Health Care Week in Review | Senate Committees Hold Confirmation Hearings for Trump Administration HHS Nominees; House Ways and Means Committee Advances Several Health Care Bills

Below is Alston & Bird’s Health Care Week in Review, which provides a synopsis of the latest news in health care regulations, notices, and guidance; federal legislation and congressional committee action; reports, studies, and analyses; and other health policy news. 

Regulations, Notices & Guidance

• On September 8, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a notice entitled, Reorganization of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. This notice announces the reorganization of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The reorganization, which took effect September 4, 2026, consolidates and restructures several offices responsible for respiratory disease surveillance, research, prevention, and response. Most notably, CDC merged its Influenza Division and Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Diseases Division into a new Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Division, responsible for preventing and controlling seasonal, epidemic, and pandemic respiratory viral diseases. The reorganization is intended to consolidate CDC’s work on influenza and other respiratory viruses, including surveillance and modeling, vaccine and treatment research, outbreak response, public health guidance, and pandemic preparedness.
• On September 8, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a notice entitled, Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records. In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is updating its hospice patient data system, renaming the Hospice Item Set (HIS) as the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) system. The change reflects CMS’s transition to collecting standardized patient data during hospice assessments in real time, rather than primarily at admission and discharge, to better understand patient needs, coordinate care, and support the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). The notice also updates the types of patient information collected, permitted uses of the data, privacy and security safeguards, and other administrative requirements associated with the system.
• On September 9, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a notice entitled, Fee Rate for Using a Priority Review Voucher in Fiscal Year 2027. FDA announced that the fiscal year (FY) 2027 priority review voucher user fee will be $1,798,596, effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. The fee applies when sponsors use priority review vouchers for eligible tropical disease, rare pediatric disease, or material threat medical countermeasure drug or biologic applications and is charged in addition to applicable Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) fees. Priority review vouchers allow eligible applications to receive an expedited FDA review, generally with a six-month review goal.
• On September 11, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a request for information (RFI) entitled, Draft NIH Biosafety Policy for Research Involving Biohazards. NIH is seeking comments on a new policy that modernizes and strengthens biosafety practices to ensure that oversight keeps pace with evolving risks. The NIH Biosafety Policy would cover all biomedical research, in laboratory settings, involving biohazards. This policy would apply to research supported in whole or in part by NIH, regardless of NIH funding level or funding mechanism, including the NIH Intramural Research Program, and is applicable to all competing award applications, competitive revisions, proposals for contracts, and other funding agreements. To ensure consideration, comments must be submitted on or before October 19, 2026.
• On September 15, 2026, CMS released a notice entitled, Medicare Appeals; Adjustment to the Amount in Controversy Threshold Amounts for Calendar Year 2027. CMS announced an annual adjustment in the amount in controversy (AIC) threshold amounts for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings and judicial review under the Medicare appeals process. The adjustment to the AIC threshold amounts will be effective for requests for ALJ hearings and judicial review filed on or after January 1, 2027. The calendar year (CY) 2027 AIC threshold amounts are $200 for ALJ hearings and $2,000 for judicial review.
• On September 16, 2026, FDA released final guidance entitled, Recommendations for the Development of Blood Collection, Processing, and Storage Systems for the Manufacture of Blood Components Using the Buffy Coat Method. This guidance provides recommendations on the development of blood collection, processing, and storage systems (e.g., blood bags with anticoagulant and additive solutions, empty bags for platelet pooling) intended for the manufacture of blood and blood components for transfusion using the buffy coat (BC) method and on regulatory submissions to FDA for such products. This guidance is intended for manufacturers of blood collection, processing, and storage systems. The guidance announced in this notice finalizes the draft guidance of the same title dated October 18, 2024.
• On September 17, 2026, FDA released a draft strategy document entitled, Biosimilar User Fee Act III Future Needs in the Development of Interchangeable Products Post-Workshop. This draft strategy document is intended to summarize the discussion that occurred at the FDA public workshop entitled, Advancing the Development of Interchangeable Products: Identifying Future Needs, held on September 19, 2025, and to describe FDA’s future directions to support interchangeable biosimilar products. FDA issued this draft strategy document to fulfill a commitment FDA made in the Biosimilar User Fee Act (BsUFA) reauthorization commitment letter for FYs 2023 through 2027 (BsUFA III) to publish a post-workshop draft strategy document for public comment.
• On September 17, 2026, FDA released draft guidance entitled, Electronic Submission Template for Medical Device Premarket Approval Applications. FDA issued this draft guidance for submitters of certain premarket approval applications (PMAs) to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) and Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). It introduces those submitters to the current publicly available resources and associated content developed to support electronic submissions of certain PMAs and PMA supplements to FDA. This draft guidance, when finalized, is intended to represent one of several steps in meeting FDA's commitment to the development of electronic submission templates to serve as guided submission preparation tools for industry to improve submission consistency and enhance efficiency in the review process. This draft guidance is not final nor is it for implementation at this time.
• On September 18, 2026, FDA released a notice entitled, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Development and Readiness Pilot Program. FDA is announcing year five of the Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) Development and Readiness Pilot (CDRP). This program facilitates the expedited CMC development of products under an investigational new drug application (IND) based on the anticipated clinical benefit of earlier patient access to the products. FDA has implemented this pilot program to assist with CMC readiness for products regulated by both CBER and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) that have accelerated clinical development timelines. To accelerate CMC development and facilitate CMC readiness, the pilot features increased communication between FDA and sponsors and explores the use of science- and risk- based regulatory approaches, as applicable. This notice outlines the eligibility criteria and process for submitting a request to participate in the pilot.

