This week in Healthcare Policy:
Pelosi’s Drug Pricing Proposal is gonna get blocked by McConnell.
Since you guys are probably getting enough of the whole impeachment thing in the 5-second revolving door news cycle, let’s take a breath of fresh air into the world of healthcare policy:
Mitch McConnell is not a fan of Pelosi’s drug pricing proposal. He’s already planning to block the measure, citing socialist pricing controls. Pelosi’s plan might have missed the mark on other drug pricing inputs, anyway.
- Here’s the latest on surprise billing legislation, too.
Trump has a vision for Medicare.
This week at a rally in Florida, Trump gave insight into the healthcare executive order he had signed earlier that day.
Originally titled “Protecting Medicare from Socialist Destruction,” the order, now called the more-official-sounding “Protecting and Improving Medicare for our Nation’s Seniors,” is somewhat lacking in policy, but does give a positive nudge toward Medicare Advantage as the future of Medicare.
The rest of the order includes generic language surrounding lowering healthcare costs, eliminating inefficiencies, promoting innovation, and more.
DSH cuts get pushed back by Senate.
The ever-looming DSH cuts were pushed back once again by the Senate this week. Remember that the DSH, or Disproportionate Share Hospital, program, is designed to reimburse hospitals with a larger population of uninsured or charity cases.
Efforts are being made to reform and revamp the DSH program. In other legislative news, lawmakers are looking to repeal and/or extend the delay of the medical device tax.
The FDA might have a new head soon – Stephen Hahn.
Finally, Trump is expected to nominate Stephen Hahn as the next FDA commissioner.