Nov 21, 2024
Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story 2 Republicans try to cut IVF expansions in defense billA pair of House Republicans are asking House and Senate Armed Services committee leadership not to include provisions expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the annual defense authorization bill.   © Greg Nash/The Hill GOP Reps. Matt Rosendale (Mont.) and Josh Brecheen (Okla.) wrote a letter to committee chairs and ranking members not to include House or Senate provisions in the National Defense Reauthorization Act (NDAA).  The Thursday letter to the committee chairs and ranking members, first shared with The Hill, is an example of divisions that remain in the Republican Party amid threats to the fertility treatment.   The topic came to the forefront after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, spurred by social conservatives’ belief that life begins at conception — even as President-elect Trump and the majority of vocal Republicans say they support IVF.  Lawmakers specifically asked committee leaders to exclude a House-passed provision for "assisted reproductive technology" for certain armed forces members under Tricare.  “Section 701 is a dramatic expansion of IVF that will cost taxpayers approximately $1 billion per year. While we have great sympathy for couples who are having difficulty starting a family, IVF is ineffective, leads to the destruction of innocent human life, and does nothing to treat the root cause of a couple’s infertility,” Rosendale and Brecheen wrote.    Rosendale has been a leading critical voice against IVF in Congress and has filed multiple amendments to bills to stop funding from being spent on IVF. But with Rosendale having opted out of a reelection bid, Brecheen’s name on the letter indicates that IVF skepticism will remain in the GOP on Capitol Hill.    Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.  Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:  FDA gives green light to PTSD marijuana study in veteransThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week authorized a long-delayed clinical trial to test whether smoking marijuana can be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans.  The trial, sponsored by the nonprofit Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), has been blocked by the FDA since 2021. The agency had raised a variety of objections, including that allowing people to inhale …  Full Story  National COVID-19 vaccination rate less than 20 percent: CDC surveyJust 17.9 percent of U.S. adults have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, and 34.7 percent have received an influenza vaccine during the 2024-25 respiratory disease season, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   The report, published Thursday, notes that 35 percent of adults are open to receiving an influenza vaccine, 41 percent are willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine and 40 percent are …  Full Story  Medicaid cuts in crosshairs as Trump, GOP take control  Significant cuts to Medicaid could be on the table next Congress as President-elect Trump and Republicans look for ways to offset tax cuts and streamline government spending. Republicans on Capitol Hill don’t seem thrilled with the idea but aren’t rejecting it outright.  Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said it was too soon to be sure whether Medicaid cuts were coming. “But with this effort to … reform everything, programs, …  Full Story   Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: Florida Gov. DeSantis’ Canadian drug import plan goes nowhere after FDA approval (CBS)  North Texas medical chain faces potential $300 million fine for 20k phony Medicare claims (The Dallas Morning News)  Michigan’s new online tool for substance use treatment access (Axios)  What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Why the bird flu case has experts worried about a potential pandemic (CBS)  Some hospitals seeing increase in RSV, ‘walking pneumonia.’ Here’s what to know: (ABC)  CDC warns of infection spread via body lice in homeless population (The Washington Post)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: What’s next for Matt Gaetz: 5 possibilities Former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) political future is up in the air following his announcement that he is taking his name out of the running to be … Read more Rove: Trump will pay a price for Cabinet pick ‘chaos’ Republican strategist Karl Rove said President-elect Trump will pay a price over the “chaos” he’s caused by picking controversial Cabinet members. … Read more  You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Health Care newsletter Subscribe
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