Health Policy Report – February 24, 2026

Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers Day at the Capitol

On February 17, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC) held its Day at the Capitol, providing physicians and practice staff with the opportunity to engage directly with policymakers and share the value of community oncology.

Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers met with over 20 policymakers, discussing the healthcare challenges currently facing the state and how community oncology can help provide close-to-home, compassionate care for Coloradans.

Thank you to the physicians and staff – including Dr. Bupathi, Dr. Browning, Glenn Balasky, Evan Slater, Marcus Garcia, and Christine Dominick – who made this event a success! If you are interested in hosting a site visit for your state representative or state senator, please contact Angela.Storseth@usoncology.com.

The Network Submits Comments on the GLOBE Model Proposed Rule

The Network recently submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on its Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model proposed rule, which offers a rebate framework to lower the cost of Part B drugs.

In its letter, The Network reiterated its concerns with mandatory federal drug pricing models due to the potential adverse impact on provider viability and patient access. However, The Network noted its appreciation that the GLOBE model is structured “in a way that recognizes the need to avoid unnecessary financial risk to physicians, an important distinction from previous drug pricing policies.”

The Network goes on to urge policymakers to implement similar considerations for Part B drugs with prices negotiated under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). “In addition to CMS’s ongoing efforts related to GLOBE, the Network urges CMS to work with Congress to advance the Protecting Patient Access to Cancer and Complex Therapies Act, championed by Senator John Barrasso (S. 2764, 118th Congress) and Representative Greg Murphy, M.D. (H.R. 4299 119th Congress),” the letter reads.

To read the comment letter, CLICK HERE.

Energy and Commerce Committee Holds Health Subcommittee Hearing on Lowering Healthcare Costs

On February 11, the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce held a hearing on lowering drug costs. The hearing came as the Trump administration touts its focus on healthcare affordability.

In an opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) emphasized his concerns over consolidation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), applauding the PBM reforms that recently passed in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. Members on both sides of the aisle highlighted the negative consequences of vertical integration in the prescription drug marketplace, noting that rebate guarantees and price-linking incentivize higher-priced drugs.

Witnesses from across the industry pointed to misaligned incentives, limited visibility into pricing and contracting practices, and barriers to generic and biosimilar adoption as persistent obstacles to affordability. Members from both parties emphasized the urgency of implementing recently enacted PBM reforms, increasing transparency around rebate and fee structures, and stabilizing federal regulatory agencies to support competition and innovation.

The hearing comes as the Trump administration touts its efforts to lower drug prices through Trump Rx and most favored nation agreements with drugmakers.

To watch the hearing, CLICK HERE.

Senate HELP Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) Releases FDA White Paper

On February 17, Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a report outlining recommendations to modernize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“While many parts of FDA work well, unnecessary bottlenecks slow patients and consumers getting the products they need,” Dr. Cassidy wrote. “The HELP Committee looks forward to coordinating with FDA under its new leadership to promote patient access, accelerate U.S. competitiveness, and improve the health of American families.”

The report highlights that the FDA approval process for reviewing applications for new products often includes varying standards depending on which reviewers are involved. Dr. Cassidy highlighted that this unpredictability creates unnecessary obstacles to investing the time and capital needed to develop new products, particularly in the rare disease space.

To address this, Dr. Cassidy proposes implementing predictable yet flexible review processes, integrating artificial intelligence, strengthening the FDA’s workforce, and strengthening the agency’s Human Foods Program to limit rates of chronic disease.

To read a press release, CLICK HERE.

To read the report, CLICK HERE.

Senate Special Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on Administrative Burden

On February 11, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing entitled, “The Doctor Is Out: How Washington’s Rules Drove Physicians Out of Medicine.” During the hearing, Chairman Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) highlighted how administrative burden, including documentation requirements and prior authorization, accelerates physician burnout.

“Doctors want to care for and connect with their patients, but our rigid, top-down healthcare system is making that job nearly impossible. This is especially true for doctors who see patients on Medicare or other government-run or subsidized healthcare programs,” Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) said in his opening remarks. “We are forcing our doctors to operate in a system that prioritizes paperwork over patients and federal mandates over professional judgment.”

Experts from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) testified that continued cuts to Medicare physician payment, coupled with administrative burden, push independent physicians out of practice, forcing them to sell or merge with a large hospital system. Witnesses also highlighted prior authorization as a significant administrative challenge, advocating for passage of the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3514/S. 1816), which would improve transparency surrounding prior authorization utilization.

To watch the hearing, CLICK HERE.

HHS Sends White House an Updated Plan to Test 340B Rebate Model

After scrapping its initial 340B rebate pilot program, the Trump administration has released a new, revised proposal to implement rebates under the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Soon after the proposal cleared the White House Budget Office, the Health Resources and Services Administration released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking feedback on how such a model should be implemented.

Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would withdraw the original proposal. The decision came after a Maine district court ruled that it violated the Administrative Procedures Act because it would have brought forth major changes to the 340B program without considering potential negative impacts to 340B-covered entities.

To read more, CLICK HERE.

Conservative Leaders Oppose MFN Pricing in Letter to Congress

In a letter to members of Congress, a group of more than 50 conservative organizations urged lawmakers to reject President Trump’s proposal to codify most favored nation (MFN) proposals.

“While supporters of this proposal correctly identify the unique problems facing the American health care system – namely, wealthy countries paying artificially lower prices for prescription drugs than the U.S. and the fact that this depresses innovation and inflates our costs – MFN would not solve these problems. In fact, it would exacerbate them,” the coalition wrote.

The letter went on to highlight that MFN pricing would effectively serve as a price control, artificially suppressing prices, limiting incentives for developers to invest in new treatments, and jeopardizing U.S. leadership in medical innovation.

To read the letter, CLICK HERE.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Restructures Management Team

On February 13, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to restructure his management team, citing a continued focus on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda.

Secretary Kennedy announced that Chris Klomp, director of Medicare and deputy administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), will run the agency’s day-to-day operations. Meanwhile, Jim O’Neill, who had served as the deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will leave both positions, and Mike Stuart, HHS general counsel, will also depart.

“In just over a year, we have driven historic progress on President Trump’s health care priorities and delivered real, measurable change,” said Secretary Kennedy. “We are restoring accountability, challenging entrenched interests, and putting the health of the American people first. I am proud to elevate battle-tested, principled leaders onto my immediate team—individuals with the courage and experience to help us move faster and go further as we work to Make America Healthy Again.” 

To read more, CLICK HERE.