The Trump administration on Monday proposed tightening marketing standards and adding income verification policies for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans starting in 2027.
Why it matters: The proposal would expand how plans can operate in the marketplace, which regulators say could reduce fraud and lower premiums.
But it may also make coverage harder to obtain for some low-income enrollees and steer more consumers toward high-deductible plans.
House Judiciary Committee Republicans have subpoenaed eight Affordable Care Act health insurers for documents as part of a widening investigation of potential fraud surrounding the use of premium subsidies in the individual market, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Enhanced premium tax credits for ACA coverage expired on Jan. 1. But Republicans are pressing forward with their probe of the Obamacare market — and putting heat on the entire health insurance industry.
New York has joined the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network following President Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the UN's global health agency, per a Tuesday announcement from Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).
Why it matters: New York is the third state to join the global health organization's network dedicated to monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks, following Illinois and California.
Parkour — once synonymous with an outlaw, fence-hopping subculture — became one of the fastest-growing fitness trends in the U.S. last year, according to ClassPass.
Why it matters: The sport all about moving freely through space has gone mainstream, which means even this reporter tried it out.
Hims & Hers shares plunged Monday after Novo Nordisk filed a lawsuit and federal regulators called for an investigation into Hims' compounding strategy for GLP-1 drugs.
Why it matters: Novo's legal offensive escalates an ongoing feud as it moves to defend its crown-jewel drug franchise amid price pressure and rising U.S. competition — and puts at risk a Hims business line that's been central to the telehealth company's growth.
Hims & Hers has backed offplans to sell a cheaper copycat version of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill after the Department of Health and Human Services asked for an investigation of whether the telehealth brand violated federal law.
Why it matters: The developments underscored continued tension over compounded GLP-1 weight loss drugs and when companies can make customized versions tailored to patients' needs.
Long-running efforts to limit health plans' ability to deny or delay physician-ordered care are on hold again, despite mounting congressional frustrationwith insurers.
Why it matters: By leaving a measure addressing so-called prior authorization reviews out of the bipartisan health package last week, lawmakers may have lost the chance to address a major source of aggravation for patients and doctors before the midterms.
Trillions of dollars in value have been vaporized from global crypto markets since October, plunging an ascendant industry championed by President Trump into a new bout of turmoil.
Why it matters: Crypto joins a growing list of MAGA coalition partners — from Epstein-focused populists to farmers to Latino men — now questioning whether Trump's return to power has delivered what they were promised.
