Continuing Resolution Poised to Pass Without Physician Pay Bump: After two days of Democrat deliberations, a continuing resolution to fund the government until September 30 appears poised to clear the 60-vote hurdle in the Senate. The stopgap measure will extend both telehealth flexibilities and Hospital-at-Home waivers through September 30, though it stops short of the permanent or longer-term extension many lawmakers had hoped for. Measures to reverse CMS payment cuts to doctors treating Medicare patients were also left out of the CR, as were rare pediatric disease priority review vouchers.

Senate Finance Committee Holds Dr. Oz Confirmation Hearing: On Friday morning, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing regarding the confirmation of Dr. Mehmet Oz for Administrator of CMS. Dr. Oz said he aims to defend and improve CMS services, reward programs that address chronic disease prevention, and address CMS insolvency and rising healthcare costs.  

HHS to Shorten ACA Enrollment Period: On Monday, CMS announced a proposed rule to shorten the annual open Affordable Care Act plan enrollment period from November 1 to December 15. The agency also wants to end a special monthly enrollment period for people in households earning less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level.

Senate HELP Advance Doctors Makary and Bhattacharya to Full Senate: On Wednesday, the Senate HELP Committee voted 14-9 to advance Marty Makary’s nomination for FDA Commissioner, with Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) siding with Republicans. National Institutes of Health nominee Jay Bhattacharya’s nomination cleared the panel on a party-line 12-11 vote. Seana Cranston, a former deputy chief of staff to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), is expected to become Chief of Staff at the NIH.

CMS Pulls Biden-era Drug Pricing Models: On Wednesday, CMS’ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation confirmed they are ending Biden administration plans to create a list of $2 generic drugs and have Medicare pay less for accelerated approval drugs. CMMI did not give a reason for the decision, only that all the changes were to “align its statutory mandate and strategic goals.”

Senate Finance Committee Reportedly Negotiating Healthcare Package: On Wednesday, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden said Senate Republicans and Democrats are in talks to pass a health care bill with provisions dropped from a December’s CR funding package. Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-ID) declined to comment.

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