From Washington, DC,

• Roll Call reports,
  • “President Donald Trump announced Thursday night he would immediately begin paying Transportation Security Administration workers through an emergency executive order.
  • “The order promised to end long delays at the nation’s airports and allow TSA workers to get paychecks they have been denied during a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that has persisted for more than 40 days. 
  • “It also offered a partial reprieve for Congress, which has been locked in a bitter partisan standoff over immigration enforcement policies that has kept the department unfunded for weeks. Long lines at airport checkpoints and complaints from TSA workers had become critical pressure points in a search for an end to the shutdown.”

• Per a White House fact sheet,
  • Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order eliminating racially discriminatory “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) practices by Federal contractors and their subcontractors, ensuring merit-based and efficient contracting and employment.
    • The Order requires that all Federal contracts that are subject to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act include a clause prohibiting contractors and their subcontractors from engaging in racially discriminatory DEI activities.
    • The Order directs the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance to contracting agencies to ensure compliance and identify economic sectors that pose a particular risk of engaging in racially discriminatory DEI activities.
    • The Order authorizes contracting agencies to cancel, terminate, or suspend contracts — and to suspend or debar contractors — for failure to comply.
    • The Order directs the Attorney General to prioritize potential claims under the False Claims Act against contractors or subcontractors that are in violation of the contractual terms prohibiting racially discriminatory DEI activities, and ensure the prompt review of related civil actions brought by private persons.
    • The Order directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend Federal Acquisition Regulations to include this clause and remove any conflicting provisions.  

• Per a CMS news release,
  • “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the members of the Healthcare Advisory Committee, a new federal advisory body comprised of leaders from across the healthcare system to provide expert advice on improving, strengthening and modernizing U.S. healthcare.
  • “The Committee will advise HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz on ways to improve how care is financed and delivered across Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
  • “This Administration is bringing leaders together to tackle the challenges facing American patients and the health care system, putting prevention front and center,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This committee will help us shift from a sick care system to a true health care system by delivering practical solutions that drive real change.”
  • “We received an overwhelming response from highly qualified candidates across the country,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “These members bring deep expertise across care delivery, financing, innovation, and patient engagement. Their insights will help us advance higher-quality care, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen the sustainability of our programs, while supporting efforts to transform our healthcare system and restore a stronger focus on patients.” * * *
  • “The Committee will convene its first meeting later this year. Additional information, including meeting notices and opportunities for public engagement, will be published in the Federal Register and on the CMS website.
  • “For more information, visit: www.cms.gov/priorities/healthcare-advisory-committee/overview“

• Federal News Network tells us,
  • “Thrift Savings Plan participation is at an all-time high — and nearly 90% of Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) participants are contributing enough to receive a full match from the government. The TSP board is also reporting that participant satisfaction with the agency’s customer service center is at nearly 94%. Satisfaction scores have remained at that level, now for more than a year. (Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board – TSP monthly report, March 2026)”

• Tammy Flanagan, writing in Govexec, discusses current “projections of the insolvency of Social Security, including analysis from the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM) and the official projections from the Social Security Trustees.”

From the judicial front,

• Bloomberg Law reports,
  • “The government can lawfully limit federal health carriers from covering certain gender transition procedures, the EEOC said in a new ruling.
  • “The Republican-controlled commission on Thursday rejected claims from a group of transgender current and former federal employees that the Office of Personnel Management’s health coverage policy violated anti-discrimination laws. 
  • “The ruling in Sam T. v. Kupor adds to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s efforts under the Trump administration to chip away at transgender rights in the private and federal sectors.”

• An OPM news release adds,
  • “The EEOC’s landmark ruling reinforces OPM’s duty to manage the FEHB Program responsibly and protect taxpayer-funded benefits for federal employees and retirees,” Associate Director for Healthcare and Insurance Shane Stevens said. “Federal health benefits must be administered in a way that is fiscally responsible, legally sound, delivers high-quality care, and works toward improved health outcomes.”
    
