Congressional:

House Passes Short-Term Continuing Resolution, Democrats Release Counterproposal Bill

On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee released the continuing resolution (CR) text to fund the government through November 21. On Friday, the House passed the measure in a 217 to 212 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate, where the Senate is expected to vote on Friday first on the Democratic alternative proposal, the Continuing Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30th, 2026 (S. 2882), at a 60-vote threshold for passage. If the vote fails, the Senate will proceed to the immediate consideration of the House-passed CR (H.R. 5371) and vote on passage of the bill at a 60-vote threshold. 

The House-passed bill would maintain funding for the Department of Health and Human Services and many other departments until November 21 and would also renew the health programs through the same date. They include the National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program, the Community Health Center Fund, and the NIH Special Diabetes Program. The legislation would also temporarily renew funds for the Personal Responsibility Education Program, Sexual Risk Avoidance Education, and Family-to-Family Health Information Centers. The bill would delay cuts to Medicaid disproportionate-share hospitals, which Congress has consistently delayed since the implementation of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The CR would also renew several Medicare programs, including the low-volume hospital adjustment program, outreach and assistance for low-income programs, and acute hospital care at home waiver authorities. It would also extend telehealth flexibilities initially enacted through a COVID-19 relief law. The CR also includes longer-term extensions in addition to its stopgap measures, including reauthorizing the FDA’s Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Program for five years.

On Wednesday, congressional Democrats countered with their own proposal, a shorter-term CR that would fund the government through October 31 and permanently extend certain health care subsidies. Separately, on Tuesday, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced legislation to extend the enhanced premium tax credits through January 1, 2028. The measure would maintain current income thresholds that many Republican leaders have criticized as overly generous for higher-income households. Murkowski described the bill as a “conversation starter” to encourage bipartisan engagement on the issue.

Senate Passes Bill to Renew, Modify Opioid Programs

On Thursday, the Senate passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 via unanimous consent, clearing the legislation for the president's signature. The bill would renew public health grants and other programs under the SUPPORT Act (PL 115-271), enacted in 2018, to combat the opioid overdose epidemic. It included provisions from 12 committees related to opioid addiction prevention, treatment, research, recovery, and enforcement. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 reauthorizes programs through fiscal 2030 and modifies a number of those public health programs. If signed into law, grants would be renewed for opioid overdose training for first responders, residential substance use treatment programs, and research on related childhood stress. It would also reauthorize the Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers program, the Interagency Task Force on Trauma-Informed Care program, and the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. The Health and Human Services Department (HHS) would be required to establish activities to support a comprehensive program of education, prevention, identification, intervention, and service delivery for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Read the bill here.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Holds Markup Advancing Several Health Care Bills

On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced five health care bills on a bipartisan basis, ranging from rural health care development to the regulation of pediatric rare diseases. The legislation included:

• H.R. 2493, Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025 – Passed in a 49-0 vote.
• H.R. 3419, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs - Passed in a 48-0 vote.
• H.R. 2846, To amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries) - Passed in a 46-0 vote.
• H.R. 1262, Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 - Passed in a 47-0 vote.
• H.R. 3302, Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. Ocasio-Cortez) – Passed in a 49-0 vote.

House Ways and Means Committee Advances Several Health Care Bills in Markup

On Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced four health care bills in a markup. The health care legislation included a bill that would allow Medicare coverage of some cancer-detecting tests, extension of the acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities through 2030, delaying the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ implementation of a rule requiring Accountable Care Organizations transition to electronic clinical quality measures, and a bill that would allow Medicare a pathway to cover breakthrough medical devices and diagnostic tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.

• H.R. 842, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act – Passed, as amended, in a 43-0 vote.
• H.R. 4313, the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act – Passed, as amended, in a 44-0 vote.
• H.R. 5347, the Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act – Passed, as amended, in a 43-0 vote.
• H.R. 5343, the Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act – Passed, as amended, in a 38-3 vote.

Senate HELP Committee Holds Hearing with Former CDC Director Susan Monarez

On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on reviewing recent events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with former CEC Director Susan Monarez and former CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry testifying. During the hearing, Senate Republicans were divided on whether the Trump administration acted appropriately in pressuring and ultimately firing Monarez. Several GOP lawmakers questioned Monarez's loyalty to the president while moderates expressed concern that the Trump administration is degrading trust in public health. In her testimony, Monarez told the committee that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. required political staff to sign off on any CDC policy changes and that Kennedy plans to change the childhood immunization schedule later this month, whether or not the scientific data supports it. Monarez stated that she was removed for not signing off on his vaccine advisers' recommendations ahead of time and for refusing to fire career officials who disagreed with Kennedy. Monarez and Houry warned that Kennedy’s approach could erode trust in public health and lead to the return of preventable diseases. Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy and other Republican senators asked the officials whether decisions were being made from a scientific standpoint. Cassidy also noted that "[It] may be impossible to tell who was telling the truth." Read Mehlman’s hearing summary here.