Event Notices

Please note that two asterisks (**) preceding the item indicate a new event. 

• September 23, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council. This is a virtual meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• **September 23, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the AIDS Research Advisory Committee. This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• September 25, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the National Advisory Eye Council. This is a hybrid meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• September 28-29, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research. This is a hybrid meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• **October 1, 2026: FDA announced a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• October 8, 2026: CDC announced a meeting of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (ABRWH). This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• **October 8, 2026: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) announced a meeting of the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC). This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• **October 9, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• October 14, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) National Advisory Child Health and Human Development Council. This is an in-person meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• October 16, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the NIH Clinical Center Research Hospital Board. This is a hybrid meeting open to the public.
• October 20, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Research on Women’s Health. This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• October 20, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council. This is a hybrid meeting open to the public.
• **October 22, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors, National Library of Medicine. This is a virtual meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• October 28, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). This is a virtual meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• October 28, 2026: CDC announced a meeting of the Subcommittee on Procedures Reviews (SPR) of the ABRWH. This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• October 28, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council. This is a hybrid meeting open to the public.
• **October 29, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute on Aging. This is a virtual meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• **November 2-3, 2026: CMS announced the second biannual Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II public meeting of 2026. This is a hybrid meeting open to the public.
• November 5, 2026: ONC announced a meeting of HITAC. This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• **November 19, 2026: FDA announced a meeting of the Microbiology Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee. This is a hybrid meeting open to the public.
• November 20, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This is a virtual meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• December 1, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This is an in-person meeting with some sessions open to the public.
• **December 3, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of the Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board (SDRAB). This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• December 7-8, 2026: NIH announced a meeting of NICHD. This is a hybrid meeting open to the public.
• December 8-9, 2026: HHS announced a meeting of the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC). This is a hybrid meeting open to the public.
• December 9-10, 2026: CMS announced a town hall meeting to discuss FY 2028 applications for add-on payments for new medical services and technologies under the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS). This is a virtual meeting open to the public.
• January 16, 2027: HHS announced a meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB). This is a virtual meeting open to the public.

