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Big Pharma Meets with President, Questions Remain
A much-anticipated February 20 meeting between President Donald Trump and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry ended without the companies getting a firm commitment from the new administration that it will scale back provisions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that force manufacturers to negotiate lower prices for certain widely used prescription drugs. The president…
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President Creates Commission to ‘Make America Healthy Again’
President Donald Trump issued an executive order (EO) establishing a commission to “Make America Healthy Again.” The February 13 order identifies multiple areas for reform and directs the creation of a panel of agencies to enact research and policy plans. The order directs the government to “aggressively combat the critical health challenges facing our citizens,…
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CMS Signals Review of IRA Drug Price Negotiation Program
The Trump administration signaled Medicare drug price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed in 2022 by former President Joe Biden may undergo a reexamination to add greater transparency and possibly other reforms. A 125-word news release on January 29, 2025, stated that lowering drug prices is a “top priority” for President Trump, who…
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Company Offers Supplemental Health Insurance for Direct Primary Care
Atlas Direct, is offering supplemental insurance for people who use direct primary care and those looking for a limited alternative coverage to pricey Obamacare plans. Atlas Direct launched on December 3 and is now available in 13 states: Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.…
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California Nurse Practitioners Fight Practice Restrictions
The California Board of Registered Nursing is construing a five-year-old state licensing law for nurse practitioners (NPs) in a way that violates the law’s original intent, say attorneys for NPs challenging the law. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 890 in 2020 to encourage more people to become nurse practitioners, by protecting opportunities for…
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Texas Medical Board Director Resigns After Conflict-of-Interest Surfaces
The medical director of the Texas Medical Board (TMB) resigned after proceedings against a Texas doctor revealed he also worked for Planned Parenthood of South Texas. Robert Bredt, M.D., a pathologist, had been employed by the TMB since 2012, while also working part-time since 2011 as medical director of the Planned Parenthood laboratory in San…
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Texas Medical Board ‘Conflict’ Goes Deeper, Legislator Says
The departure of Robert Bredt, M.D. as medical director did not resolve the issues with the Texas Medical Board (TMB), state Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) told Health Care News. “We are a pro-life state, and it is unbelievable that an executive branch agency hired a Planned Parenthood official to help regulate Texas doctors and the…
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Trump Opponents Get Ready to Pounce on Medicaid Cuts
With the Trump administration aiming for large cuts to the federal budget to eliminate waste, the federal portion of the Medicaid program is shaping up as a primary budgetary battleground. Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), chair of the House Budget Committee, has circulated a proposal for mandatory spending cuts to various programs, including Medicaid. Senate Democrats…
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Australian Doctors Pledge to Oppose Future Pandemic Crackdowns
Health care professionals from Australia across the globe are expanding grassroots efforts to end censorship in the practice of medicine. In Australia, freedom-seeking physicians and health care professionals formed the Cape Byron Lighthouse Declaration in response to what they characterize as tyrannical measures in the name of disease control, such as those implemented during the…
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Software Tool Helps Parents, Patients Navigate Immunization Maze
A software developer has enhanced an online platform to help parents make more personalized decisions about vaccines for their children. Software designer Chris Downey introduced VaxCalc in November 2023, and this February he incorporated AI into the service with a tool he calls VaxBot. VaxCalc promises to “simplify vaccine decisions with tools you can trust,”…
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