House Ways and Means, Oversight Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Tax-Exempt Hospitals

On Tuesday, the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing to examine tax-exempt hospitals. During the hearing, Republicans questioned whether nonprofit hospitals are truly providing enough community benefit to justify their tax-exempt status. Several members advocated for clearer definitions of community benefit and stronger oversight of IRS reporting, calling for better data collection to measure the true value of tax exemptions. Democrats emphasized that nonprofit hospitals provide broad community benefits beyond free care, such as essential low-profit services and community programs, and that removing tax-exempt benefits would destabilize the system. Witnesses offered contrasting views, with some arguing that nonprofit hospitals misuse tax-exempt benefits by funding political or non-medical initiatives instead of patient care, while others stressed that, despite financial pressures, nonprofit hospitals remain essential for providing unprofitable but critical services and must be strengthened rather than weakened. Read Mehlman’s hearing summary here.

House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Innovative Medical Technologies

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing on Thursday examining legislation aimed at speeding older adults’ access to innovative medical technologies and treatments. Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Health Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) stated last week that outdated Medicare coverage policies and “bureaucratic hurdles” can delay or deny beneficiaries access to cutting-edge diagnostics and devices. During the hearing, members weighed proposals to expand coverage, streamline the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ approval process, and boost overall transparency. Read the witness testimonies here.

CBO Releases Estimate of Permanently Extending the Expanded Premium Tax Credit

On Thursday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that permanently extending premium tax credits would increase the number of insured people by 3.8 million while also increasing the deficit by $349.8 billion over 10 years. The analysis was requested by Democrats who also requested estimates of the effect of rolling back other changes to the individual market under President Trump, including repealing a Trump administration final marketplace rule and repealing portions of the reconciliation law, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (PL 119-21). Jointly, the CBO estimated that all three actions would increase the number of insured people by 7 million while increasing the federal deficit by $662 billion over 10 years. Read the CBO report here. 

Notable Bills Introduced:

Democratic Committee Leaders Introduce Legislation to Protect Free Vaccines for Americans

On Thursday, Bicameral Democratic Health Committee leaders introduced the Protecting Free Vaccines Act. The legislation would require private health insurance companies, Medicaid, and Medicare to continue covering recommended vaccines free of cost-sharing. The legislation was introduced in the House by Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA), and Education and Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA). Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Read the press release here, the one-pager here, and the bill text here.

Senators Blumenthal, Marshall, Landsman, & Lawler Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Promoting Infant Screening for Virus that Causes Birth Defects

On Wednesday, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Representatives Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced the Stop CMV Act, legislation to raise awareness of Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) and encourage early screenings for newborns to allow for early treatment and intervention. The bill would authorize new funding to incentivize hospitals and other health care facilities that care for children to screen babies for cCMV within the first 21 days after birth. The legislation also authorizes funding to collect data on cCMV and to encourage research, education, and training of health care providers, families, and the general public. Read the press release here and the bill here.

Representatives McGovern, Malliotakis Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Address Link Between Diet and Chronic Disease

On Wednesday, Ranking Member of the Rules Committee James McGovern (D-MA) and Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) introduced the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Demonstration Pilot Act. The bill would create a 6-year nationwide Medicare pilot to provide Medically Tailored Meals (MTMs) to seniors with diet-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, or COPD. Forty hospitals will participate, with priority for rural and underserved areas. Each must partner with a community MTM organization to deliver two meals a day for at least 12 weeks. A companion bill in the Senate was introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Roger Marshall (R-KS). Read the press release here and the bill here.

Representatives Sykes, De La Cruz, Bynum Introduce Bipartisan Food Farmacy Act

On Wednesday, Representatives Emilia Sykes (D-OH) and Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, along with Bipartisan Women’s Caucus vice chair Janelle Bynum (D-OR) introduced the Food Farmacy Act, to expand access to nutritious foods and provide nutritional guidance. Food farmacies and similar programs often operate out of hospitals or health care providers, allowing patients to receive treatment and access nutrition education. The legislation would authorize $10 million for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2030 for grants to support food farmacies. Read the press release here and the bill here.

Senators Grassley, Luján Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation Expanding Access to Medical Services for Older Americans in Underserved Areas

On Tuesday, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) reintroduced bipartisan legislation bolstering pharmacists’ ability to serve older Americans in communities that lack easy access to doctors or where pharmacists can provide certain basic medical services. The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act would encourage pharmacists to offer health and wellness screenings, immunizations, and diabetes management by authorizing Medicare payments for those services where pharmacists are already licensed under state law to provide them. Read the press release here and the bill here.