Hearings & Markups

• On September 14, 2026, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled, Examining Healthcare Markets: Fraud and Competition. Witnesses included:
  • Dr. Brian Miller, Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University and Vice Chairman, North Carolina State Health Plan;
  • Dr. Brian Blase, President, Paragon Health Institute; and
  • Ms. Katherine Martin, Vice President of Health Affairs, University of North Carolina System.
• On September 15, 2026, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to consider the following nominations:
  • Mr. Chris Klomp to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services;
  • Mr. James Gadwood to be Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service and an Assistant General Counsel in the Department of the Treasury;
  • Dr. Ge Bai to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
  • Mr. Andrew A. De Mello to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years.
• On September 15, 2026, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, held a hearing entitled, Examining Legislative Proposals to Reform Medicare Provider Payment and Bolster Health Care Cybersecurity. Witnesses included:
  • Mr. Greg Garcia, Executive Director for Cybersecurity, Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC);
  • Mr. Anthony Pudlo, Chief Executive Officer, Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA);
  • Dr. Murad Alam, President, American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA);
  • Dr. Rebecca Andrews, Immediate Past Chair, Board of Regents (2026-2027), American College of Physicians (ACP);
  • Dr. Eilean Attwood, Immediate Past Chair of the Committee on Health Economics and Coding, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); and
  • Ms. Gabi Conecker, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Decoding Developmental Epilepsies.
• On September 16, 2026, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing to consider the following nominations:
  • Mr. Klomp to be Deputy Secretary of HHS;
  • Dr. Nicole Saphier to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and Surgeon General of the Public Health Service; and
  • Mr. Timothy Westlake to be Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.
• On September 16, 2026, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, Balancing Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity: Securing U.S. Leadership in a Global Race. Witnesses present included:
  • Dr. Anemone Franz, Visiting Research Fellow, American Enterprise Institute;
  • Mr. Joshua Hodges, Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution; and
  • Dr. Gigi Gronvall, Professor, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University.
• On September 16, 2026, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing entitled, Half the Country, Zero Hearings: Meeting the Moment to End the Menopause Care Gap in America. Witnesses included:
  • Dr. Jean Wactawski-Wende, Dean and SUNY Distinguished Professor, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo;
  • Dr. Lynne M. Coslett-Charlton, Gynecologist, ACOG;
  • Ms. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Executive Director, Birbaum Women’s Leadership Center at New York University (NYU); and
  • Dr. Suzanne Silverman Fenske, double board-certified gynecologist, founder of TaraMD, and Women’s Health Ambassador for the HHS Office on Women’s Health.
• On September 16, 2026, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup of several bills including:
  • H.R. 10357, the Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act;
  • H.R. 10334, the EFIN Verification Act of 2026;
  • H.R. 6130, the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act of 2025;
  • H.R. 5439, the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act;
  • H.R. 4093, the Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2025;
  • H.R. 10346, the Stop China’s Exploitation of Congolese Children and Adult Forced Labor through Cobalt Mining Act; and
  • H.R. 10356, the Empowering Moms Act.

Reports, Studies & Analyses

The Effects of Changing Temperatures on the Medicare Population

On September 8, 2026, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report entitled, The Effects of Changing Temperatures on the Medicare Population. In this report, CBO examined how daily temperature changes affect emergency department (ED) visits, spending on those visits, and deaths among people enrolled in Medicare and how projected temperature changes caused by climate change affect those outcomes. CBO found that the health effects of temperature vary significantly by region. Historically, cold weather increases ED visits and spending in the coldest and hottest areas, but it reduces both ED visits and spending in moderate climates. Hot weather increases deaths in colder and moderate regions, while cold weather increases deaths in the hottest regions. Looking ahead, CBO projects that higher temperatures and adaptation will reduce ED spending and deaths but increase ED visits. CBO further projects that spending will fall as warmer regions experience fewer harmful cold days and cooler regions become less vulnerable to heat due to adaptations such as expanded access to air conditioning. Deaths are projected to decline largely due to fewer cold-related deaths and improved adaptation to heat in warmer areas. Although ED visits will rise, CBO projects that spending will decrease as adaptation shifts the composition of visits shifts toward lower-cost encounters.

