Insights: Policy

Medicaid Drug Pricing (GENEROUS Model)

CMS announced that all 50 states, plus DC and Puerto Rico, have applied to join the Generating Cost Reductions for U.S. Medicaid (GENEROUS) Model, its voluntary most-favored-nation (MFN) drug pricing initiative. Forty states and Puerto Rico have already signed formal participation agreements. CMS projects $64.3b in savings over the next ten...

Energy, Infrastructure

Permitting Reform

Senate negotiations on infrastructure permitting reform legislation significantly accelerated in recent weeks and committee leaders in both parties indicated in the last couple of days that they are on the precipice of announcing a deal. In a major development, the White House offered significant concessions on stalled wind projects and committed...

Mexico – Tariffs/Trade

he U.S. and Mexico are advancing two related but distinct trade tracks: a bilateral negotiation focused on immediate tariff and economic-security issues, and a broader USMCA review covering longer-term structural rules. Mexican President Sheinbaum said on 9/18 that the possibility of a U.S.-Mexico agreement was “advancing well” following a 9/16...

Diesel Export Ban

The Trump administration appears close to announcing a package of steps aimed at addressing high diesel prices, even as the White House continues to say that diesel export restrictions are not currently under consideration. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said President Trump called her yesterday about diesel prices and that Energy Secretary...

Diagnostic Testing

The House Ways & Means Committee (W&M) unanimously approved the bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act (H.R. 6130), advancing the bill 40-0 after adopting a substantially revised version offered by Chairman Smith (R-MO). The legislation would create a new Medicare coverage pathway for blood-based tests used to detect...

Balance Billing

As lawmakers begin to explore potential reforms to the No Surprises Act (NSA), stakeholders are weighing in with preferred fixes to the law’s independent dispute resolution (IDR) process. On balance, the stakeholder center of gravity appears unfavorable to providers (i.e., employers, insurers, and conservative policy organizations are all...