The Week Ahead

While outcomes of the college basketball games are hard to predict, one thing that IS predictable is Congress wanting to get back home for its scheduled district work periods. Will the smell of jet fuel on the tarmac of DCA motivate lawmakers to finalize a deal on funding for the Department of Homeland Security? Lets find out – welcome to the Week Ahead.

The Administration

Medicare head Chris Klomp said Medicare Advantage “does not sufficiently have control of costs” at a recent STAT Conference, suggesting that CMS is comfortable with the lower payment rates in the proposed advance notice. But time is running out for insurers as the CY 2027 Rate Announcement is already at the Office of Management and Budget for final review.

CMS is also moving on a rule to expand prior authorization protections for prescription drugs, according to comments from Shanna Hartman, a technical advisor for CMS’ Office of Healthcare Experience and Interoperability, at CMS’ quality conference. Both the news of this rule and the buzz around the MA rate announcement are sure to be hot topics at AHIP’s forum this week.

Meanwhile, other Trump health policies have hit a setback, with multiple federal judges recently ruling against the administration. The first decision overturns recent recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding the childhood vaccine schedule, as well as COVID-19 and Hepatitis B vaccinations. The second decision blocks a declaration made by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., stating that gender transition care for minors is “neither safe nor effective.” The administration is likely to appeal these rulings in the coming weeks.

The Senate

We hope Senators booked refundable airline tickets, as Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) has shared that he is prepared to keep the Senate in session next week if Republicans and Democrats have still not reached a deal on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The White House has recently taken a more active role in the negotiation process, sending border czar Tom Homan to meet with Senators on March 19 and 20, signaling their desire to reach a deal. Homan is also reportedly scheduled to meet with a bipartisan group of Senators Monday night. However, President Trump also posted on Truth Social that he is not interested in a deal until Democrats move the SAVE Act.

Health care affordability continues to be a major topic of conversation, as Senate Finance Democrats released their second Dear Colleague letter on the matter, this time on private health insurance. While their talking points are straightforward – reducing cost increases, making health care simpler for families, and taking on corporate greed – implementation of these policies is anything but. Our conversations indicate they plan to focus on long-term care next.

The Senate appropriations process is full steam ahead as the Appropriations Committee has released guidance for the FY 2027 cycle. The deadline for senators to submit earmarks and programmatic language requests to the Labor-HHS Subcommittee is April 21. Expect individual Senate offices to start setting their own deadlines at least a few weeks before for stakeholders to submit funding and language requests.

The House

Hospital consolidation is on the minds of House members as they head into spring recess. The House Ways and Means Committee will be digging deeper into the issue and possible solutions in the coming weeks. Hospital consolidation was a hot topic in the recent House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee where members called to account hospital and physician stakeholders on their part in the unaffordable and unsustainable state of America’s health care system.

Meanwhile, Reconciliation 2.0 rumors refuse to die. House conservatives are looking at a potential supplemental funding request for Iran as a possible forcing mechanism for a second reconciliation package. Much like the expiring tax cuts did in 2025, an Iran supplemental funding request could rally Republicans who may otherwise be weary of supporting another reconciliation.

Two broad categories for health care policies in reconciliation 2.0 are coming together. The first would be enacting provisions in President Trump’s health care plan like codifying Trump Rx and price transparency rules, as well as reforming Affordable Care Act subsidies. The second potential category (and pay-for) would be policies to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in public health programs.

As we saw last year, getting a package together that can pass with the razor-thin majority in the House and garner enough support in the Senate means that those hopeful for a second reconciliation package are in for a long game.

Health Care Hearings This Week

• March 26: Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies member day hearing
• March 26: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on protecting communities from illicit drugs

There You Have It

March Madness feels like it just started, and we’re already down to the Sweet 16. How is your bracket holding up? Let us know. Make it a great week!

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!

Lawmakers are headed back to DC after a short break, without a clear path forward for funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and foreign policy on their minds. It’s shaping up to be another big week so let’s get into it. Welcome to the Week Ahead!

The Administration

President Trump will be offering his State of the Union address on February 24. On health care, we expect the President to continue message on affordability.  And we know why – the midterms are fast approaching!

A recent KFF poll found that 66% of US adults worry about being able to afford health care for them and their family, placing health care concerns above housing, utilities, and groceries.  We expect the President to tout the launch of TrumpRx and recent efforts to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse as evidence of his success.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) February meeting has been cancelled, following a legal challenge from the American Academy of Pediatrics over the committee members. Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy removed all 17 ACIP members in June 2025 and selected replacements who are more skeptical about vaccines.

The Senate

While foreign policy is making the rounds on the news with the discussion of the War Powers Resolution, what is happening with health care?

Casey Means, nominated to be Surgeon General of the United States, will testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee on February 25. Her pick stirred up some controversy from within the Make America Health Again (MAHA) movement last year. One of Means’ most vocal critics was Laura Loomer, who raised concerns about her lack of an active medical license.

The Senate Aging Committee is holding a hearing on the regulatory process for rare diseases at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 26. This just one week after Senate HELP Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) released a report on the FDA review process and reorganization. With closer looks from two Senate committees, Senate action on pushing FDA to approve treatments faster may be in the near future.

The House

Hospitals and providers will be in the spotlight in March as the House Ways and Means Committee continues looking at broad constituencies in the health care sector. As campaign season begins, both Republicans and Democrats will want to show their constituents that they are working on improving health care affordability.

In the meantime, the Health Subcommittee is holding a hearing on advancing the healthcare workforce on February 24. While not the committee that typically talks about workforce, we expect Republicans to take credit for pushing out key workforce dollars from the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. Health care providers are up in arms about the concerns the Department of Education’s proposed rule on graduate and professional student loans, which would greatly limit the amount of funding for medical and nursing students. This on top of visa approvals and renewals being stalled, with the lapse in DHS funding, will certainly be hot topics.

Also, the House is buzzing with the release of the draft Farm Bill. Don’t forget the Farm Bill includes telemedicine loans and grants and rural broadband improvements.

There You Have It

The Winter Olympics have officially ended with the US walking away with 33 medals, including 2 impressive overtime gold medal wins from the men’s and women’s hockey teams. What was your favorite event? Let us know. Make it a great week!