Medicare Advantage Organizations and CMS Can Do More To Prevent Durable Medical Equipment Fraud in Medicare Advantage

On September 14, 2026, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) posted a report entitled, Medicare Advantage Organizations and CMS Can Do More To Prevent Durable Medical Equipment Fraud in Medicare Advantage. OIG examined fraud risks involving durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) in Medicare Advantage and found gaps in how Medicare Advantage organizations (MAOs) and CMS screen suppliers. In particular, MAOs conduct fewer screening checks of out-of-network suppliers, while CMS does not screen all DMEPOS suppliers before they bill Medicare Advantage because not all suppliers are enrolled in Medicare. OIG found that these gaps may increase the risk of fraudulent billing, particularly among out-of-network suppliers that are not enrolled in Medicare. OIG recommended that CMS strengthen screening of out-of-network suppliers and its existing fraud-prevention tools and require all DMEPOS suppliers billing Medicare Advantage to be enrolled in Medicare, or seek statutory authority to do so if necessary. CMS concurred with or stated that it would consider all of OIG’s recommendations.

Medicaid: Improved Oversight Needed of State Eligibility Error Corrective Action Plans

On September 17, 2026, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report entitled, Medicaid: Improved Oversight Needed of State Eligibility Error Corrective Action Plans. In the report, GAO examined state efforts to address Medicaid eligibility errors and CMS’s oversight of those efforts. GAO found that states commonly addressed eligibility errors through caseworker training, updated guidance, and systems changes, but that CMS’s oversight of state corrective action plans was inconsistent. GAO recommended that CMS strengthen its review of state corrective action plans and more systematically analyze eligibility errors and corrective actions across states to better identify effective strategies for reducing improper payments.

Cybersecurity: HHS Should Strengthen Oversight and Enhance Security Controls for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

On September 17, 2026, GAO released a report entitled, Cybersecurity: HHS Should Strengthen Oversight and Enhance Security Controls for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. GAO examined HHS’s oversight of cybersecurity for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and found gaps in both HHS’s oversight and the implementation of cybersecurity protections by the Lifeline’s network administrator and crisis contact centers. GAO warned that these weaknesses could increase the risk of cyber incidents and service disruptions, potentially limiting access to crisis services. GAO made 10 recommendations to strengthen cybersecurity oversight and controls, including improving cybersecurity requirements, compliance monitoring, and incident response and contingency planning. HHS concurred with all 10 recommendations.

Other Health Policy News

Trump Administration Announces Obamacare Refund Checks for Marketplace Enrollees

On September 10, 2026, the Trump Administration announced the Working Families Obamacare Refunds, through which the federal government will issue $500 rebate checks to an estimated 1 million federal CMS Marketplace enrollees in 30 states. According to the White House, the rebates will be funded through a $500 million pool of surplus user fee revenues collected through the federally facilitated Marketplace that exceeded the costs of operating the exchange. Eligible consumers are expected to begin receiving checks in October 2026. Administration officials have noted that the refunds will be available to Marketplace enrollees who do not receive premium assistance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The refunds will be available to eligible enrollees in the 30 states that use the federal Marketplace, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The White House fact sheet may be found here.

Federal Court Blocks Limits on Student Visa Duration

On September 14, 2026, a federal judge for the U.S. District Court of the District of Massachusetts preliminary enjoined the implementation of the Trump Administration’s final rule shortening the length of F and J visas. The final rule would have altered the length of F and J student visas from “the duration of study” to a strict four-year limit before necessitating visa renewal, a change which would have significantly impacted university and post-baccalaureate students who frequently have periods of study extending past four years. In the court’s ruling, the judge found that the Trump Administration failed to fully consider the concerns of affected stakeholders and take into account less burdensome alternatives. The Trump Administration is expected to appeal the ruling.

The final rule, Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media, is available here. The court’s memorandum and order for a preliminary injunction is available here.

House Lawmakers Examine Medicare Payment Reform and Health Care Cybersecurity

On September 15, 2026, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, held a hearing entitled, Examining Legislative Proposals to Reform Medicare Provider Payment and Bolster Health Care Cybersecurity. Lawmakers considered a wide range of proposals, including: H.R. 9693, the Patients First Act of 2026; H.R. 8163, the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026; H.R. 8622, the Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment System Act of 2026; H.R. 7863, the Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act of 2026; H.R. 3164, the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act (ECAPS); and several bills related to cybersecurity, Alzheimer's screening, kidney care, rural obstetric readiness, and diabetes care. Much of the hearing focused on concerns about Medicare physician reimbursement, provider consolidation, workforce shortages, and patient access to care.

