Medicare will cover weight-loss drugs under a deal between the Trump administration and drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cut prices for blockbuster diabetes and anti-obesitydrugs.
Why it matters: About 10% of Medicare enrollees will be newly eligible for coverage of GLP-1 drugs because of the deal, a senior administration official told reporters Thursday.
The Affordable Care Act's subsidy structure, especially with COVID-era enhancements, discriminates against people with employer insurance and creates disincentives to work, an influential conservative think tank argues in a new brief provided first to Axios.
Why it matters: Treat this as a preview of a likely new line of attack on the Hill as Congress continues to brawl over the future of the enhanced subsidies.
Liberal Democrats dug in Wednesday after Tuesday's elections, maintaining their health care push as moderate Democrats were quieter and said talks are continuing.
Why it matters: The aftermath of Democrats' big election night wins highlighted the strains within the Democratic Party over how long to keep battling Republicans for extending enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Democrats had a big night in Tuesday's elections, but in Congress all they could end up getting on health care is a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Why it matters: A guaranteed vote, but no actual agreement that can be signed into law, would be a tough pill for many Democrats to swallow.
Novo Nordisk and Pfizer's multibillion-dollar fight over who gets to buy an anti-obesity biotech has morphed into a narrative argument over which acquisition would be most America First — a framing with clear political implications.
Why it matters: It's a sign of the new world order for the pharmaceutical industry, in which manufacturers hope dealmaking and political overtures made directly to President Trump translate into favorable treatment from the administration.
Nearly 227,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, per the American Lung Association's 2025 State of Lung Cancer report.
Why it matters: Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer deaths — but the five-year survival rate has increased to almost 30%, the group finds, up from 18% about a decade ago.
The White House is warning that unemployment benefits are in jeopardy in some states if the shutdown drags on, though the risks are far less dire than for food assistance or SNAP.
Why it matters: About 1.6 million Americans are unemployed and rely on unemployment insurance to get by — including about 20,000 former federal workers.
