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The First 100 Days – An Update
Tuesday, March 18 at 2:00 PM (EDT)
Join the Public Sector HealthCare Roundtable for the next installment of our webinar series, following up on our discussion of the new administration’s first 100 days. This session will explore the administration’s early actions, including key executive orders, agency-level changes, and the initial priorities of newly appointed cabinet secretaries. We’ll also examine the latest developments in budget reconciliation and the continuing resolution process in Congress, analyzing their potential impact on public sector purchasers.
Don’t miss this opportunity to stay informed on the evolving policy landscape!
To Register for the TOMORROW’S Webinar, click here.
View updated Roundtable Federal Policy Priorities here.
Top News
Senate Special Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on Breaking the Cycle of Senior Loneliness
The Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on ‘Breaking the Cycle of Senior Loneliness: Strengthening Family and Community Support.’ The hearing emphasized the urgent need to address the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation among older adults, highlighting its severe mental, physical, and financial consequences. Witnesses, including Andrew MacPherson, Founder and Executive Chair of the Foundation for Social Connection – Action Network; James Balda, President and CEO of Argentum; Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of YMCA of the USA; and Tori Strawter-Tanks, Director of Clayton County Senior Services Department discussed various strategies to enhance social engagement, such as intergenerational programs, community-based initiatives, and increased funding for critical services under the Older Americans Act (OAA). Committee members acknowledged the need for bipartisan solutions, urging stronger public-private partnerships, policy enhancements, and cultural shifts to combat loneliness and promote healthy aging. The discussion concluded with a call for collective action from the government, the private sector, and communities to support older adults and strengthen intergenerational bonds.
Senate Finance Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing for Dr. Mehmet Oz as CMS Administrator
The Senate Finance Committee, led by Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID), held a nomination hearing on Friday, March 14, 2025, to consider Dr. Mehmet Oz for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator. Dr. Oz, who previously advocated for a “Medicare Advantage for All” system, faces scrutiny over his private investments, raising concerns about potential Medicare privatization. Seventy-five advocacy groups oppose his nomination, while the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute urges lawmakers to press him on Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services, copay accumulators, and Medicare Part D drug coverage protections. Dr. Oz is expected to focus on chronic diseases and reducing waste and fraud within CMS.
Trump Withdraws Nomination of David Weldon as CDC Director Hours Before Senate Hearing
The White House withdrew the nomination of David Weldon to serve as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hours before he was set to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. In response, the Committee cancelled the confirmation hearing. Weldon’s nomination was pulled back due, in part, to his beliefs that vaccines cause autism. Throughout his tenure in Congress between 1995 and 2009, he was one of the sponsors of a bill that would have banned mercury from vaccine production. Reporting indicates that concerns had been progressively growing among Senators that his nomination was unlikely to succeed. Additionally, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy had seemingly come to believe that Weldon was not prepared for the role.
White House Clarifies Musk’s Statements on Cutting Entitlement Program Spending
White House advisor Elon Musk said in an interview with Fox Business that “The waste and fraud in entitlement spending, which is all of the, [sic] which is most of the federal spending is entitlements [sic]. That’s like the big one to eliminate. That’s the half trillion maybe 600 billion a year.” Musk went on to claim that entitlement funds were being spent on illegal immigrants who Democrats had turned into illegal voters. Many news organizations, including CNN, reported his statement and quoted experts who interpreted Musk’s statements to mean that he intended to reduce spending on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Today, the White House reiterated President Trump’s statements on X (formerly Twitter) that he would not cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Additionally, the White House claimed Musk’s statements were directed at eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending. In the announcement, the White House claimed the media was lying to the American people, released Musk’s official quote, and outlined facts related to fraud and abuse in federal spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
New Resource from The National Institute for Public Employee Health Care Policy
The National Institute for Public Employee Health Care Policy, in partnership with the Public Sector HealthCare Roundtable, conducts an annual survey to track trends in specialty drug utilization, spending, and the evolving relationships between public sector purchasers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). The 2024 survey highlights how plan sponsors are increasingly relying on PBMs to manage costs, streamline care, and navigate the complexities of the healthcare landscape. This infographic presents key insights from the survey, offering valuable data on how public sector health plans are leveraging PBMs to optimize healthcare delivery and cost-effectiveness.
Visit their website to learn more and download the infographic here.
Administrative Action
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center reaffirmed its commitment to testing and scaling innovative payment models that reduce program spending while maintaining or improving quality of care. The Innovation Center announced that they have completed a comprehensive review of the Center’s portfolio of models and will be concluding multiple models earlier than originally scheduled on December 31, 2025. The Maryland Total Cost of Care, Primary Care First, ESRD Treatment Choices, and Making Care Primary models were selected for early termination. CMS is also considering reducing the size of the Integrated Care for Kids model. Finally, the Innovation Center will no longer pursue the implementation of the Accelerating Clinical Evidence and Medicare $2 Drug List models which were announced in late 2023 and 2024, respectively. The selected model terminations are expected to result in savings of almost 750 million dollars. Participants in models that are being terminated early will have the opportunity to transition to other models. Additionally, the Innovation Center will be releasing a new strategy focused on disease prevention, information transparency, and promoting choice and competition.
Congressional Action
The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing on ‘After the Hospital: Ensuring Access to Quality Post-Acute Care.’ Lawmakers discussed the importance of Medicaid, which funds a significant portion of long-term and home-based care and debated concerns over proposed funding cuts that could threaten access for millions of seniors and individuals with disabilities. Witnesses, including Dr. Dana Madison, the administrator for Compassion Home Health Care; Mr. Paul Dongilli, President and CEO of Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals; Mr. Jonathan Fleece, President and CEO of Empath Health; Ms. Lisa Grabert, a visiting research professor in nursing; and Mr. Eric Carlson, Director of Long-Term Services at Justice in Aging, highlighted workforce shortages, reimbursement issues, and barriers created by Medicare Advantage’s prior authorization policies, which delay or deny necessary post-acute care. Proposals to improve post-acute care included expanding telehealth, reforming payment models, and strengthening staffing standards, while concerns were raised over the sustainability of nursing homes and home health agencies under current funding constraints. The hearing underscored bipartisan efforts to balance cost efficiency with ensuring high-quality care, particularly in rural areas, and the need for long-term solutions to support an aging population. Healthsperien covered the hearing and the comprehensive notes are available here.
