From Washington, DC

• Roll Call reports,
  • “The House took a major step toward providing funding for immigration enforcement agencies by adopting a Senate-backed budget resolution Wednesday evening.
  • “Now that both chambers have adopted the budget blueprint, lawmakers can move forward with a filibuster-proof reconciliation bill to provide around $70 billion in immigration enforcement funding. That money is designed to sustain the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agencies for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term.
  • “The vote on the GOP-written resolution was 215-211, falling strictly along party lines. Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, a Republican-turned-independent from a swing district, voted “present.”

• The Government Accountability Office released a report today finding
  • he Federal Employees Health Benefits program is the largest employer-sponsored health insurance program in the United States. The Office of Personnel Management is responsible for managing fraud risks in the program.
  • But OPM’s process for verifying whether health care providers were eligible to provide care under the program isn’t always working. For example, our data analyses identified claims from providers who were deceased or excluded from other federal programs for certain violations.
  • Our [fifteen] recommendations would improve OPM’s process for verifying health care provider eligibility and reduce risks to the program.

• Fedweek relates,
  • In a memo issued on April 28, 2026, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor advised federal agencies to exclude all employees in Schedule C and Schedule G General Schedule (GS) positions from the performance appraisal requirements under Subchapter I of Chapter 43 of Title 5, including requirements for performance standards, progress reviews, and annual ratings of record.
  • “This directive simplifies personnel management for these excepted-service political appointments, which are now treated as “at-will” roles where retention and removal do not hinge on formal performance ratings. 
  • “The memo clarifies that these employees operate outside the structured appraisal frameworks that apply to most competitive-service GS employees. They are excluded due to the confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating nature of their positions.
  • “This latest memo is not a surprise, as it is a step in implementing [Schedule F] policies that have already been formulated.”
    
• The Hill tells us,
  • “The Trump administration is no longer allowing federal funds to be used for purchasing or distributing test strips that can determine if street drugs have been mixed or cut with fentanyl or other contaminants, a reversal that comes amid the administration’s broader opposition to harm reduction practices. 
  • “In an open letter to federal grantees, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said it was ending the practice, which it has championed since 2021, because the strips are “intended for use by people using drugs.” 
  • “However, the notice emphasized that federal funds can still be used for test strips to be used by public health officials, law enforcement, medical workers and others in professional settings.  
  • “Test strips cost about $1 each and can detect drugs like fentanyl or animal tranquilizers like xylazine and medetomidine. Many states have legalized test strips in an effort to slow the number of overdose deaths.” 

• The American Hospital Association News informs us,
  • “The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has issued a request for nominations for candidates to serve on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. While all nominees will be considered, AHRQ said it encourages nominations of physician specialists in anesthesiology/pain management, cardiology, endocrinology, family medicine, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, preventive medicine and radiology, as well as experts in health economics. The agency said it will also consider applications from physicians in specialties including but not limited to surgery, laboratory medicine/molecular pathology and clinical genetics. AHRQ is also seeking wide geographic representation and experience in diverse settings, including individuals with expertise in rural medicine. Nominations must be received by AHRQ electronically by May 23 to be considered for appointment beginning in June.”

• Bloomberg Law adds,
  • “The Trump administration is appealing a federal district court order that temporarily blocked US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s changes to the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule.
  • “The US Department of Justice filed a notice Wednesday to appeal an order issued March 16 by Judge Brian Murphy of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts that halted decisions made by a vaccine advisory panel earlier this year to drastically reduce the number of recommended shots for kids. 
  • “The appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit challenges the judge’s decision to temporarily block Kennedy’s appointments of 13 members to the panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which helps determine which vaccines are covered by insurance and provided for free for some children.
  • “The committee was scheduled to convene on March 18-19 at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, but the court ruled it can’t meet and the meeting was subsequently postponed.”

From the Food and Drug Administration front,

• The Wall Street Journal reports,
  • “The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday released the results of a major study examining the safety of infant formula sold in the U.S., finding that most products contained low or undetectable levels of contaminants including heavy metals.
  • “The findings come amid “Operation Stork Speed,” the Trump administration’s sweeping review of U.S. infant formula ingredients. Federal officials said the results reinforce that the nation’s infant formula supply is safe, while adding that the FDA will continue additional testing as part of its continuing monitoring and oversight efforts.
  • “We tested more infant formula than ever before, and the results are clear: most products meet a high safety standard—but even small exposures matter for newborns,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement.” * * *
  • “Although the results didn’t break down findings by specific companies, leading manufacturers welcomed the report.”
    
