Lawmakers introduced the Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 to tighten prior authorization rules, boost transparency and curb practices that delay care.

The post Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Strengthen Oversight of Medicare Advantage appeared first on MedCity News.

The Senate’s rejection of two ACA-focused healthcare bills widened partisan divides and sparked warnings from advocacy groups that the move will sharply raise premiums and reduce affordable coverage.

The post Health Experts Warn of ‘Devastating’ Impact After Senate Rejects ACA Tax Credit Extension appeared first on MedCity News.

President Donald Trump selected Susan Monarez — the current acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — to lead the agency going forward. This nomination replaces one that the White House withdrew on March 13, after it became clear that physician and former Republican congressman Dave Weldon would not receive enough Senate votes to be confirmed.

The post 6 Things to Know About Trump’s New CDC Director Pick appeared first on MedCity News.

This week, two bipartisan members of the Senate Budget Committee launched an investigation into private equity and its impact on healthcare. They initiated the probe to get answers about “questionable financial transactions” that could be hurting care quality for patients at hospitals owned by private equity firms.

The post ‘Increasingly Concerned’ Senators Launch Investigation Into Private Equity’s Effect on Healthcare appeared first on MedCity News.

In a letter to Senate leadership, several organizations asked for the passing of legislation that would reform the patent system and improve competition in the prescription drug space.

The post More Than 60 Groups Ask Senate Leadership To Pass Legislation To Lower Drug Prices appeared first on MedCity News.

This week, senators introduced a bipartisan bill that would make it a federal crime to assault hospital workers. Even though nearly 40 states have passed laws to intensify penalties for violent acts committed against healthcare personnel, there is currently no federal law protecting hospital employees from assault or intimidation. 

The post Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Impose Harsher Penalties On Those Who Assault Healthcare Staff appeared first on MedCity News.

Legislation introduced by Utah Senator Mike Lee would eliminate testing to show a biosimilar can be substituted for a reference biologic product. Lee contends the current testing requirement adds costs and delays market access for these lower-cost biological medicines.

The post Senate Bill Proposes Slashing ‘Red Tape’ Around Biosimilar Interchangeability appeared first on MedCity News.

The Senate Finance Committee voted 26-1 to advance the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability Act. The bill has several provisions, including delinking PBM income from prescription drug prices under Medicare Part D and banning spread pricing in Medicaid.

The post Senate Finance Committee Advances Bill Targeting PBMs appeared first on MedCity News.

During a Monday hearing, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions discussed which changes to telehealth coverage made during the Covid-19 pandemic should stay.

The post Senators pick two telehealth policy changes that should stay appeared first on MedCity News.

Congressional Democrats and Republicans introduced privacy bills that attempt to rein in what companies can do with data collected during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The post Lawmakers introduce dueling Covid-19 privacy bills appeared first on MedCity News.

Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden are demanding that Cigna turn over documents on insulin pricing, as part of a larger probe on rising insulin costs. The lawmakers claim that large pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, which Cigna acquired in 2018, is failing to comply with the investigation.

The post Senators threaten to subpoena Cigna in insulin cost probe appeared first on MedCity News.

Nine senators sent a letter to FTC Chairman Joseph Simons urging greater scrutiny over like the one between BMS and Celgene, expressing concern over antitrust issues, innovation and drug pricing.

The post Senators urge greater FTC scrutiny over large biopharma mergers appeared first on MedCity News.

Five Democratic senators – two running for president – wrote in a letter to the FDA’s acting commissioner that the scandal highlighted industry “privilege and greed.”

The post Senators urge action in Novartis gene therapy data manipulation scandal appeared first on MedCity News.

The Senate Finance Committee grilled executives from seven of the biggest drugmakers about the dramatic rise in drug costs.

The post Senate committee panel puts drug industry CEOs on defensive over pricing appeared first on MedCity News.

Novartis spokesperson says company cooperated with inquiries and disputes conclusions in the report.