• The next step for this lawsuit is federal district court.

• The Wall Street Journal relates,
  • “The Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against the prominent hospital system NewYork-Presbyterian, alleging that it used restrictions in its contracts with insurers to limit price competition and block lower-cost healthcare options.
  • “The suit, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, was filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. It is the latest development in a broader Justice Department effort focused on whether hospital systems use hidden contracts to protect their market position and maintain high prices.”

From the public health and medical / Rx research front.

• The American Hospital Association News reports,
  • “An American Heart Association study published March 25 found that children born to mothers with premature placental separation could be at higher risk of heart disease by age 28. They also are nearly three times more likely to be hospitalized for heart-related complications, such as heart failure, ischemic heart disease, heart attack, blocked arteries or general cardiovascular disease. The study examined nearly three million pregnancies and found that approximately 1% were impacted by placental abruption. Although limited in scope and not focused on interventions, the study highlights the importance of postpartum and postnatal monitoring for maternal and infant complications.” 
    
• The Washington Post points out “five things you need to know about meningitis.”
  • “Two people died in an outbreak of bacterial meningitis in England. The infection, which is rare, requires prompt medical treatment to avoid severe complications.”

• MedPage Today tells us,
  • “After peaking at over 185,000 courses in 2015, prescriptions for direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus infections dropped 63% by 2025.
  • “While those older than 61 years accounted for over 40% of DAA-treated patients in 2015, that percentage shrank to roughly 25% by 2025.
  • “Specialists wrote two-thirds of DAA prescriptions in 2015, but their share fell to 28% by 2025.” * * *
  • “These are “sobering numbers” that reflect the need for a national HCV elimination plan such as the Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025, Debika Bhattacharya, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles, told MedPage Today. “We must expand access to DAAs.”
• and
  • “Patients with a history of depression or anxiety were less likely to see their mental health decline while on GLP-1 medications.
  • “The link between GLP-1 drug use and lower risk of psychiatric decline was more pronounced for semaglutide than for other agents.
  • “The data may allay prior concerns about suicidality, which prompted an FDA investigation in 2023.”
• and
  • “Alzheimer’s can be detected early with p-tau blood biomarkers, but some tests can lead to overdiagnosis.
  • “Combining p-tau217 and eMTBR-tau243 may refine diagnostic accuracy and reduce false-positives.
  • “Plasma eMTBR-tau243 also could help identify people with high tau burden.”

• NPR adds,
  • “Babies under 6 months old still have one of the highest rates of hospitalization from COVID-19 infections compared to other age groups, but no COVID vaccine is available for these infants.
  • “That’s one reason the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, recommends COVID vaccination during pregnancy.
  • “There are a number of studies that show one of the benefits of COVID vaccination during pregnancy is the passage of antibodies to the newborn, and then that protects the newborn against COVID,” says Dr. Kevin Ault, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine in Kalamazoo, Mich.”

From the U.S. healthcare business and artificial intelligence front,

• MedCity News reports,
  • “Affordability is top of mind for executives at AHIP as Americans battle skyrocketing healthcare costs.
  • “We are laser-focused on affordability at AHIP,” said Mike Tuffin, president and CEO of AHIP. “That’s, of course, the issue at every kitchen table. … We see the cost of hospital care, certainly the cost of brand prescription drugs, specialty care, imaging, down the line, just continuing to rise faster than wages, faster than inflation. That’s driving up premiums across all markets. Premiums directly reflect the underlying cost of medical care.”
  • “Tuffin made these comments during a press briefing on Tuesday at the AHIP Medicare, Medicaid, Duals & Commercial Markets Forum in Washington, D.C. AHIP is an advocacy organization for health insurers.
  • “As for what’s leading to the rising cost of care, Tuffin pointed the finger at hospital consolidation, as well as actions by drug manufacturers like patent thickets (in which there is a dense web of multiple patents around one medication). 
  • “Tuffin added that AHIP is focused on improving affordability across four zones:
    • “More competition, especially for prescription drugs, and addressing hospital consolidation
    • “Site of service reforms, and increasingly using the home as a site of service. According to Tuffin, too much care is delivered at the costliest sites of care, like the emergency room
    • “Tackling administrative burden, as the healthcare system is still “far too dependent on fax machines”
    • “Aligning incentives around patient care outcomes and driving value across the system.”

