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Nine Midsize Drugmakers Join President Trump's Most Favored Nation Drug Pricing Program

Nine Midsize Drugmakers Join President Trump's Most Favored Nation Drug Pricing Program

Nine midsize biopharma companies have voluntarily agreed to participate in President Trump's Most Favored Nation (MFN) drug pricing program. These companies, including Alcon, Astellas Pharma, BeOne Medicines, BridgeBio, CSL, Kyowa Kirin, Sun Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and UCB, will join 17 larger pharmaceutical companies that previously signed on, bringing the total to 26 companies representing approximately 89% of the branded drug market. The MFN program aims to lower drug prices in the U.S. to levels comparable to those in other developed countries. According to a White House release, these agreements are expected to reduce prices for medicines treating chronic and rare diseases such as hemophilia, Parkinson’s, glaucoma, and various forms of cancer. In addition to price reductions, the nine new participants have collectively committed at least $19.6 billion in near-term manufacturing investments within the U.S. UCB, Sun Pharma, Astellas, and Teva have also pledged to contribute to the Strategic Active...

Dr. Oz Explains How President Trump's 'Most Favored Nations' Drug Pricing Deals Could Lower Costs

Dr. Oz Explains How President Trump's 'Most Favored Nations' Drug Pricing Deals Could Lower Costs

President Trump has expanded the 'Most Favored Nations' drug pricing policy to include nine additional manufacturers, bringing the total to 26 companies. This policy allows drug costs in the U.S. to be matched with prices found in other countries. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, stated in an interview with The National News Desk that these agreements could lead to reduced Medicaid spending. This reduction would free up funds for states, which could then be reallocated to areas such as education or other medical services. For Medicare patients, Dr. Oz highlighted that the 'Most Favored Nations' policy has enabled senior citizens to access weight-loss drugs, specifically GLP-1 drugs, at a lower price. The deals entered into by these companies under the 'Most Favored Nations' policy are currently voluntary. Information on these prices is available at TrumpRx.gov.

Congresswoman Kiggans and Underwood Introduce Resolution for National Clinical Nurse Specialist Week

Congresswoman Kiggans and Underwood Introduce Resolution for National Clinical Nurse Specialist Week

Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) have jointly introduced a resolution to designate the first week of September 2026 as National Clinical Nurse Specialist Week. This initiative aims to formally acknowledge the significant contributions of Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) to patient care and the overall quality of the healthcare system across the United States. As a geriatric nurse practitioner and Vice Co-Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus, Congresswoman Kiggans emphasized the critical role these advanced practice nurses play in delivering high-quality care and educating patients. The resolution also seeks to address the current oversight where the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not list CNS as a distinct advanced practice nursing occupation, despite Medicare and Medicaid recognizing it as such. This lack of specialized data has hindered efforts to identify healthcare gaps and secure appropriate funding for the profession. The National Association of Clin...

Senator John Boozman Sells Shares in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund

Senator John Boozman Sells Shares in Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund

Senator John Boozman (Republican-Arkansas) recently sold shares of Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund (NYSE: TPYP). A filing on July 13th disclosed that the Senator sold between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of TPYP stock on June 25th. This transaction occurred as the stock experienced a slight downturn, trading down $0.20 to $43.48 on Wednesday, with a trading volume of 11,977 shares, which is lower than its average volume of 83,466 shares. The Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund is an exchange-traded fund that tracks an index of North American pipeline entities, including MLPs, MLP affiliates, LLCs, and corporations. The fund was launched on June 30, 2015, and is managed by Tortoise. Senator Boozman, who assumed office on January 3, 2011, and whose current term ends on January 3, 2029, has a history in both the U.S. House and as an optometrist prior to his Senate career.

Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration Over Restrictions on Gender-Affirming Care Funding

Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration Over Restrictions on Gender-Affirming Care Funding

New York Attorney General Letitia James, alongside 20 other attorneys general and the governor of Pennsylvania, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit challenges a new rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This rule prohibits federal Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for gender-affirming care provided to transgender adolescents. Specifically, it blocks reimbursement for puberty-delaying medications, hormone therapies, and surgical procedures when used to treat gender dysphoria in patients under 18 for Medicaid and under 19 for CHIP. The coalition argues that CMS exceeded its authority by imposing a nationwide prohibition on healthcare that states have chosen to cover. Attorney General James stated that the federal government lacks the authority to dictate medically necessary care provided by New York to its residents, emphasizing that the rule threatens access t...

Senator Maggie Hassan Questions Merck CEO on Keytruda Pricing and Patent Practices

Senator Maggie Hassan Questions Merck CEO on Keytruda Pricing and Patent Practices

U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) has written to Merck CEO Rob Davis, seeking detailed information regarding the pricing and patent strategies for Keytruda, Merck's top-selling cancer drug. Senator Hassan's inquiry stems from concerns that Keytruda's extensive network of over 1,200 patent applications across 53 global regions could be used to artificially inflate prices and extend market dominance beyond its original 2028 patent expiration date. This action follows the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists' (ICIJ) 'Cancer Calculus' investigation, which highlighted the high pricing and market control of Keytruda, impacting healthcare systems and delaying the availability of more affordable generic versions. Merck has faced scrutiny in various countries, including the U.S. and Austria, over the drug's pricing mechanisms.

