Congressional:

Senate Passes Two Health Care Bills

On Wednesday, the Senate passed two bills by unanimous consent. The Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025 (H.R.3490) mandates that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) produce a report within one year of enactment, evaluating the impact of esophageal cancer on health care spending under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and the frequency of recommended screenings for high-risk individuals within this program. The bill has passed both chambers and now heads to the president, where it is expected to be signed into law. The Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization (S.4460) would extend the rural community hospital demonstration program from 15 to 20 years and ensure that additional hospitals participating between late 2024 and early 2027 are included under the program's provisions. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Advances 16 Bills in Markup

On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced 14 health care and two infrastructure bills out of committee, all with strong bipartisan support. The health care legislation included all 10 bipartisan public health bills advanced by the Health Subcommittee last week, in addition to four other health bills:

• H.R. 4348, To reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, and for other purposes – Passed 48-0
• H.R. 4541, EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025 – Passed 48-0
• H.R. 3747, Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer’s Provider (AADAPT) Training Act – Passed 48-0
• H.R. 8209, School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act of 2026 – Passed 46-0
• H.R. 5160, Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2025 – Passed 46-0
• H.R. 8205, Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026 – Passed 46-0
• H.R. 2715, Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act – Passed 43-0
• H.R. 2821, FDA Modernization Act 3.0 – Passed 45-0
• H.R. 5347, Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act – Passed 44-0
• H.R. 1703, Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025 – Passed 45-0
• H.R. 1493, To reauthorize and make improvements to Federal programs relating to the prevention, detection, and treatment of traumatic brain injuries, and for other purposes – Passed 43-0
• H.R. 3491, DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act of 2025 – Passed 46-0
• H.R. 6238, NIH IMPROVE Act – Passed 46-0
• H.R. 2001, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a grant program for addressing dental workforce needs – Passed 44-0

House Ways & Means Committee Holds Markup on 8 Health Care Bills

On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Committee held a markup on eight health care bills, advancing all eight bills out of committee. Among the legislation the subcommittee considered were bills that would expand Medicare's tools to screen for and address fraud; increase requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program; expand Medicare coverage for kidney treatments and pharmacist-given tests; and reform the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). During the markup, Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) stated that the legislation being considered complements the work of the White House’s antifraud task force, which was established earlier this spring. Democrats argued that the measures would not do enough to crack down on the root causes of fraud in health care.

• H.R. 3164, Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act – Passed by voice vote
• H.R. 8163, Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 - Passed 44-0
• H.R. 8875, Improving Home Dialysis Act of 2026 - Passed 28-13
• H.R. 8883, Protecting Seniors and Stopping Fraudsters Act - Passed 27-16
• H.R. 8871, DME Scammer Prevention Act of 2026 - Passed 25-19
• H.R. 8884, Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act - Passed 27-16
• H.R. 8873, Recover COVID Unemployment Fraud in Banks Act - Passed 41-0
• H.R. 8872, Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in TANF Act - Passed 23-19

House Education & Workforce Committee Holds Markup on 3 Health Care Bills

On Thursday, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a markup advancing five bills, three of which were health care bills affecting health and retirement plans, as well as legislation that would bar pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from making any payment to brokers, consultants, advisers or any other individual in exchange for recommendations, placement, retention, renewal or access to an employer health plan's business.

• H.R. 7362; Form 5500 Filing Simplification Act – Passed 22-12
• H.R. 7895; PBM Kickback Prohibition Act – Passed 34-0
• H.R. 8684; Transparency in Billing Act of 2026 – Passed 34-0

House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Hearing on Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing on the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. During the hearing, there was bipartisan support for Congress to reform the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Witnesses and members across the aisle strongly supported tying Medicare physician payments to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) to help practices keep pace with rising overhead costs. Republicans focused heavily on the administrative burdens of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the cost disparities between independent practices and hospital outpatient departments, arguing that current policies incentivize vertical integration at the expense of taxpayers and patients. Democrats emphasized the severe shortage of primary care physicians, the need to properly value longitudinal care over episodic procedures, and the negative impact of recent Medicaid cuts on rural healthcare access and hospital viability. Read the witness testimony here.

Senator Wyden, Senate Democrats Introduce Resolution to Roll Back WISeR Model

On Wednesday, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) led 20 Senate Democrats as they introduced a resolution to invoke the Congressional Review Act to roll back the WISeR (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) Model. Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a determination that the WISeR model is subject to the Congressional Review Act, following a request from Senate Democrats. This determination starts a 60-day period during which Democrats can force a vote on the resolution of disapproval to repeal the WISeR model. Read the press release here, the text of the resolution here, and a summary here.