• The Wall Street Journal assesses the “Weight Loss Drug Frenzy: What’s Here and What’s Likely Coming Next.”
  • “The market for weight loss drugs is exploding and patients may have several new options in coming years.”

• Beckers Payer Issues relates,
  • “Centene has named Kate Casso senior vice president of finance operations and innovation and Theodore Pienkos corporate controller and chief accounting officer.
  • “Ms. Casso has been with Centene for more than two decades and has served as the company’s corporate controller and chief accounting officer since April 2021, according to a March 24 regulatory filing. 
  • “Ms. Casso will focus in part on enterprise and finance innovation while continuing to lead data analytics, medical economics, payment integrity, finance shared services and financial planning and analysis. 
  • “Mr. Pienkos has been with Centene since 2011 and has served as the company’s deputy corporate controller since August 2024. He previously served as vice president of finance and accounting.
  • “Both appointments were effective March 18.”

• BioPharma Dive informs us,
  • “Merck’s deal for Terns [mentioned in yesterday’s FEHBlog post] sparks debate over a possible biotech bidding war
  • “Some analysts argue the $6.7 billion offer undervalues biotech’s lead cancer drug, although investors may be happy with one-year returns.”
• and
  • “Shares of Maze Therapeutics, a San Francisco-area biotechnology company, fell over 30% Wednesday despite positive clinical trial results for a progressive kidney disease drug that could potentially compete with a rival therapy from Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
  • “Maze said that, in a mid-stage trial, treatment with its experimental drug, “MZE829,” led to a “clinically meaningful” reduction of protein levels in urine by an average of almost 36% in people with a kidney disease caused by mutations in a gene called APOL1. Maze said it will continue enrollment for its Phase 2 trial and plans to meet with regulators to advance MZE829 into pivotal testing for AMKD, or APOL1-mediated kidney disease.
  • “Full results from the Phase 2 trial will be presented at a future medical conference, Maze added.”

• Per an Institute of Clinical and Economic Review news release,
  • “Institute for Clinical and Economic Review Launches Program to Accelerate the Consideration of Value into Drug Development Programs
  • ICER will leverage its health technology assessment (HTA) expertise to encourage better evidence development in clinical trial programs.”

• Beckers Payer Issues informs us that “UnitedHealthcare has launched Avery, a generative AI companion that helps members navigate healthcare services.”

• Health Exec adds,
  • “U.S. patients wait an average 31 days to see a doctor, so it’s no wonder 65% of surveyed consumers have consulted AI specifically because it’s faster and easier.
  • “Meanwhile 77% of clinicians appreciate the technology’s contributions to healthcare—yet 1 in 5 patients have tried to hide their use of AI from their doctors. 
  • “Most who admit to the secrecy chalk it up to a fear of being judged. 
  • “The findings are from a survey report released March 24 by Zocdoc, a digital appointment-booking service that has markedly increased its use of AI.”

• Fierce Healthcare notes,
  • “OpenEvidence released an artificial intelligence-powered medical coding feature embedded in its clinical AI assistant.
  • “The new feature, called Coding Intelligence, provides automatic Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code suggestions, evaluation and management (E/M) level recommendations with supporting medical decision-making rationale written directly into the note and ICD-10 diagnoses, according to the company.
  • “The tool, available in OpenEvidence Visits, provides coding derived from the clinical documentation and it automatically applies at the end of every doctor-patient visit, executives said.
  • “Without any extra work, OpenEvidence is able to generate concise rationale for their CPT + E/M suggestions. It truly captures the complexity of the encounter and saves me hours when I’m at the ER,” said Ania Bilski, M.D., vice president of clinical AI at OpenEvidence.”