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Week in Washington 06/18/25
Senate Reconciliation Bill The Senate Finance Committee released legislative text this week. The text included some significant changes from the House Reconciliation bill. A few highlighted changes: Senate Republicans will continue to debate the matter in the coming weeks and changes to the bill are expected. Senate leaders are aiming to have the bill pass ... Read more
Events & More
Adapting for Success in a Changing Healthcare Landscape
Overburdened but Unstoppable: Recharge & Connect with Healthcare Peers in New Orleans
Right now, healthcare professionals everywhere are facing mounting demands—yet they continue to double down on the work that matters. At the HMA National Conference, you’ll join a community that understands the strain, shares your pride in this work, and comes together to lift each other up. Whether you lead policy, operations, clinical programs, or innovation initiatives, you’ll leave with practical tools, fresh inspiration, and a network of colleagues you can draw insights from.
Newsworthy Findings
HMA Welcomes Matt Allen as New Chief Growth Officer
HMA welcomes Matt Allen as the firm’s first Chief Growth Officer (CGO). He will report to Chief Executive Officer Chuck Milligan and work out of HMA’s Washington, D.C., office. Matt brings more than 25 years of diverse experience in the healthcare sector and a proven track record of advancing growth and innovation to HMA. He will shape the firm’s enterprise-wide growth initiatives, oversee strategic partnerships, and help guide efforts that continue to advance innovation to meet current and emerging client needs.
Iowa Passes Law Imposing Tighter Restrictions on PBMs
Last week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law seeking to control rising prescription drug costs and protect rural pharmacies.
Amazon Restructures Healthcare Business
Amazon is reshuffling its various healthcare initiatives into six new divisions, each helmed by a longtime executive or One Medical leader.
RFK Jr. Upends Vaccine Policy, After Promising He Wouldn’t
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired every member of the scientific advisory committee that recommends which vaccines should be given to whom. And he replaced them, in some cases, with vaccine skeptics. Meanwhile, hundreds of employees of the National Institutes of Health sent an open letter to the agency’s director, accusing the Trump administration of policies that “undermine the NIH mission.”
What Are ‘Improper’ Medicaid Payments, and Are They as High as a Trump Official Said?
The vast majority of improper payments stem from documentation mistakes and do not fit the definition of waste, fraud, or abuse. They also typically stem from health care providers’ actions, not beneficiaries’ abuse.
AHIP 2025: A Look at the Current Policy Environment Around Medicare Advantage
Mike Hoak, vice president of public policy at Humana, spoke on a panel about the current state of policy around MA at AHIP 2025 on Monday. He was joined by Elena Tompkins, principal at Tompkins Strategies; Matt Kazan, vice president for policy and government affairs at SCAN Health Plan; and Mark Hamelburg, senior vice president for federal programs at AHIP.
Bonus Article
At-Home Foot Scanner Can Detect the Warning Signs of Heart Failure
Just for Fun
Math Joke:
Why did the girl wear glasses during math class?
Prior Week
Why did the geometry teacher eat pizza? Because he wanted some pi!
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