Billy Wynne

Innovation Center Announces WISeR Model Using Prior Authorization to Address Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Medicare FFS The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center (CMMI) announced a request for applications (RFA) for a new six-year voluntary model implementing technology-enabled prior authorization in Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse (announcement; factsheet;, model website). CMS proposes…

Health Subcommittee Examines the Benefits of Digital Health Tools Amid Reconciliation Tensions The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing to examine the promise of consumer-facing digital health tools like wearables, remote monitoring devices, and health data apps. Witnesses from companies such as WHOOP, CoachCare, and Epic Systems testified on how digital health…

Committee Considers Dr. Monarez for CDC Leadership; Bipartisan Concerns Focus on Vaccine Oversight and Scientific Integrity The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a confirmation hearing for Dr. Susan Monarez, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With the agency lacking a permanent director since January,…

Committee Approves FY 2026 Funding Bill for USDA, FDA, and Rural Development Along Party Lines The House Committee on Appropriations convened a markup of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies Bill for fiscal year (FY) 2026 (text; summary; report language). A summary of key nutrition, rural development, and FDA provisions is included at…

CRS Outlines Legislative Paths for AI Regulation as Congress Considers A 10-Year Moratorium on State AI Laws The Congressional Research Service issued a report presenting Congress with a broad overview of regulatory options and policy considerations for artificial intelligence (AI). The report outlines how U.S. federal efforts have so far focused on agency-specific oversight, voluntary…

Award Terms Updated to Require Health Centers to Provide Insulin and EpiPens at or Below 340B Pricing Pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order Lowering Drug Prices by Putting Americans First, today, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced that it has updated its award terms to require HRSA-funded health centers to provide insulin and injectable…

Health Plans Commit to Prior Authorization Improvements; Dr. Oz and Policymakers Are Optimistic But Will Hold Plans Accountable A group of health insurance plans announced a series of voluntary commitments to simplify, reduce, and streamline prior authorization. The changes will apply across markets, including commercial coverage, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid managed care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid…

2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule, which includes a number of policies intended to address improper enrollments in Marketplace coverage and reduce improper federal spending on advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) (press release; fact sheet). What it…

Supreme Court Upholds Tennessee Law Banning Gender-Affirming Care for Minors; Current Policy Landscape and Implications Today, in a 6-3 decision on U.S. v. Skrmetti, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s 2023 law (S.B. 1) banning access to gender-affirming care for minors, marking the first time the Court has ruled directly on the constitutionality of a state law targeting…

Committee Democrats Question the Process and Data Used for the MAHA Commission Report Senior Democrats on the House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. probing about the errors that were discovered in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s assessment…