Senator Wyden, Senate Democrats Unveil Plans to Improve Long-Term Care

On Wednesday, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 16 Senate Democrats announced a new initiative to improve access and affordability for long-term care for seniors, Americans with disabilities, and their families in a letter to their Senate colleagues. The letter outlines plans to expand home care, align incentives for improved care in nursing homes, and address workforce shortages to create quality, sustainable jobs for both types of care. Read the press release here and the letter here.

Notable Bills:

Representative Feenstra Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Rural Hospital Program

On Thursday, Representative Randy Feenstra (R-IA), along with Representatives Jared Golden (D-ME), Mike Flood (R-NE), and Janelle Bynum (D-OR), introduced the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program Reauthorization Act to extend the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) for five years. The legislation was introduced by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and passed in the Senate. Read the press release here and the bill here.

Senators Boozman, Lujan Champion Greater Access to Radiology Services

On Thursday, Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced legislation to improve Medicare beneficiaries’ access to medical imaging services and address the provider shortage, particularly in rural America. The Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act (MARCA) would allow radiologists to submit claims to Medicare for non-diagnostic services performed by radiologist assistants (RAs) they directly supervise in both the hospital and office setting. Read the press release here and the bill here.

Representatives Buchanan, Castor Introduce Bill to Expand Hospital at Home, Lower Health Care Costs

On Wednesday, Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced the bipartisan At Home Observation and Medical Evaluation (HOME) Services Act to expand access to innovative health care models for Medicare patients under observation status. The bill would direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish a two-year pilot program that allows hospitals to provide hospital-level care at home for eligible patients while maintaining rigorous safety and quality standards. Read the press release here and the bill here.

Senators Merkley, Wicker Launch Bipartisan Effort to Overturn New Limits on Student Loans for Nurses

On Tuesday, Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced a new bill in response to a U.S. Department of Education (ED) decision that fails to classify post-baccalaureate nursing degrees as “professional degrees,” thereby imposing stricter limits on federal student loans for nurses. The bipartisan Nursing is a Professional Degree Act would classify post-baccalaureate nursing degrees as “professional degrees,” which would entitle nurses taking out federal student loans to a cap of $50,000 annually and $200,000 in the aggregate. Read the press release here and the bill here.

Representative Auchincloss Releases Discussion Draft of Next-Generation U.S. Clinical Development

Late last week, on Thursday, Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) released a legislative discussion draft titled Next-Generation U.S. Clinical Development to Accelerate Cures Proposal. The discussion draft aims to modernize and improve the clinical trials process for faster and more accessible clinical trials in the U.S. Comments are due by June 30. Read the press release here. 

Executive Branch:

CMS Issues Medicaid Managed Care State Directed Payments and Medicaid Fee-For-Service Targeted Medicaid Practitioner Payments Proposed Rule

On Wednesday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Proposed Rule on Medicaid Managed Care State Directed Payments (SDP) and Medicaid Fee-for-Service (FFS) Targeted Practitioner Payments. Under the proposed rule, SDP for inpatient nursing facilities, inpatient and outpatient hospitals, and qualified practitioners will be capped at 100% of Medicare payment rates in states that have expanded Medicaid eligibility and at 110% in non-expansion states. If a particular Medicaid-covered service lacks a published Medicare payment rate, CMS will set payment limits at 100% of the amount a state approved under its Medicaid plan. If finalized, CMS estimates the proposed rule would generate an estimated $775 billion in total savings over 10 years, including $510 billion in federal savings. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz called the rule a move to restore “balance by aligning Medicaid payments with Medicare standards,” and “ensuring taxpayer dollars support patients, not payment schemes.” Read the press release here and the fact sheet here.

HHS Announces Crackdown on Unchecked Audit Findings

On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR), announced the launch of the Audit Enforcement and Risk Oversight initiative (AERO). Using AI analytical tools, ASFR will conduct a comprehensive, ongoing analysis of single audit information across all 50 states, examining at least five years of audit history. HHS stated that it will work collaboratively with states and grantees to resolve audit findings and implement appropriate internal controls to safeguard federally funded programs against waste, fraud, and abuse. Read the press release here.

President Trump Announces Expansion of TrumpRx.gov

On Monday, President Trump announced his Administration is adding more than 600 generic medications to its direct-to-consumer drug sales website, TrumpRx. Discounts offered by Amazon Pharmacy, Cost Plus Drugs, and GoodRx on these generic drugs will be integrated into TrumpRx.gov. Read the fact sheet here.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr Appoints Stephanie Haridopolos as Interim Surgeon General

On Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed health official Stephanie Haridopolos to be the interim surgeon general. Haridopolos currently serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy and as chief of staff to the Surgeon General’s office. As the interim Surgeon General, Haridopolos will promote public health actions, advisories, and guidance until the nominee for Surgeon General is confirmed.