP Committee Chair probe on pediatric gender-affirming care. On Wednesday (July 23), Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) sent letters to provider and insurance associations requesting information about their policies and guidelines related to pediatric gender-affirming care. Responses are due by August 7, 2025. HHS Secretary weighing future of USPSTF. On Friday (July 25), the Wall Street Journal reported that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to dismiss all 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent advisory panel tasked with determining which preventive health screenings, counselling, and medications most insurers must cover at no cost to patients. In response to the news, an HHS spokesperson told Reuters, "No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS' mandate to Make America Healthy Again." FTC/DOJ host listening session on drug competition. On Thursday (July 24), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division, along with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Commerce Department, hosted the second of three listening sessions on lowering drug prices through competition. The final listening session is on Monday, August 4 at 2 pm ET — Turning Insights into Action to Reduce Drug Prices. FDA's National Priority Review Voucher program opens for applicants. On Tuesday (July 22), the FDA started accepting applications for its new National Priority Review Voucher (CNPV) pilot program and updated its FAQ. Under the program, FDA will offer up to five drug companies a non-transferable voucher to speed drug reviews by up to 10 months. CMMI announces hiring spree. On Monday (July 21), Sarah Fogler, director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation's (CMMI) Patient Care Models Group, said CMMI is actively recruiting. The agency reportedly plans to fill about 100 positions to support the development and implementation of new payment and delivery models including those targeting chronic disease prevention. FDA names new CDER leader. On Monday (July 21), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appointed George Francis Tidmarsh as director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Mr. Tidmarsh, a Stanford physician and scientist and former CEO of multiple biopharma firms, will lead efforts to ensure drug safety, efficacy, and quality. White House action on AI. On Wednesday (July 23), the White House unveiled America's AI Action Plan, which outlines steps to accelerate AI innovation by reducing regulatory barriers, building AI infrastructure in the US, and positioning the US to lead in AI globally. President Trump also signed three AI-related executive orders:
HHS immigration guidance. On Monday (July 21), 21 Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration that alleges, among other things, HHS' plan to prohibit certain immigrants from an expanded list of federal programs is an unlawful reinterpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing on "Nominations." On Thursday (July 24), the committee voted to advance six Trump administration nominees, including Brian Christine to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services; Jonathan Snare to serve as a Member, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission; and David Castillo to serve as Chief Financial Officer, Department of Labor.
House Energy and Commerce Committee held a markup. On Wednesday (July 23), the Committee voted unanimously to send the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments (H.R. 4273) to the full House. The bill would modify and extend the OTC user fee program, which is set to expire September 30, 2025, for five years.
House Ways and Means Health and Oversight Subcommittees held a hearing on Medicare Advantage: Past Lessons, Present Insights, Future Opportunities. On Tuesday, (July 22) the Subcommittees held a joint hearing on Medicare Advantage (MA). Lawmakers heard from a panel of witnesses representing providers, economists, and MA plans. During the hearing, both Republicans and Democrats raised concerns with MA, including prior authorization practices, risk adjustment and coding intensity, and spending compared with traditional Medicare. Many discussed the need for additional oversight of MA plans. However, members also spoke about high enrollment numbers and value of supplemental benefits offered.
House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing on "Ensuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System." On Tuesday (July 22), the Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss ways to improve the safety of organ donors. During the hearing, lawmakers heard testimony from witnesses representing the Health Resources and Services Administration's organ transplant branch, as well as current former leaders of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) Network for Hope, which serves Kentucky, southwest Ohio and parts of Indiana and West Virginia. The hearing centers around a HRSA investigation that found cases involving patients authorized for organ procurement whose organs were ultimately not recovered due to "concerning features" related to protocols and patient safety and some patients exhibiting "neurologic status" that makes them ineligible for procurement.
Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to "Consider the nominations of Alex Adams, of Idaho, to be Assistant Secretary for Family Support, Department of Health and Human Services." On Tuesday (July 22), the Committee heard testimony from Alex Adams, Director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, to be HHS Assistant Secretary for Family Support who, among other things, spoke of his goals to improve the foster care system. During the hearing, Republicans voiced their support for Mr. Adams, while Democrats raised concerns about his views on the Head Start program
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