Dems Get Ammo From CBO In Medicaid Battle, GOP Sen Pipes Up

Democratic lawmakers and activists are highlighting a new Congressional Budget Office analysis that finds while Medicaid reform options floated by the GOP would cut the federal deficit by as much as $710 billion, they could result in up to 8.6 million people losing Medicaid coverage, and up to 3.9 million becoming uninsured, depending on the policy details, when states pull back on benefits, payment to provider and eligibility.

Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
Author: 

PhRMA Warns Tariffs Won’t Boost U.S. Drug Manufacturing, Cites Global Trade Benefits

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the leading brand-name drug lobby, is urging the Department of Commerce to steer clear of tariffs as a strategy to boost domestic drug manufacturing.

Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
FDA Issue: 
FDA Week - 05/09/2025
FDA Volume: 
Vol. 31, No. 19
Author: 

Trump’s New Surgeon General Pick Is MAHA Pioneer Casey Means

President Donald Trump unexpectedly replaced his initial pick of former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat to serve as surgeon general with a new nominee, Casey Means, a controversial “Make America Healthy Again” influencer.

Tags: 
Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
FDA Issue: 
FDA Week - 05/09/2025
FDA Volume: 
Vol. 31, No. 19
Author: 

By Seeking Dismissal Of Telehealth Abortion Case, DOJ May Hope To Preserve FDA’s Authority

While the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to call for dismissal of a key lawsuit in Texas district court aiming to restrict telehealth access to the abortion drug mifepristone is viewed as a win by abortion advocates, the request, based on procedural grounds and not the merits of the case, could be more an attempt to protect FDA’s broader drug approval authority, some legal experts suggest.

Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
Author: 

Trump’s Budget Cuts CISA Funding That Supports Health Care Cybersecurity

The Trump administration’s proposed budget for fiscal 2026 contains a $491 million cut to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which helps hospitals, telehealth providers, and other health care stakeholders improve their cybersecurity infrastructure.

Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
Author: 
Secondary Author(s): 

Hawley, Welch Introduce MFN Bill As WH Eyes Policy For Medicaid

As the White House tests the waters on whether to base Medicaid drug payments on lower prices overseas as a cost-saver for Republicans’ emerging reconciliation package, Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Peter Welch (D-VT) simultaneously are pushing legislation Monday (May 5) that would fine drug companies if they charge more for prescription drugs in the United States than they charge in other countries.

Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
Author: 

Vaccine Group Questions FDA Moves On Placebo Trials, Safety Monitoring

Vaccine experts are pushing back against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s moves to radically shift policy by requiring placebo-controlled trials for all vaccines and potentially replace the Vaccine Adverse Events Report System (VAERS), with the recently established Vaccine Integrity Project publishing its first commentary from scientists on the topics.

Tags: 
Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
FDA Issue: 
FDA Week - 05/09/2025
FDA Volume: 
Vol. 31, No. 19
Author: 

Maryland Gov Expected To Sign Bill Expanding State PDAB Authority

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) is expected to sign a bill that expands the state’s prescription drug affordability board’s upper payment limits to cover drugs purchased by any provider in the state, after the bill passed with a healthy majority in both legislature chambers earlier this year.

Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
Author: 

NIH, CMS Launch Sweeping Data-Sharing Plan With Initial Focus On Autism

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and CMS on Wednesday launched their most ambitious data-sharing initiative yet -- granting NIH access to Medicare and Medicaid claims, electronic health records and even wearable device data, with promises the data will remain secure and confidential.

Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
Author: 

CMS Suggests Congress May Fund CSRs

CMS is asking Affordable Care Act plans to prepare for the possibility that funds for the Affordable Care Act’s cost-sharing reductions will be appropriated and insurers will no longer need to “silver-load” -- a move that would lower benchmark premiums and the associated tax credits and thus increase consumers’ costs while likely saving the federal government billions.

Tags: 
Site Name: 
InsideHealthPolicy.com
CMS Issue: 
Inside CMS - 05/08/2025
CMS Volume: 
Vol. 28, No. 19
Author: 

Pages

Not a subscriber? Sign up for 30 days free access to exclusive, detailed reporting on drug pricing reforms, Medicaid policy, FDA news and much more.