Weekly Spotlight
While many DC-types were still distracted by rolling lay-offs, Congress set its sights on the budget process. After President Trump endorsed the House version of the annual budget blueprint for FY 2026, the Senate had their own vote-o-rama, which finally came to a close at 5am Friday. Congress still needs to fund the government for the remainder of 2025 (the current agreement expires in March) and Democratic appropriators are seeking assurances that the Administration will spend appropriated funds as directed.
Other Regulatory News
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Dr. Oz commits to divesting from UnitedHealth, HCA if confirmed as CMS leader
In a Feb. 16 filing with the Office of Government Ethics, Dr. Oz outlined his commitments to avoid any conflicts of interest. If confirmed, he would divest from a wide range of organizations, including HCA Healthcare and UnitedHealth Group, as well as pharmaceutical companies and tech companies that are heavily involved in the healthcare sector.
#All
Trump administration backs ACA preventive coverage mandate
The Trump administration plans to defend the ACA requirement that requires insurers to fully cover certain preventive services for their members.
#All
STAT+: Trump’s Justice Department defends Medicare drug price talks in case brought by Novartis
The Department of Justice has filed an appeals court brief supporting the right of Medicare officials to negotiate prescription drug prices, a sign that some consumer advocates said suggests the Trump administration is willing to maintain the controversial program.
#Drug, #Patient
How hospitals can prepare for CMS’ new TEAM model
Set to take effect in less than a year, more than 700 hospitals across the U.S. are gearing up to adhere to a new alternative payment system from CMS, called the Transforming Episode Accountability Model. In addition, the New York City-based Centers Health Care, has developed a TEAM resource for hospitals
#Hospital
Trump administration slashes funding for ACA navigators
Last Friday, CMS announced a record cut in funding for community groups that help consumers learn about and select ACA plans.
#Patient
Medicare Doesn’t Pay for Everything: How to Bridge the Cost Gap
Older Americans have ways to protect against high out-of-pocket health care costs, but it’s important to understand the trade-offs.
#Patient
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Medical device industry protests firings of FDA workers
Scott Whitaker, chief executive officer of the Advanced Medical Technology Association, sent a letter to the US Department of Health and Human Services Tuesday arguing that cuts to the Food and Drug Administration’s medical device center won’t save taxpayer money. Over the weekend, the DOGE ax fell across several federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services. However, multiple sources said the firings seemed to disproportionately impact the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). The tally is said to have included about 200 device reviewers as well as some 40 statisticians and others in the center’s research division. The Department of Government Efficiency fired the FDA employees who were responsible for overseeing the clinical trial applications of neurological and physical medical devices, including those made by Elon Musk’s Neuralink. Industry experts and providers are worried layoffs at the Health and Human Services Department could slow down prior authorization reform and innovation center models. Health leaders have also expressed concerns with firings hitting the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response which serve a vital role in leading medical and public health preparedness.
#ALL
Cardiologist questions FDA’s approval process for high-risk medical devices
The technology used to diagnose, treat and manage cardiovascular disease is always evolving, keeping FDA officials quite busy. But have the agency’s standards been slipping in recent years? A cardiologist with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center explored that very question.
#Device, #Patient, #Provider
Health and Human Services (HHS)
Trump administration’s NIH layoffs total 1,165 people, internal email shows
They have received termination letters and will be on administrative leave for four weeks before they are officially terminated, an NIH official told Reuters.
#All
Trump cuts could clash with Kennedy’s long to-do list
To make a lasting change, as Kennedy has said he wants to do, it takes years and requires technical experts who can change regulations, said Dan Troy, managing director at consulting firm BRG and former FDA Chief Counsel under President George W. Bush.
#All
HHS orders CDC to halt some vaccine ads, saying RFK Jr. wants message focused on ‘informed consent’
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was ordered to shelve promotions it developed for a variety of vaccines, including a “Wild to Mild” advertising campaign urging people to get vaccinated against flu, two sources familiar with the decision told STAT.
#All
What’s at stake in Friday’s court hearing on NIH research indirect cost cuts
A federal judge will hear arguments on Friday in the first hearing on three separate lawsuits filed to block the Trump administration’s plan to sharply cut the amount the National Institutes of Health pays universities and other research institutions for overhead costs.
#All
Hill Happenings
CBO Explains Common Sources of Uncertainty in Cost Estimates for Legislation
The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the Congressional Budget Office to prepare a cost estimate for nearly every bill that is approved by a full committee of either the House or Senate. This document describes how CBO addresses the most common sources of uncertainty in its cost estimates
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Notable Notes
Biomedical grad school applicants are left in limbo
Acceptances for biomedical graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are being cut back at some universities and medical centers across the country, as institutions grapple with the potential impact of the Trump administration’s order to cut NIH research funding
#All
There may not be enough hospital beds for the aging U.S. population
The U.S. could face a national hospital bed shortage within 7 years if there isn’t a reduction in the hospitalization rate, an increase in the number of staffed hospital beds made available, or some combination of the two, according to a study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open.
#All
Opinion: The health policy cult’s misplaced faith in government; The retail model is the only way to bring costs down and quality up
Mainstream policy analysts are convinced that government, and only government, can save us from the monster the U.S. health care system has become. That’s why their recommended solutions to the system’s many problems all have government at their core.
#All
National Academies is altering pending reports to appease Trump administration, some members say
The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine is scrubbing pending reports of words such as “health equity,” “marginalized populations,” and “restorative justice” and replacing them with vaguer terms in an effort to appease the Trump administration, according to a letter protesting the actions sent to the organization’s leaders and obtained by STAT.
#All
Trump signs order to claim power over independent agencies
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order bringing independent agencies under the control of the White House — an action that would greatly expand his power but is likely to attract significant legal challenges.
#All
Getinge ending production of cardiopulmonary surgical perfusion systems
The global medtech company is also looking to expand its organ transplant and ECMO portfolios.
#Device
Robotic surgery gains ground inside hospitals
Medtech giants are doubling down on robotic surgery systems as hospitals see fewer complications and shorter stays.
#Hospital, #Device, #Patient, #Provider
Health system finances squeezed by high specialist fees
The high cost of employing third-party specialists is expected to create more financial headaches for health systems this year, despite ongoing work to mitigate the impact.
#Hospital, #Provider
Opportunistic imaging detects signs of heart disease in lung cancer patients
Imaging results from lung cancer patients may be able to effectively predict patients’ risk of developing heart disease, according to new data to be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient course.
#Patient
Patients as Consumers: New Research Report Shows A New Era of Expectations in Healthcare
Press Ganey, the leading provider of experience measurement, data analytics, and insights for health systems and health plans, has released its latest research report, “Consumer Experience in Healthcare.” The findings, based on 6.5M patient encounters and a nationwide survey, highlight the growing consumer mindset in healthcare and the urgent need for organizations to remove friction, build trust, and enhance convenience.
#Patient
Encouraging DOAC Data for Afib With Various Valvular Heart Diseases
For some patients with atrial fibrillation (Afib, AF) and valvular heart disease (VHD), direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) appeared to offer better prevention of stroke and thromboembolic events compared with warfarin, without compromising safety, a retrospective cohort study suggested.
#Patient, #Provider
