Poll: MAHA Agenda Risky With Key Voters For GOP In Swing Districts
A new Inside Health Policy poll finds the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda losing momentum among key voters in competitive congressional districts. Support has slipped sharply among independents and among voters who favor the movement’s goals but are uneasy with its leadership, particularly HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The findings suggest that GOP candidates who align closely with MAHA risk alienating swing‑district electorates ahead of the 2026 midterms. The poll surveyed roughly 1,200 likely voters across 15 battleground states.
Consumers, Employers Make Joint Call For Price Transparency Reform
A coalition of consumer advocates, employers and health‑payer groups is urging Congress to pass a price‑transparency law that would require providers to disclose the true cost of treatments and prescription drugs at the point of care. The proposal also calls...
White House Urges Mississippi To Reject Rx Fee Bill Over Drug Price Concerns
The White House is urging Mississippi legislators to reject a Senate‑amended bill that would impose a uniform $11.29 dispensing fee on every prescription. Federal officials argue the flat charge could raise out‑of‑pocket costs and undermine national drug‑price reduction efforts. The...
Medical Groups Press DHS To Prioritize Doctors In Immigration Processing
Leading medical societies have urged the Department of Homeland Security to create a national interest immigration category that would fast‑track physicians and medical trainees. The request follows the recent detention of two Venezuelan doctors in Texas, underscoring how immigration delays...
WV Legal Case Upholds Vaccine Mandates Without Religious Exemption
An appeals court in West Virginia upheld the state’s policy allowing school districts to impose vaccine mandates without offering religious exemptions. The ruling comes amid recent changes to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) charter, which have intensified...
CMS Proposes To Scale Mandatory Joint Replacement Model Nationwide
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposal to expand its Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model nationwide, making it mandatory for all Medicare‑eligible hospitals. The model bundles payments for hip, knee and ankle replacements, covering...
CMS Showcases Progress Made On Four Medicare Tech Projects
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) showcased progress on four of its five Health Technology Ecosystem projects at an HHS event on April 9. The agency emphasized advancements in AI‑driven claims processing, data interoperability, telehealth integration, and cybersecurity...
AFGE: Plan To Access Fed Workers’ Health Data Likely Violates HIPAA
The White House Office of Management and Budget has unveiled a plan to obtain personally identifiable medical records from the insurers that cover federal employees and their families. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the nation’s largest federal‑worker union,...
AMA CEO Outlines Key Goals As New Digital Health/AI Center Staffs Up
American Medical Association CEO John Whyte announced the staffing of a new Center for Digital Health and AI, positioning it to shape policy as digital medicine expands. The center will convene a meeting next month with a leading digital‑medicine coalition...
Court Orders FDA To Provide Update On Mifepristone Review Before Midterms
A Louisiana district judge ordered the FDA to issue an update on its Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) review for the abortion medication mifepristone within six months. The mandate arrives as the Trump administration faces pressure to clarify its...
Nursing Homes, Providers Mixed Over Proposed 2.4% Bump In Fiscal 2027 Pay
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a 2.4% increase in Medicare reimbursement rates for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for fiscal year 2027. The nursing‑home lobby praised the move as a practical boost to Medicare payments, while...
Judge Again Tells Trump Admin To Recognize VA Health Workers’ Union
A federal judge has again ordered the Trump administration to recognize the collective bargaining agreement for health‑care workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The ruling insists the government comply “in both form and substance,” effectively overturning prior attempts to...
Experts Warn MA Auto Enrollment Would Limit Choice, Raise Costs
Health policy experts are warning that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is exploring automatic enrollment of Medicare beneficiaries into Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. They argue the move could curtail seniors' ability to choose alternative coverage and drive up...
FTC Lauds PBM, Insulin Efforts As Triumphs To Justify 2027 Budget Request
The Federal Trade Commission has submitted a FY2027 budget request of $426.7 million and 1,183 full‑time positions. The request emphasizes continuing its consumer‑protection agenda, notably the 2024 administrative complaint accusing pharmacy‑benefit managers (PBMs) of inflating insulin prices. It also funds an...
ONC To Issue Payment Rules, Work With OCR During Fiscal 2027
The Trump administration’s FY 2027 budget request outlines that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) will issue new rules updating payment policy and will collaborate with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to strengthen patient...
