The budget resolution is unusual because it establishes different tracks for reconciliation in each chamber: House committees are instructed to increase deficits by $2.3 trillion, with major cuts to Medicaid; and Senate committees are instructed to increase deficits by what amounts to $5.8 trillion, without clear implications for Medicaid cuts. … more

The increase translates into an additional $35 billion to Medicare Advantage plans in 2026 compared to this year….The increase in payments is larger than for 2025 (3.7%) or 2024 (3.3%), but below the increase for 2023 (8.5%), and comes at a time of increasing scrutiny over Medicare Advantage payments. … more

While [the Title X family planning services] funding freeze could be the Trump administration’s first major salvo in its efforts to weaken and defund Planned Parenthood, more actions...to limit access to abortion and contraception are expected in the coming years. … more

… declining trust in the CDC and in the benefits of childhood vaccinations may complicate any efforts to address emerging public health challenges like the ongoing measles outbreak and the continued threat of bird flu … more

If the litigation brought by St. Luke’s is not successful, women in six states will continue to be unable to access abortion care in their states when they have a pregnancy-related emergency that puts their health at risk. … more

Eliminating [HIV prevention funding] could jeopardize recent successes in addressing the nation’s HIV epidemic, including those related to the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative, which the first Trump administration created … more