With the Senate and House both failing to advance a War Powers Resolution, military action in Iran is heating up. The Department of Homeland Security remains shut down and now is undergoing a leadership change. The House is out this week but there is PLENTY of health policy to talk about so let’s get into it. Welcome to the Week Ahead!
The Administration
The President’s FY 2027 budget proposal is in the works and the White House is tentatively aiming to release their proposal the week of March 30. We expect the budget to highlight further ways the administration plans to address affordability and waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending.
The March meeting of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has been postponed, with no confirmed rescheduled date yet. The USPSTF is responsible for making recommendations on preventive health services, such as screenings, counseling, and medications, that insurance plans must cover at no cost to patients. The task force hasn’t met since before Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., was confirmed. It seems a little ironic since the administration has been focused on keeping Americans healthy and preventing disease, no?
And resumes welcome at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the head of biologics Vinay Prasad is leaving at the end of April. The FDA is also planning on reducing the number of studies that are required to demonstrate biosimilar drugs are equivalent to their brand name counterparts. With patients and industry both growing frustrated with approval pace and decisions, Commissioner Marty Makary is back in the hot seat.
The Senate
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has promised a speedy confirmation process for Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to replace Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security. If confirmed, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) will appoint an interim Senator until the November midterm elections, maintaining the Republican party’s 6-seat majority for now. Sen. Mullin’s expected departure would bring change to some key health care committees. This is because Sen. Mullin currently serves on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee Labor-HHS subcommittee.
DHS appropriations is in the Senate’s hands, after the House passed the funding bill on March 5. Pressure to end the shutdown is mounting as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers receive their first $0 paycheck, which, if the past is anything to go on, will soon result in more worker call-outs and airport delays.
In the health care spotlight, Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) have been leading a Democratic prescription drug pricing working group to develop the next era of federal drug pricing policy. The group has been meeting with stakeholders to gather input and position drug affordability as a central campaign issue heading into the midterm elections.
Health Care Hearings This Week
- March 11: Senate Aging Committee hearing on America’s drug supply chain
The House
The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is expected to hold the next hearing in its health care affordability series with the examination of hospitals and providers when House members get back after their short break this week.
Reconciliation 2.0 may be in the offing as House Republican leaders have reportedly agreed to pursue a second bite at the apple. Will it be like the One Big, Beautiful Bill? Our intel indicates a strong interest among House Republicans in including health care policies, especially policies aimed at addressing waste, fraud, and abuse.
There You Have It
According to Oura, the switch to Daylight Savings Time has measurable negative effects on sleep, like decreased deep sleep and more tossing and turning. Have you felt the effects? Let us know. Make it a great week!