Sen. John Thune. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Sen. John Thune's ascension to Senate majority leader could usher in a new set of health policy priorities.
Why it matters: Thune has been active on issues like oversight of the 340B drug discount program and PBM reform and has pursued policies sympathetic to rural communities and hospitals.
- Some of those issues could be part of a reconciliation package early next year that Thune will have to shepherd through the Senate.
State of play: Over almost two decades in the chamber, Thune has weighed in on virtually every major health care debate. And as a senior member of the Finance Committee, he's well-versed on Medicare and Medicaid issues.
- He's been particularly focused on 340B during this session, working with a bipartisan group of five other senators on a still-unfinished legislative framework to address issues including how many providers get access to drug discounts, and if the savings from discounts are passed on to consumers.
- Thune previously told Axios that the group was planning to release the 340B reform bill in the summer, but then it was delayed amid unspecified disagreements between Republicans and Democrats.
- The framework could still come out during the lame duck session, or it may be punted to next year.
Thune has also been big on PBM reform and transparency, as well as insurer prior authorization.
- He was a sponsor of two of the PBM bills that made it into the Senate Finance PBM package that was approved out of the committee last year.
- In this Congress, he's also supported the Medicare Advantage prior authorization bill and Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
- He's also known to have a close relationship with hospitals in South Dakota and in the past has worked on rural health matters.
Flashback: Thune backed repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017 and was adamant that the law needed to be replaced.
- Though there's little appetite from Republicans to take up that cause again, the GOP could take other actions to overhaul the health care law, such as allowing enhanced marketplace subsidies to expire at the end of 2025 or promoting other coverage arrangements.
Last year, Thune introduced a bill that would allow individuals to use their pretax money in health savings accounts or flexible spending accounts for fitness purchases like gym memberships and fitness equipment.
- That aligns with the so-called Make America Healthy Again movement's focus on healthy lifestyles to reduce chronic diseases, as well as flexibility in health benefits.
