Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Office of Population Affairs, released a 400-page review of research on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Although the report does not issue clinical guidelines or formal policy recommendations, it casts doubt on widely accepted standards of care, minimizing the documented… (Eisen, May 1, 2025) #Health Equity

The House Education & Workforce Committee held a markup of its reconciliation text concerning education programs and student loans. While most of the markup was focused on proposed changes to student loan programs, a few Democrats took the opportunity to offer amendments that highlight their concern about the impact of the larger Republican reconciliation plan on Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),… (McClurg, April 30, 2025) #Insurance Coverage, #Nutrition

President Trump signed an Executive Order titled Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens, aimed at reinforcing federal immigration law and penalizing jurisdictions that defy it—commonly referred to as “sanctuary” jurisdictions. The order asserts the constitutional supremacy of the federal government in immigration and national security matters, describing state and local defiance as a form of “lawless insurrection.” The order outlines… (Colocho, April 29, 2025) #Health Equity, #Nutrition, #Public Health

Since taking office, the Trump Administration has escalated efforts to limit access to evidence-based gender-affirming care for minors. Today, the Administration released a fact sheet outlining steps taken to implement Executive Order 14187, Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation, and announced the reversal of key Biden-era policies. Signed on January 28, 2025, Executive Order 14187 directs federal agencies to… (Eisen, April 28, 2025) #Health Equity

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released over 10,000 public comments received in response to a Request for Information (RFI) aimed at shaping the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan (press release). The comments, submitted over a seven-week period, reflect widespread interest from academia, industry, government entities, and citizens in advancing U.S. leadership in AI. Key themes… (Colocho, April 24, 2025) #Health Information Technology, #Workforce

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released a white paper with proposals to increase independent workers access to health care and retirement benefits (press release). Policy Recommendations The white paper is informed by a request for information from stakeholders on ways Congress can clarify and modernize federal law to increase workers’… (Llamas, April 24, 2025) #Association Health Plans, #Insurance Coverage, #Insurance Reform

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently reviewing a draft proposed Medicaid rule related to provider taxes. The draft rule is entitled, “Preserving Medicaid Funding for Vulnerable Populations – Closing a Health Care-Related Tax Loophole (CMS-2448),” and arrived for review at OMB on April 19th. It was originally included in the Fall 2024 Unified Agenda, with… (Joyce, April 23, 2025) <span style="font-size:90%;

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) convened a session focused on providing an overview of the major components of Medicaid financing and the Federal-state partnership. The presentation provided additional context for recent national discussions related to Medicaid improper payments and provider taxes. Commissioners spent the majority of the session emphasizing that provider taxes and other funding mechanisms… (Marceno, April 15, 2025) #Cost-Sharing, #Delivery Reform, #Public Health

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be taking a series of steps to remove eight petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from the food supply. These actions include the following: Establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition to natural dyes; Initiating the process… (McClurg, April 22, 2025) #Nutrition

Republican Letter  Earlier this week, 12 Republican House members sent a letter to Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, Majority Whip Emmer, and Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee Chairman Gutherie regarding Medicaid cuts that are being considered in the Budget Reconciliation process. Per the letter, the signees oppose Medicaid cuts for populations they believe it is intended to serve: children, seniors, individuals with disabilities,… (Joyce, April 17, 2025) #Hospitals, #Insurance Coverage, #Pediatrics, #Public Health, #Skilled Nursing Facilities, #Women’s Health