McDermott+ Review: June 18, 2026
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The Senate Democrats requested information on lowering prescription drug prices and out-of-pocket costs for patients, and fostering biopharmaceutical innovation. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced seven out of eight health-related bills that covered issues from drug pricing to organ transplantation regulations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a framework for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for 2029 and beyond, and finalized updates to its accrediting organizations for increased oversight and alignment with Medicare standards.
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Developments in Healthcare Policy: Key Highlights
Several major developments took place recently in the world of healthcare legislation and policy. Here are the important highlights of this week’s healthcare policy news:
- Senate Democrats have requested for more information on proposals for drug pricing reforms. The focus is on lowering the costs of prescription drugs and out-of-pocket expenses for patients while promoting biopharmaceutical innovation.
- The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee furthered healthcare bills after a discussion on several health-related topics. Seven out of eight proposed bills were advanced, covering areas such as drug pricing and organ transplantation regulations.
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have proposed a structure for the negotiation of drug prices. The aim is to formalize the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for the year 2029 and beyond.
- CMS finalized updates to its accrediting organization. The final rule is expected to improve oversight by holding these organizations accountable to the same Medicare standards as state survey agencies.
Senate Democrats Seek to Reform Drug Pricing
On June 16, 2026, Senate Democrats led by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Wyden (D-OR), issued a call for information on several proposals to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. The request is segmented into three areas:
- Steps to lower drug prices, including expanding Medicare negotiation, strengthening inflation rebates and supporting biosimilars.
- Measures to enhance the affordability of prescription drugs, including expanding Medicare cost-sharing protections, reforming generic drug reimbursement and addressing pricing incentives.
- Efforts to boost biopharmaceutical innovation in the United States, including expanding biomedical research funding, supporting high-risk drug development, and improving domestic clinical trials.
The request for information follows a previous stakeholder input request in February 2026 and incorporates the feedback from more than 70 stakeholder listening sessions. The deadline for submitting feedback is August 17, 2026. The responses will be used to help draft legislation in 2027. Senate Democrats intend to employ the same process for their ongoing work related to private health insurance marketplace reforms and long-term care reforms.
Senate HELP Committee Advances Healthcare Bills
During a recent markup, the Senate HELP Committee discussed eight health-related bills, seven of which were passed on to the Senate floor. Some of these include:
- The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, preventing hospitals and transplant centers from denying organ transplants to patients solely based on physical or mental disability.
- The Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2026, renewing the Healthy Start Initiative at $145,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 – 2030.
- The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act, maintaining the current funding level for the National Cord Blood Inventory through FY 2031.
More details about the bills and their voting results can be found in the original news release.
Administration Developments in Healthcare
The CMS has made two major moves in healthcare policy. First, it has proposed a regulatory framework for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. This program was established under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to allow Medicare to directly negotiate prices for specific high-cost drugs and biologics that don’t have competition from generics or biosimilars. Comments on the proposed rule are due by August 17, 2026.
Second, CMS has finalized a rule updating its oversight of accrediting organizations. These organizations survey Medicare-certified providers and suppliers for compliance with Medicare health and safety standards. The final rule is designed to align accreditation and survey processes with CMS requirements, confirm enforcement of CMS requirements by accrediting organizations, and prevent conflicts of interest that may arise from related consulting services.
Other Noteworthy Developments in Healthcare Policy
Additional developments in healthcare policy include:
- The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has published its annual report as mandated by legislation. The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) also released its mandatory recommendations and June 2026 report to Congress.
- The FDA announced its approval for a new over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone nasal spray product for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established The Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application to coordinate efforts to develop, validate, and scale human-based research technologies.
Looking Ahead
Both the House and Senate are expected to be in session in the coming week, with several joint legislative sessions scheduled before the August recess. The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Medicaid fraud on June 25, 2026, featuring state Medicaid directors. The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is also expected to markup healthcare transparency bills.
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