Rebecca Pifer

2 days ago | healthcaredive.com | Emily Olsen |Rebecca Pifer |Susanna Vogel

Listen to the article 3 minHHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued House Republicans' plans to reduce spending on Medicaid weren't real cuts to the program during two hearings in front of lawmakers Wednesday. "I don't know if you understand this, or whether you're just mouthing the Democratic talking points," he told Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the HHS budget.

2 days ago | healthcaredive.com | Rebecca Pifer |Emily Olsen

Listen to the article 15 minThe Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees held marathon markups and voted along party lines this week to advance Republican legislation containing a number of healthcare provisions, including sweeping cuts to Medicaid. The bill is likely to be tweaked in the full House or Senate.

4 days ago | healthcaredive.com | Susanna Vogel |Rebecca Pifer

The Trump administration will not enforce a Biden-era regulation designed to improve access to mental health and substance use care for those with private insurance - and may rescind the guidance altogether, attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing last week. The announcement comes amid a legal battle between an employers group, the ERISA Industry Committee, and the HHS over the rule, which was finalized in September.

4 days ago | healthcaredive.com | Susanna Vogel |Rebecca Pifer

Listen to the article 5 min States use provider taxes to secure higher reimbursement from Washington. However, the CMS and conservative think tanks argue the taxes are used to benefit states and providers while the federal government foots the bill. The proposal comes just days after House Republicans proposed capping new state directed payment rates at the Medicare payment rate, freezing provider taxes in place at current rates and barring states from implementing new provider taxes.

5 days ago | healthcaredive.com | Rebecca Pifer |Emily Olsen

Listen to the article 8 min House Republicans on Sunday unveiled specifics of their plan to cut Medicaid that include more moderate reforms, but would still result in millions of Americans losing health insurance coverage.