• MedTech Dive relates,
  • “Medtronic received Food and Drug Administration approval for its next-generation mitral valve and has launched the device in the U.S., the company said Wednesday.
  • “Called Mosaic Neo, the bioprosthetic valve is designed to be implanted through sternotomy, which requires separating the breastbone to reach the heart, or through minimally invasive surgery.
  • “In addition, the first concomitant procedure was performed where the Mosaic valve was implanted alongside Medtronic’s Penditure left atrial appendage exclusion device, the company said. The Penditure clip is designed to close the left atrial appendage to help prevent clots from entering the bloodstream.”

• Cardiovascular News informs us,
  • “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public about a potential safety issue with certain Relay Pro Thoracic Stent Grafts from Terumo Aortic. 
  • “These devices are used by interventional cardiologists and vascular surgeons to repair damaged or weakened sections of a patient’s thoracic aorta. However, Terumo Aortic has received multiple reports of the stent being unable to unclasp from the delivery system. When this happens, it can lead to significant risks, including death. As of April 23, in fact, three deaths have been directly linked to this issue.
  • “Difficulties in releasing the stent graft may result in delay of procedure, stent graft displacement, and an inability to release the stent graft,” according to the FDA’s warning. “This may require conversion to open surgical repair to release the clasp and can result in patient death. Please be advised that this failure mode can occur without prior warning and no device-based bailout method has been identified for this specific scenario.”
• and
  • “Abbott has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance and CE mark approval for Ultreon 3.0, its next-generation coronary imaging platform.
  • “Ultreon 3.0, an update of the company’s Ultreon 2.0 technology, uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to capture and evaluate optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, delivering real-time guidance during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures. OCT is a critical modality for the diagnosis, treatment and management of coronary disease. This platform was built to give clinicians detailed OCT images from inside the blood vessels. It then uses those images to assess the blockage being treated and make recommendations to the PCI operator on the selection and placement any stents.
  • “Ultreon 3.0 represents a pivotal step forward in how we treat and ultimately care for our patients,” Evan Shlofmitz, DO, director of interventional cardiology at St. Francis Hospital and Health Center in Roslyn, New York, said in a statement. “This next-generation platform, combining imaging and AI, doesn’t just improve upon existing technology—it leapfrogs it. By delivering greater clarity, speed, and clinical insight, Ultreon 3.0 accelerates the path to more confident clinician decision making and transformative patient care.”

From the public health and medical / Rx research front,

• The Wall Street Journal reports,
  • “Marriage is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer, recent research found.
  • “A study of more than 4 million cancer cases in the U.S. found that cancer rates were about 68% higher among men who have never married compared with those who have. For never-married women, the relationship was even more pronounced, with cancer rates roughly 83% higher, according to research published recently in the journal Cancer Research Communications.
  • “Married people tend to have greater economic stability and better support systems, and they are more likely to stick with treatment, said Paulo Pinheiro, professor of cancer epidemiology at the University of Miami School of Medicine’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and co-author of the findings. 
  • “Previous studies have found that married people who have cancer tend to get diagnosed earlier and have better survival rates. 
  • ‘The recent study looked at data collected between 2015 and 2022 encompassing more than 100 million people aged 30 or older from across 12 states. About 20% were unmarried.” 

• Healio informs us,
  • “A large measles outbreak in South Carolina has ended after nearly 1,000 cases.
  • “More than 8,000 measles vaccinations were administered during the outbreak, which began in October.”

• Health Day relates,
  • “Mail-in colon cancer kits can extend easy, affordable cancer screening to low-income folks, study shows
  • “People preferred returning test kits that look for cancer-related DNA
  • “That might be because the kits had more comprehensive support from their manufacturer, researchers said.”

• Medpage Today tells us,
  • “Over 15 years, a moderately protein-restricted diet was tied to a lower risk of starting dialysis in patients with stages 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease.
  • “Associations with a 50% eGFR decline and all-cause mortality approached, but did not achieve, statistical significance.
  • “Findings support guideline-based care while emphasizing practicality, the researchers noted.”

• Per an Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) news release,
  • “The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today posted its revised Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of oveporexton (Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) for narcolepsy type 1.
  • “Current treatments for narcolepsy do not address the underlying cause of the condition, and many patients report incomplete relief from narcolepsy symptoms despite multiple medications,” said ICER’s Senior Vice President of Research, Foluso Agboola, MBBS, MPH.  “ICER’s analyses found that oveporexton, the first medication for narcolepsy type 1 that directly addresses the underlying cause of the condition, is effective in promoting wakefulness, improving quality of life, and appears to offer better health benefits than current options. Pricing choices that balance innovation rewards while addressing long-term value and patient access will be important topics at the public meeting.”
  • “This Evidence Report will be reviewed at a virtual public meeting of the Midwest CEPAC on May 14, 2026. The Midwest CEPAC is one of ICER’s three independent evidence appraisal committees comprising medical evidence experts, practicing clinicians, methodologists, and leaders in patient engagement and advocacy.
  • “Register here to watch the live webcast of the virtual meeting.” * * *
  • “Oveporexton has not yet been approved by the FDA for narcolepsy type 1. The manufacturers have not yet announced a US price for the therapy if approved. ICER calculated a health benefit price benchmark (HBPB) between $50,400 and $59,400 per year.”