Witnesses and lawmakers from both parties emphasized that declining Medicare physician reimbursement and increasing administrative requirements are placing growing financial pressure on independent and rural physician practices. Several members highlighted concerns that payment instability is accelerating provider consolidation, reducing patient access to community-based care, and contributing to workforce shortages in primary care and other specialties. Discussion frequently centered on the Patients First Act of 2026, which supporters argued would provide greater payment predictability, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen independent physician practices. Witnesses from physician organizations also described challenges associated with the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including the effects of inflation, budget neutrality requirements, and quality reporting programs on provider participation in Medicare.

The hearing also featured discussion of broader access-to-care issues, including legislation related to rural maternal health, Alzheimer's disease screening, kidney care, epilepsy research, and pharmacist-provided services. Members emphasized concerns about growing provider shortages, closures of rural health services, and barriers to obtaining timely care, particularly in underserved communities. In addition, lawmakers examined proposals intended to strengthen health care cybersecurity, with witnesses stressing the need for greater coordination, workforce development, and resources for rural and resource-constrained providers facing increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Overall, the hearing reflected bipartisan interest in modernizing Medicare payment policies while improving access, affordability, and system resilience across the health care sector.

More information on this hearing is available here.

Senate Panels Examine HHS Nominees on Medicare, Drug Pricing, and Prior Authorization

On September 15 and 16, 2026, the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate HELP Committee examined the nominations of Mr. Chris Klomp to serve as Deputy Secretary of HHS and Dr. Ge Bai to serve as Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE).

Several discussions focused on Medicare operations and payment policy. Mr. Klomp emphasized the need to modernize Medicare’s aging technology infrastructure, arguing that legacy systems limit the agency’s ability to evaluate utilization patterns, measure outcomes, improve program integrity efforts, and support data-driven policymaking. He also stated that HHS should prioritize rewarding better outcomes rather than volume of services, while expressing support for value-based care arrangements and shared-savings models that align provider incentives with cost and quality goals.

The hearings also featured debate over public health policy and prescription drug pricing transparency. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) criticized the Trump Administration’s response to the ongoing measles outbreak and questioned Mr. Klomp about vaccine safety and effectiveness. Mr. Klomp rejected claims that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism and described the vaccine as the “single most effective tool against measles.” Ranking Member Wyden also pressed Mr. Klomp on the Trump Administration’s negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers, arguing that HHS had failed to provide Congress with details of certain agreements despite prior commitments to do so. Citing concerns about both public health policy and transparency, Ranking Member Wyden announced his opposition to Mr. Klomp’s nomination.

Prior authorization emerged as a recurring topic during both hearings. In response to questions regarding CMS’s Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model, which uses artificial intelligence-supported prior authorization reviews in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, Mr. Klomp said prior authorization tools should be used selectively, transparently, and only when they improve patient care. He indicated that CMS would continue evaluating the Model and noted that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is expected to release performance information on the WISeR Model’s participating vendors. Separately, Senators raised concerns about reducing prior authorization requirements for providers participating in value-based payment arrangements.

The Senate Finance Committee hearing also featured significant discussion of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) policy and health care competition. Mr. Klomp highlighted transparency as a key tool for improving competition and lowering costs, pointing to the Trump Administration’s “TrumpRx” initiative as a mechanism to provide employers with greater insight into prescription drug pricing and PBM practices. Meanwhile, Dr. Bai emphasized competition-based approaches to affordability, arguing that reducing regulatory burdens and fostering more competitive health care markets would be more effective than government price controls in addressing rising costs.

More information on the Senate Finance Committee hearing is available here. More information on the Senate HELP Committee hearing is available here.

