Health Care
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Health Care
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House GOP backs off abortion riders in FDA spending bill
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House Republicans are not including language limiting access to the abortion pill mifepristone in their newly unveiled agricultural funding bill, after a similar effort last year helped doom their 2024 plan while exposing intraparty divides.
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The elimination of the mifepristone provision could be an election year sign that image-conscious Republicans are backing off some of the most contentious proposals as a concession to centrist and swing-district Republicans, as they try to fend off Democratic attacks on abortion ahead of the November elections.
The 2024 version of the bill contained a provision overturning the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision allowing abortion pills to be sold at retail pharmacies and delivered by mail.
The language helped make it impossible for then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and current Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to pass the bill on its own amid opposition from moderates.
Still, the exclusion of the abortion rider isn’t a guarantee other members won’t try to add it, or other controversial provisions in the form of amendments.
Leading up to November, Democrats are committed to holding Republicans’ feet to the fire on abortion and other reproductive rights issues, including contraception and in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
House Democrats are working on a discharge petition to force a floor vote on legislation to create a federal right to contraception, after a Senate version failed to advance last week amid Republican opposition.
And Senate Democrats this week will bring to the floor a legislative package to protect IVF access, even though Republicans are also likely to block its consideration.
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Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:
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Federal health officials misled a House panel investigation into potentially risky research of the mpox virus, Republican staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee said in an interim report Tuesday. Over a period of 18 months, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) “repeatedly obstructed and misled the …
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The Biden administration announced Tuesday it will be following through on plans to bar medical debt from being included on credit scores. “One of the most significant consequences of carrying medical debt is the harm it does to a person’s credit score,” Vice President Harris said in a press briefing. “Medical debt makes it more difficult for millions of Americans to be approved for a car loan, a home …
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Texas and Montana are suing the Biden administration over a new rule that would prohibit state Medicaid programs from banning gender-affirming care. The lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen (R), filed Monday, asks a federal court to vacate a sweeping final rule aimed at bolstering health care protections against discrimination for gay and transgender people. “Through …
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Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
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The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the “youth vaping epidemic” Wednesday, with authorities, industry voices and high school students set to testify.
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The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday examining youth residential treatment facilities.
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Medicare & Drug Pricing: Time to Think Differently | June 27 in Washington, D.C. | In person & streaming nationally
Effects of the landmark 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are beginning to show with many saving on health care costs through Medicare. However, unintended consequences of the bill such as increases in utilization management tactics, shifts in research dollars and more are also beginning to surface. Join The Hill, as we discuss lessons learned from the first round of Medicare direct negotiation and explore improvements going into year two.
Speakers include:
- Dana P. Goldman, University Professor of Public Policy, Pharmacy & Economics, University of Southern California
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Dr. Jennifer Ellis, co-chair, Health & Public Policy Committee, Association of Black Cardiologists & Cardiac Surgeon
- Daneen Sekoni, VP, Policy & Advocacy, Cancer Support Community
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Branch out with a different read:
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Gov. Jay Inslee says Washington will make clear that hospitals must provide emergency abortions
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SEATTLE (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday said Washington will spell out in state law that hospitals must provide abortions if needed to stabilize patients, a step that comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on whether conservative states can bar abortions during some medical emergencies. There is no indication …
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Local and state headlines on health care:
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- Kids Count: Maryland fell behind majority of states in childhood health indicators (Maryland Matters)
- New initiative in W.Va. has reduced vacancies at state health facilities, officials say (WCHS)
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Missouri prison health care conditions have gotten deadly, reform group alleges (KCUR)
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Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:
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- Bird flu tests are hard to get. So how will we know when to sound the pandemic alarm? (KFF Health News)
- Abortion groups say tech companies suppress posts and accounts (The New York Times)
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Melinda French Gates, going solo, aims to influence reproductive rights in the U.S. (Stat)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now:
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Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, slammed his GOP colleagues for their acceptance of the Hunter Biden verdict … Read more
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The wife of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said she wants to get back at people who raised a controversy after she and the justice were criticized … Read more
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Opinion related to health submitted to The Hill:
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You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
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