Happy Monday! Welcome back to a jam-packed week as Congress races to pass appropriations bills before the fiscal year deadline in a couple of weeks. Here is what we are tracking.

In this week’s Nimitz Health:

• Federal News: ACA subsidy debates, House advances HHS appropriations bill, and FDA tightens drug-ad safety disclosures.

• State News: Colorado moves to preserve school-vaccine access, more states expand coverage mandates, and parents start to delay routine shots.

• Industry News: Novo’s promising weight loss in trials, Oracle rolls out patient-facing generative AI, and the U.S. prods the U.K. on drug costs.

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

Wednesday, September 17th

• *Senate HELP: “Hearings to Examine Reviewing Recent Events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Implications for Children's Health” at 10am. Watch here.

• *Senate Aging: “Hearings to Examine Drug Safety, Supply Chains, and the Risk to Aging Americans” at 3:30pm. Watch here.

Thursday, September 18th

• *House Energy & Commerce: “Examining Policies to Enhance Seniors’ Access to Breakthrough Medical Technologies” at 9:30am. Watch here.

*Will be covered by Nimitz Health. Please email [email protected] if you would like a readout of any other hearings.

NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

Federal News

House Republicans are wrestling with whether to extend the enhanced ACA premium tax credits before they expire on December 31. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) is leading a one-year extension, arguing it’s both good policy and politics for swing-district constituents, while Ways & Means Republicans aired a “tense” internal debate over costs—CBO/JCT peg a full extension at ~$383B over 10 years. Expect this to be entwined with FY25 funding talks and potential shutdown brinkmanship.

The House Appropriations Committee advanced a $108B HHS bill after a marathon markup, cutting the department roughly 6% versus current law and rejecting numerous Democratic amendments (including efforts tied to vaccines and ACA credits). Members also blocked funding for a prior-authorization pilot, a rare cross-party moment, while leaving the door open to consider the Administration for a Healthy America consolidation concept later.

Separately, HHS and FDA finalized a rule tightening prescription drug advertising, requiring prominent, plain-language safety disclosures (including serious risks and contraindications) across DTC ads to reduce consumer confusion. Companies should review creative and compliance workflows ahead of enforcement.

The HHS “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) Commission released a sweeping children’s health strategy, prompting mixed reactions. Allies outside HHS pressed Congress and other agencies to move faster—particularly on pesticides—while Hill Republicans signaled they’ll shape any follow-on legislation through a MAHA Caucus.

Vaccine policy remains a flashpoint. Senate HELP Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) publicly urged Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to encourage DTaP uptake amid a pertussis outbreak, and plans oversight around the shake-up of CDC advisory processes. With ACIP meeting this week, advocates warn any weakening of recommendations could ripple through coverage mandates and state school-entry rules.

On the House side, Energy & Commerce’s Health Subcommittee advanced bipartisan reauthorization bills for public health programs to the full committee, and E&C leaders scheduled a hearing to expand seniors’ access to innovative medical care—positioning Medicare policy and tech adoption as fall agenda items.

State News

States are acting to preserve vaccine access as federal policy shifts. Colorado changed law to allow its health board to consider non-federal scientific bodies (AAP, AAFP, ACOG) for school vaccine requirements and issued a standing order enabling pharmacists to provide COVID shots without individual prescriptions. Officials cite continuity of access and alignment with prior ACIP guidance.

Regional momentum is building. California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington formed a West Coast collaborative to maintain access. Northeastern states are weighing similar steps. New York and Minnesota expanded pharmacist authority, and Massachusetts directed plans to cover state-recommended vaccines.

Public sentiment is shifting at the margins. A new Washington Post-KFF poll finds 1 in 6 U.S. parents have skipped or delayed some childhood vaccines (excluding COVID/flu). Concerns about side effects and waning trust in federal health agencies are key drivers—even as overall support for immunization remains high.

Industry News

Oracle will add generative AI to its patient portal next year, letting patients ask plain-language questions about diagnoses and labs, prep for visits, and draft messages—while explicitly avoiding diagnosis or treatment recommendations. Providers can tune what data and use-cases are enabled, reflecting continued caution around clinical decision support.

Novo Nordisk reported that a 7.2 mg “triple-dose” of semaglutide (vs. the current 2.4 mg max) delivered ~19% average weight loss over 72 weeks in a late-stage trial (vs. 16% on 2.4 mg; 4% placebo). GI events were more common at the higher dose, and results still trail Lilly’s tirzepatide on efficacy—underscoring competitive dynamics in obesity care.

The U.S. ambassador pressed the UK chancellor for a “better deal” on branded drug pricing as AstraZeneca paused a £200m Cambridge expansion and Merck scrapped a £1bn London R&D center—moves industry ties to the UK’s clawback and value-for-money regime. Expect VPAG negotiations to factor into cross-market launch and pricing strategies.

FOR FUN

Florida State Football News: FSU had a bye week. However, they did rise three slots in the AP Poll and are now #7 in the country!

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