House Panel Advances Medicare Access and Alzheimer's Care Legislation

On September 16, 2026, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup of the following legislation: H.R. 10357, the Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act; H.R. 10334, the EFIN Verification Act of 2026; H.R. 6130, the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act of 2025; H.R. 5439, the Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act; H.R. 4093, the Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2025; H.R. 10346, the Stop China’s Exploitation of Congolese Children and Adult Forced Labor through Cobalt Mining Act; and H.R. 10356, the Empowering Moms Act. Several of the measures were reported favorably to the House with broad bipartisan support.

Much of the committee’s health care discussion focused on Medicare and patient access to care. Members unanimously approved the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act of 2025, which would establish Medicare coverage pathways for certain blood-based screening tests intended to help identify Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias earlier in the disease progression. Lawmakers also advanced legislation creating a pilot program to evaluate medically tailored home-delivered meals for Medicare beneficiaries with diet-sensitive conditions, with supporters arguing that improved nutrition could reduce hospitalizations and improve health outcomes. Committee members highlighted the growing burden of chronic disease, the importance of preventive care, and the need to evaluate new approaches that could improve patient outcomes while reducing long-term Medicare spending.

The committee also considered several measures related to Medicare policy and program oversight. The most extensive debate centered on H.R. 4093, the Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2025, which would require additional reporting and analysis of Medicare spending data related to traditional FFS Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Supporters argued that policymakers need more detailed and transparent data to better evaluate spending patterns and beneficiary costs as Medicare Advantage enrollment continues to grow. Opponents contended that the legislation could present an incomplete picture of Medicare Advantage spending and raised concerns about its potential implications for future Medicare policy debates. The committee considered and rejected several Democratic amendments focused on Medicare Advantage utilization management practices, denial rates, out-of-pocket costs, and transparency requirements before approving the bill by a roll call vote of 25-15.

More information on this markup is available here.

House Democrats Unveil Health Care Agenda for the 120th Congress

On September 17, 2026, the House Democrats Cost-of-Living Healthcare Working Group released a set of health policy recommendations to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as the caucus begins shaping its agenda for the 120^th Congress. The Working Group, co-led by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Terri Sewell (D-AL), was tasked with collecting health policy ideas from across the Democratic caucus and organizing them into a "first 100 hours, first 100 days, and first year" roadmap. Recommendations span a wide range of health care issues, including Medicare and Medicaid coverage, provider payment policy, hospital financing, workforce shortages, prescription drug pricing, public health, maternal health, and broader efforts to expand insurance coverage. The framework is organized around eight policy pillars, including strengthening traditional Medicare, addressing health care consolidation and market power, investing in the health care workforce, supporting rural and safety-net providers, expanding access to preventive care, and increasing access to medical innovation.

Several recommendations are particularly relevant to providers, hospitals, health systems, health plans, PBMs, and other health care stakeholders. The memorandum calls for a $5,000 annual out-of-pocket cap in FFS Medicare and the addition of dental, vision, and hearing benefits, while also proposing a series of Medicare Advantage reforms aimed at curbing overpayments, strengthening Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) audits, reducing prior authorization requirements, improving network adequacy standards, and increasing beneficiary protections. The Working Group also endorses making Medicare telehealth flexibilities permanent; modernizing Medicare physician payment through inflation-based updates; protecting and expanding the 340B Drug Pricing Program; increasing support for rural hospitals through reforms to the Rural Health Transformation Fund and Medicare wage index policies; expanding graduate medical education (GME) slots to address physician shortages; and strengthening community health center funding and workforce development initiatives. The memorandum additionally includes proposals targeting PBM business practices, site-neutral payment policies, hospital consolidation, private equity ownership in health care, and broader prescription drug affordability reforms.

Beyond provider-focused policies, the recommendations underscore ongoing Democratic interest in broader coverage expansion. The memorandum includes options ranging from lowering the Medicare eligibility age, to creating a federally administered Medicare Part D drug plan to establishing public option models and Medicare for All. The Working Group also recommends restoring enhanced ACA subsidies, reversing recent Medicaid cuts, strengthening maternal health programs, expanding behavioral health access, and investing in public health and preventive care initiatives.

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