Hospitals Brace for $149B Cut to Medicaid State-Directed Payments
Hospitals nationwide are preparing for a projected $149 billion reduction in Medicaid state-directed payments (SDPs) over the next decade, a change expected to hit rural and safety-net providers the hardest….
This Week in Policy – Wrap up for the week of August 11, 2025
RFK Jr. Revives Childhood Vaccine Safety Task Force, Drawing Concern From Medical Experts Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the reinstatement of the long-defunct Task Force…
This Week in Policy – Wrap up for the week of August 4, 2025
RFK Jr. Halts Federal Funding for mRNA Vaccine Research, Sparking Public Health Backlash Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the termination of nearly $500 million in…
U.S. Pharma Tariffs Will Reshape Hospital Supply Chains
Hospitals and health systems are facing a potential shock to pharmaceutical pricing and supply chains following President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on imported medical goods, including pharmaceuticals. President…
“Hopeful, But Perplexed:” The Feds $50 Billion Rural Health Lifeline
There’s still much to decipher and unwrap from the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) and it’s impact on health care. While Medicaid funding cuts, work eligibility…
This Week in Policy – Wrap up for the week of July 28, 2025
NIH Chief Signals Shift Toward ‘Non-Ideological’ Research, Cuts Gender and Disparity Studies NIH director Jay Bhattacharya says his agency will focus on chronic disease research while stepping away from what…
Susan Monarez Confirmed as CDC Director
Susan Monarez, Ph.D., has been confirmed as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marking a pivotal moment for the agency and the broader U.S….
This Week in Policy – Wrap up for the week of July 21, 2025
Trump Administration Unveils National AI Action Plan with Limited Healthcare Focus The Trump administration has released a sweeping federal “AI Action Plan,” signaling one of its first efforts to set…
CMS “Re-Staffing” Starts with Innovation Center
In April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid learned they would be losing 300 positions in the larger reduction in force for HHS. Although CMS was a small portion of…
This Week in Policy – Wrap up for the week of July 14, 2025
Democratic Attorneys General Sue to Block ACA Marketplace Rule Changes A coalition of 20 Democratic attorneys general, joined by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, has filed a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts…