Megabill Scraps ‘Silver Loading,’ Potentially Disrupting ACA Plans
Although the measure would reduce Silver plan premiums, an estimated 300,000 people would lose health coverage, experts say. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans won't be targeting Medicare Advantage changes after all.
Modern Healthcare:
One Big Beautiful Bill Ends 'Silver Loading' For ACA Plans
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is out with its contributions to the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which include provisions reviving cost-sharing reduction payments to health insurance exchange carriers. The draft legislation, which the panel released late Tuesday, mirrors language in the House-passed version of the measure to extend tax cuts President Donald Trump enacted during his first term. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates this aspect of the House bill would reduce gross Silver plan premiums by 12% but cause 300,000 people to lose health coverage. (McAuliff, 6/11)
The Hill:
Cramer: Medicare Advantage Unlikely To Be Changed
Senate Republicans appear less likely to try to make changes to Medicare Advantage as part of their massive tax and spending bill, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said Wednesday. Cramer raised the idea of targeting Medicare Advantage for additional savings last week after a closed-door caucus meeting, saying the program is ideal for reform because it is rife with waste, fraud and abuse. (Weixel, 6/11)
Axios:
Congress' "Doc Fix" Spurs Value-Based Care Concerns
Physicians are divided over how the massive Republican budget bill moving through Congress would insulate doctors from future Medicare cuts without continuing financial incentives to provide better care through alternative payment models. (Goldman, 6/12)
Politico:
Republicans Stuff New Tax Cuts Into Their Megabill, Hoping Voters Will Take Note
Republicans are using their domestic policy megabill as an opportunity to pile on new tax breaks in hopes of quickly juicing people’s tax refunds, the economy and their political fortunes ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Their plan would spend more than $200 billion on tax cuts this year, in addition to simply extending tax cuts enacted in 2017 that are set to expire at the end of this year and would likely go unnoticed by most taxpayers. Republicans are already touting the coming benefits to voters, though they risk being eclipsed by complaints from Democrats that the wealthy would see much bigger tax cuts and that people at the bottom of the income ladder would receive little while being hurt by cuts in spending on programs like Medicaid. (Faler, 6/12)
More updates from Capitol Hill —
The Guardian:
Democrats Introduce Bill That Aims To Protect Reproductive Health Data
Three Democratic members of Congress have introduced a bill to limit companies’ ability to hoover up data about people’s reproductive health – a measure, they say, that is necessary to protect women from persecution in the post-Roe v Wade era. Representative Sara Jacobs of California, Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon on Wednesday filed the “my body, my data” bill in both the US House and Senate. The bill aims to block companies from collecting, using, retaining or disclosing information about someone’s reproductive health unless that data is essential to providing a requested service. (Sherman, 6/11)
Stat:
Cassidy Working On Most-Favored Nations Bill To Lower Drug Prices
Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (La.) is the latest Republican to take an interest in legislation that would tie U.S. brand drug prices to lower prices in other wealthy countries, according to seven people following the issue. (Wilkerson, 6/11)
The Hill:
Lawmakers Seek Action On Illicit Compounded GLP-1 Products
A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers is calling on the Trump administration to address the continued sale of illicit, compounded GLP-1 products, warning that consumers may be accessing these drugs without knowing the product could be fraudulent. North Carolina Reps. Brad Knott (R) and Deborah Ross (D) wrote to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi, imploring them to end the sale of “counterfeit, research-grade and illegal copycats” of popular GLP-1 medications. (Choi, 6/11)