The post Senate Democrats say Novartis’s deal with Trump attorney Michael Cohen more extensive than reported appeared first on MedCity News.

The legislation, which has drawn criticism from researchers, patient advocates and industry, would enable patients to request experimental drugs while bypassing the FDA.

The post Right-to-try bill passes in House, heads to president’s desk for signature appeared first on MedCity News.

A bill introduced by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) in March would allow patients to visit an audiologist to get a hearing test to diagnose a hearing problem without first being referred by a physician or nurse practitioner.

The post Senate bill zeroes in on hearing aids, audiologist reimbursement appeared first on MedCity News.

In a 55-43 vote, the Senate has confirmed Alex Azar as the new secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. President Donald Trump nominated Azar in November following the resignation of Tom Price.

The post Senate confirms Alex Azar as HHS Secretary appeared first on MedCity News.

CHIP has had a dramatic effect in lower income states like Alabama, where the childhood uninsured rate dropped from 20 percent in 1997 to under 3 percent in 2015.

The post Who will lead effort to refund Children’s Health Insurance Program? appeared first on MedCity News.

At a hearing held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, experts made nine proposals to lower drug prices. Here’s an analysis on the likelihood of action being taken on each of them.

The post Experts offered Senate HELP committee 9 proposals to cut drug prices. Here are the odds of passage appeared first on MedCity News.

It turns out the tax bills in the House and Senate also aim to reshape healthcare. Here are five ways these bills are trying to achieve that.

The post 5 ways the tax bill could affect health policy appeared first on MedCity News.

As HHS secretary, Alex Azar would oversee a trillion-dollar budget, over 90,000 employees, and a healthcare system that is ground-zero for heated bipartisan politics. So where does Trump’s new nominee stand on the major issues?

The post HHS nominee Alex Azar talks drug pricing and ACA politics appeared first on MedCity News.

The proposed legislation seeks to provide funding for subsidies to insurance companies to support lower-income Americans and more flexibility for states without doing away with core Obamacare provisions. It drew a mixed response from Republicans.

The post Will Congress support bipartisan proposal to restore health insurance subsidies Trump ended? appeared first on MedCity News.

The CBO said that fewer people would be covered because subsidies that help people pay premiums and other financial aid would be eliminated, and individuals would no longer be required to have insurance or pay a fine.

The post As CBO assessment of latest ACA repeal-replace effort comes out, Sen. Susan Collins shows opposition to bill appeared first on MedCity News.

It would authorize Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center to give incentive payments to behavioral health care providers to adopt EHRs.

The post A new bill wants to incentivize psychiatrists, hospitals to adopt EHR for mental health patients appeared first on MedCity News.

Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) who flew to Washington, DC after being diagnosed with brain cancer, sided with Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Democrats to reject the bill. His no vote took the Senate by surprise.

The post Senate fails to pass “Skinny Repeal” in GOP’s Jenga-style approach to dismantling ACA appeared first on MedCity News.

Senate Republicans eke out a procedural win to begin debate the contents of an ACA repeal and replace a bill whose contents remain a mystery, but it’s not looking good with the first late night vote failing to pass.

The post Senate clears lowest hurdle to start ACA repeal and replace debate but health bill strategy relies on surprise (Updated) appeared first on MedCity News.

In retrospect, Republicans’ inability to overhaul the health law should not come as much of a surprise. Many ACA provisions have proved popular and lack of presidential leadership on this issue has hobbled Republicans.

The post 5 reasons why GOP’s ACA repeal and replace efforts have failed in Senate appeared first on MedCity News.

Without McCain, and with at least two senators opposed to the current bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn’t have the 50 votes he needs to move the measure.

The post Lacking the votes, Senate Majority Leader pulls healthcare bill appeared first on MedCity News.

Insurers were struggling last week to grasp the implications of the legislation, studded with ambiguous language. One big takeaway: The Senate’s version of health care would undermine historical assumptions and drastically shift risk in the individual market.

The post Back where we started? Senate health bill adds uncertainty for people with chronic conditions appeared first on MedCity News.