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May 12, 2025

Healthcare & Reconciliation: Worst Case Avoided

By Beth Steindecker

The House Energy & Commerce Committee’s (E&C) reconciliation draft (text and summary) seems to largely align with our expectations regarding cuts / risks in Medicaid, Obamacare, and pharmacy benefit managers (PBM).  While there were still…

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May 8, 2025

Trade Update: China Trade Talks, Reciprocal Tariffs and Semiconductors

By Joe Lieber

On the heels of the UK trade deal announced this morning, we have the following updates on: China trade talks; The U.S. Court of International Trade reciprocal trade case; and Potential semiconductor tariffs. On trade…

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May 7, 2025

Rx MFN Announcement Monday?

By John Leppard

Apropos of our note on the subject earlier today, there are reports this afternoon that as early as Monday, May 12 President Trump “is expected to sign an executive order directing aides to pursue ……

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May 7, 2025

PBMs: Death by a Thousand Cuts? [CI, CVS, UNH, ELV, GDRX]

By Beth Steindecker

The list of potential state and federal legislative threats to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) [CI, CVS, UNH, ELV, GDRX] seems to be growing, even though there has not been widespread enactment of these bills. Putting…

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May 7, 2025

Reconciliation Update: Corporate Tax Provisions

By Joe Lieber

We continue to give ~75% odds that the reconciliation/ tax bill is likely to pass Congress this summer and to include many other tax provisions than just those from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs…

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May 7, 2025

Rx Most Favored Nation (MFN) Estimates

By John Leppard

We continue to assign ~35% odds to Congress including Medicaid Most Favored Nation (MFN) price controls into its broader reconciliation bill given: (A) the complexities of such a policy; (B) the expedited timeline lawmakers are…

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May 6, 2025

Optimism for Longer Term Resolution on Obamacare eAPTCs Remains but CMS Suggests Expiration [OSCR, CNC, MOH, ELV, HCA, THC]

By Beth Steindecker

Notwithstanding a recent CMS memo advising insurers to design their Obamacare plan bids assuming expiration of the enhanced premium subsidies at year-end, we remain optimistic that Congress ultimately settles on a middle ground (revision and…

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May 5, 2025

Capitol Policy Weekly—May 5 through May 9: Reconciliation, Trade, the Debt Limit, FY26 Spending and Crypto

By Joe Lieber

This week, with the not-so-surprising postponements of key House committee reconciliation markups, the focus will be on cobbling together a reconciliation bill. We could see a major trade deal announced this week. There is some…

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May 2, 2025

Trump Budget: Broad Funding Levels Dead on Arrival Despite GOP Trifecta

By Joe Lieber

We believe President Trump’s “skinny budget” proposal, released today, is mostly dead on arrival and could easily lead to a government shutdown at year’s end or early next year. We expect a more detailed version…

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May 1, 2025

GKOS: iDose & iStent Policy Landscape

By John Leppard

With GKOS shares down pre-market amid questions on its earnings call last night regarding the Medicare policy issues affecting iDose and iStent sales, we offer the following takeaways: We generally agree with the company that,…

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