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

• The Wall Street Journal reports,
  • “Humana reported lower first-quarter profit, with shares down 7.4% in premarket trading, due to lower 2026 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings.
  • “The company reiterated its full-year adjusted-earnings guidance but cut its nonadjusted earnings outlook to at least $8.36 a share.
  • “Humana incurred charges for a multiyear transformation program and faced higher medical costs, particularly from older people using services.”

• Beckers Payer Issues relates
  • “Blue Cross NC recorded a net loss of $497.3 million in 2025, according to regulatory filings.
  • “The insurer posted a net income of $68.5 million in 2024 and $133 million in 2023.” * * *
  • ‘The company reported total assets of $7.2 billion as of year-end 2025, with capital and surplus of $3 billion. Medicaid was the company’s largest line of business by direct premiums written at $3.5 billion, followed by Medicare at $2.2 billion, the Federal Employees Health Benefits program at $1.8 billion, Medicare supplement at $397.4 million, and dental at $101.3 million.”
• and
  • “BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee recorded a net income of $168.4 million in 2025, a 62% decline from $446.8 million in 2024, according to regulatory filings.
  • “In its 2025 impact report, the insurer said 89 cents of every premium dollar collected last year was used to pay member claims, and medical and pharmacy claims payments have increased 25% over the past five years.
  • “The company reported total assets of $6.7 billion as of year-end 2025, with capital and surplus of $5.4 billion. Medicare was the company’s largest line of business by direct premiums written at $2.5 billion, followed by the Federal Employees Health Benefits program at $1.1 billion, dental at $172.6 million, Medicare supplement at $153.5 million, and vision at $37.4 million.”

• Fierce Healthcare tells us,
  • “Teladoc Health reported a 2% decline in revenue in the first quarter, but the telehealth giant touted “meaningful progress” in scaling insurance coverage for its BetterHelp mental health business as a catalyst for future growth.
  • “The virtual care company reported Q1 revenue of $613.8 million compared to $629 million a year ago. Access fees revenue decreased 8% to $484.7 million.
  • “U.S. revenue dropped 6% to $491.5 million while revenue from international markets rose 17% to $122.3 million. The company’s integrated care segment revenue inched up 2% to $395.4 million and its BetterHelp segment saw revenue fall 9% to $218.4 million. Aside from access fee revenue, Teladoc Health reported “other revenue” jumped 25% to $129.2 million during the quarter.
  • “The company reported adjusted EBITDA of $58.2 million, essentially flat year-over-year, and the company narrowed its losses from a loss of $93 million in Q1 2025 to a net loss of $63.8 million, or $0.36 per share, in the most recent quarter.”

• Beckers Hospital Review discusses “three barriers to GLP-1 adherence — and how systems are overcoming them.”

• Health CIO informs us,
  • “Nearly 80% of provider-payer partnerships recognized in KLAS Research’s 2026 Points of Light report centered on value-based care workflows. That figure stood at 48% the year before. The shift signals that interoperability has graduated from differentiator to baseline expectation. Success in provider-payer collaboration will now hinge on whether shared data drives measurable financial and clinical outcomes.
  • “The report, released in April 2026 and produced through KLAS’s K2 Collaborative, profiles 24 award-winning partnerships. KLAS validated each through structured interviews conducted between September 2025 and February 2026. Of those 24 collaborations, 23 involved interoperability or clinical data exchange in some form. Federal mandates such as CMS-0057-F are accelerating adoption of FHIR-based APIs and HL7 Da Vinci implementation guides. As a result, payers and providers are moving toward standardized exchange that supports patient access, payer-to-payer transfers, and electronic prior authorization.”

• BioPharma Dive points out,
  • “Teva Pharmaceutical is wagering up to $900 million on a biotechnology company built around a potential treatment for Tourette syndrome.
  • “Through an acquisition announced Wednesday, Teva will take control of privately held Emalex Biosciences and its drug ecopipam, which is in late-stage clinical testing. Ecopipam is meant to inhibit “D1,” a kind of dopamine-regulating protein that research suggests may play a role in the involuntary movements, or tics, associated with Tourette’s. The antipsychotics often used to treat this disorder target a different but related protein, D2.
  • “The companies expect their deal to close sometime between July and the end of September. Terms hold that Teva will pay $700 million up front and possibly as much as $200 million more if ecopipam hits certain commercial goals. Emalex shareholders will be eligible to receive sales-based royalties as well.”