Senator Lankford Questions HHS Secretary on PBMs, Mifepristone, and Title X Rule

Rural Hospital Support

• 🏥 Rural hospitals are anticipating $50 billion in funding from a large bill, with $10 billion allocated for next year, and are pleased with the progress.
• 🔬 Medical research funded by NIH grants, which were temporarily held, has been released, allowing important longitudinal studies to continue.
• 💸 Concerns were raised about Medicare Advantage plans delaying payments to rural hospitals, an issue HHS is reportedly working on.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)

• 💊 Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are a priority for President Trump, with HHS actively engaged in discussions to address their impact on rural pharmacies.
• 🤝 HHS is in talks with PBMs and pharmaceutical companies to increase transparency and potentially reduce costs.
• 🗣️ PBMs have committed to transparency protocols, and negotiations may include direct-to-consumer marketing to eliminate middlemen.

Mifepristone Safety Review

• ⚠️ A review of the safety issues of mifepristone is underway, with a commitment to unbiased examination of all drugs.
• 📊 Concerns were expressed that data was manipulated during the Biden administration to obscure safety signals, and the current review aims to produce honest science.
• ⏱️ While exact timing for the review is not available, progress is being made with ongoing data collection.

Title X Family Planning Rule

• ⚖️ The Title 10 regulation, which requires physical and financial separation of abortion activities from Title 10 family planning programs, was flipped from the original Trump rule under the Biden administration.
• 🚫 Organizations that refuse to separate their payment streams and operations are not receiving funding under the current interpretation of the law.
• ❓ The timeline for reviewing or reinstating the original Trump-era rule on Title 10 separation remains unknown.