Senator Cassidy Introduces Bill to Expand Medicare Advantage Access in Rural Communities 

On Tuesday, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced the Ensuring Access to Essential Providers Act of 2025 to strengthen access to care for rural populations by ensuring Medicare Advantage (MA) plans include essential community providers (ECPs) in their networks. Read the press release here and the bill here. 

Executive Branch:

CMS Launches Landmark $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program

On Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled details on how states can apply to receive funding from the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to strengthen health care across rural America. The law stipulates that CMS must determine states' allotments by the end of 2025. To be eligible for these funds, states must submit applications by November 5, with decisions issued by December 31, 2025. The first round of funds will be administered next year. The law requires that half of the funds be distributed evenly across states and the other half to be allocated based on merit-based applications. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated in a video message announcing the start of the application process that "This is a structural shift, not just a temporary patch. By early next year, states will begin using these funds to put real solutions in place." Read the press release here.

HHS, CDC Announce New ACIP Members

On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the appointment of five new members to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The newly appointed members are:

• Catherine M. Stein, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Population & Quantitative Health, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Stein is an epidemiologist with more than two decades of research experience on tuberculosis and infectious diseases.
• Evelyn Griffin, M.D., Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Baton Rouge General Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Griffin is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, lifestyle medicine, and functional medicine.
• Hillary Blackburn, PharmD, M.B.A., Director of Medication Access and Affordability, AscensionRx, St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Blackburn previously served as Chief Pharmacy Officer at the Dispensary of Hope, overseeing formulary and research strategy. She is also a leader in professional pharmacy organizations, host of the Talk to Your Pharmacist podcast, and author of How Pharmacists Lead.
• Kirk Milhoan, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Director, For Hearts and Souls Free Medical Clinic, Kihei, Hawaii. Dr. Milhoan is a pediatric cardiologist and former U.S. Air Force flight surgeon. He co-founded For Hearts and Souls, an international mission organization for children with congenital heart disease.
• Raymond Pollak, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.R.C.S. Dr. Pollak is a surgeon, transplant immunobiologist, and transplant specialist who has served as principal investigator on NIH transplant biology grants and numerous drug trials. He previously served as Chief of Liver Transplantation and Director of Multiorgan Transplant Programs at the University of Illinois and has held leadership roles with the United Network for Organ Sharing and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Read the press release here.            

ACIP Recommends Standalone Chickenpox Vaccination in Toddlers

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to adopt a new recommendation for the child immunization schedule, while ensuring that all children receive immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox from 12 months of age. The Committee, by a vote of eight to three, recommended that toddlers through age three be immunized for varicella (chickenpox) through standalone vaccination rather than through the combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine. HHS will examine all insurance coverage implications following today’s ACIP recommendation, prior to a final decision on adoption by the Acting Director. A recommendation from ACIP becomes part of the CDC immunization schedule if the CDC director adopts it. The ACIP also discussed changes to the hepatitis B vaccine schedule, but members pushed the vote until Friday, when the panel is also set to discuss COVID-19 vaccines. Read the press release here.

HHS Announces Reforms to Strengthen Organ Procurement System 

On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced several steps to strengthen accountability in the nation’s organ procurement and transplantation system during a livestreamed event. The reforms include stricter compliance requirements and enforcement actions for organ procurement organizations (OPOs), new reporting mechanisms, and modernization of data systems to enhance transparency. For the first time, HHS is decertifying an OPO (Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency in South Florida) mid-cycle due to patient safety concerns and regulatory violations, signaling a new precedent for addressing noncompliance. HHS has also advanced governance reforms by establishing an independent board for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, launching public transparency dashboards, and creating a dedicated patient safety officer role. Read the press release regarding the decertification of Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency here. 

Legal & Other:

Joint Commission and Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) Release Initial Guidance to Support Responsible AI Adoption Across US Health Systems

On Wednesday, the Joint Commission and the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) released Guidance on Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare, which will serve as internal governance to help U.S. health systems safely and effectively implement artificial intelligence (AI) at scale. This guidance features high-level recommendations for the Responsible Use of AI and is designed to be accessible, applicable, and adaptable for healthcare organizations at any stage of their AI journey. Specifically, it establishes that policies, appropriate local validation, monitoring, and use, to be flexibly interpreted and integrated into existing or new processes as deemed appropriate for the context of any organization. The Joint Commission had planned to launch a certification program for assessing health systems that use AI responsibly this fall, but the organization has delayed its timeline. In the meantime, CHAI and the commission plan to launch more guidance as well as a playbook by year’s end. Read the guidance here.