Congressman Newhouse Urges CMS to Grant Critical Access Hospital Status to Astria Toppenish on Tribal Lands

Congressman Newhouse Urges CMS to Grant Critical Access Hospital Status to Astria Toppenish on Tribal Lands

Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) has formally requested that the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz create an administrative pathway for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status for hospitals situated on Tribal lands. This initiative specifically aims to designate Astria Toppenish Hospital as a CAH. Astria Toppenish, a non-profit hospital located on the tribal lands of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, serves a diverse population, including a significant percentage of American Indian and Hispanic residents, with over half living below 200% of the poverty line. The CAH designation, established under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, helps preserve inpatient care access in rural communities. However, current standards require hospitals to be more than 35 miles from the nearest hospital or 15 miles over mountainous terrain, a criterion Astria Toppenish does not meet due to its proximity to another hospital. Congressman Newhouse is advocating for an administ...

Transparency Concerns Raised Over $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program

Transparency Concerns Raised Over $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program

A $50 billion federal program, the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), designed to improve healthcare in rural areas, is facing criticism for a lack of transparency one year after its inception. Advocacy groups and health policy experts, including the Bipartisan Policy Center and the American Hospital Association, are calling for greater openness regarding how funds are being allocated and utilized. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the program, has stated it will publish an annual report on state progress but will not proactively share individual state reports or detailed information on funding recipients and their planned projects. This approach has led to varying levels of transparency among states, with some providing detailed dashboards and others, like Mississippi and South Dakota, being criticized for secrecy or heavily redacting budget information. The program was established in 2025 as part of President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, intended to mitiga...

House Republicans Propose Legislation to Shift CFPB Funding to Congressional Appropriations

House Republicans Propose Legislation to Shift CFPB Funding to Congressional Appropriations

House Republicans have introduced a reform package, H.R. 10184, aimed at overhauling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The bill, introduced by Financial Institutions Subcommittee Chairman Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.), seeks to move the CFPB's funding from its current structure through the Federal Reserve to the regular congressional appropriations process. This change would subject the bureau's budget to annual review and approval by Congress. Additionally, the proposed legislation includes provisions for a dedicated inspector general to enhance oversight of the CFPB and mandates periodic reviews of major rules to ensure their effectiveness and justification of costs. The bill also aims to establish guardrails for supervision, reducing duplicative examinations and ensuring federal oversight only when consumer risk is demonstrated. It further seeks to strengthen due process, ensure proportionate penalties, and reward firms that self...

Hugh Hewitt Discusses Politicization of Eldercare and Utility of Labels

Hugh Hewitt Discusses Politicization of Eldercare and Utility of Labels

Hugh Hewitt's recent commentary addresses the increasing politicization of eldercare as a field of study and practice. He highlights how college courses on caring for the elderly, such as 'Gerontological Social Work,' are incorporating topics like 'forms of oppression' including ageism, sexism, racism, and homophobia. Hewitt expresses concern that this focus on categories, while intended to promote individual treatment, may inadvertently lead to the opposite effect by reinforcing labels rather than fostering a view of individuals. He draws on personal experiences with his mother's dementia care, where she was categorized as 'dying' under hospice care, leading to what he describes as a 'death panel' scenario that overlooked her individual status.

Arkansas Families Urge Governor Sanders to Call Special Session for CES Waiver Waitlist

Arkansas Families Urge Governor Sanders to Call Special Session for CES Waiver Waitlist

Arkansas families are advocating for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to call a special legislative session to address the Community and Employment Support (CES) waiver waitlist. Paige McCammon, a mother whose son Turner has a rare neurological disorder and is on a decade-long waitlist, is leading the social media campaign. McCammon's son is number 2,084 on the list for CES waivers, which provide crucial support such as medical equipment and in-home care. Governor Sanders' office informed McCammon that there is no immediate fix and that legislative action would be required in the next session. However, Governor Sanders has the authority to call an extraordinary session, which she has done three times since taking office in 2023. State Representative Nicole Clowney supports the call for a special session, highlighting the significant impact on families and the state's financial capacity to address the issue.

U.S. Rep. Miller-Meeks Pledges Continued Support for Cancer Research and Prevention Measures

U.S. Rep. Miller-Meeks Pledges Continued Support for Cancer Research and Prevention Measures

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is running for reelection in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, met with cancer survivors and researchers in Iowa City on August 31, 2026. During the event, she signed the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s promise to support their priorities aimed at ending cancer. Miller-Meeks, an ophthalmologist, discussed her congressional efforts to advance cancer research, early detection, screenings, and prevention. She highlighted a bill she sponsored that was signed into law in February, providing Medicare funding for multi-cancer early detection tests, which she described as a 'game changer' for rural residents due to their accessibility via blood tests. She also mentioned her work on increasing access to 3D mammography for veterans and military members.