Energy & Commerce Republicans Hold First Reconciliation Meetings: On Tuesday, the Republican majority of the House Energy & Commerce Committee held their first meeting to lay the groundwork on where to find savings within their panel’s purview under the contours of the reconciliation process. House leadership’s budget resolution instructs the Committee with finding $800 billion in savings to offset the cost of tax cuts, border security, defense programs, and energy policy. The biggest cost saver the committee has to work with will come from Medicaid, though House Speaker Johnson ruled out some of the steepest potential cuts to the program.

Rep. Murphy Indicates CR Vote Depends on Doc Fix: According to Hill sources, House GOP’s Doctors’ Caucus Co-Chair Greg Murphy (R-NC) says he will not support a CR without physician reimbursement fix provisions. Government funding expires on March 15, and Murphy and California Democrat Jimmy Panetta introduced the Medicare Patient Access and Stabliziation Act, which would offset 3% physician pay cuts and increase reimbursements by over 3% starting in April. However, House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) has said a “clean” CR is the best current option, saying, “[It] can’t be the mule for every other committee.”

Senate HELP Holds Confirmation Hearing for Jay Bhattacharya: On Wednesday, the Senate HELP Committee held their confirmation hearing for NIH Director nominee Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. Like HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Bhattacharya said NIH must lead or fund better chronic disease research, particularly childhood diabetes and obesity. Bhattacharya cited no involvement with the Administration staffing cut decisions but committed to “making sure that ... all the scientists NIH supports have all the resources they need to meet the mission of the NIH.”

Senate HELP Holds Confirmation Hearing for Martin Makary: On Thursday, the Senate HELP Committee held their confirmation hearing for FDA Administrator nominee Dr. Martin Makary. Dr. Makary said he supports childhood vaccinations and continued convenings of the FDA’s Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. Regarding drug prices, he committed to continue investigating drug patent thickets, increased over-the-counter access, and expedited pathways for biosimilars.

House Passes HDHP Chronic Care Coverage Bill: On Tuesday, the House passed, via suspension, the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act. The bill codifies rules allowing high-deductible health plans with connected HSAs the option of covering the chronic care management services used to treat certain conditions before a plan enrollee’s deductible is reached. The bill included 14 specific services to be covered, though HHS could include options to that list.

HHS Spokesperson Resigns: On Monday, Tom Corry, the top spokesperson for HHS just hired in January, abruptly resigned. Politico reported that Corry left over disagreements with how HHS was handling the measles outbreak, frustrated by the lack of urgency from HHS Secretary Kennedy.