Federal lawmakers have proposed dozens of bills targeting core healthcare issues, including 340B, Medicaid, AI and site-neutral payments.
This year has brought significant changes to the healthcare industry, ushered in by the Trump administration and the recently enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Providers, insurers and health IT companies are looking ahead to Medicaid cuts, big changes to the Affordable Care Act and a reduction in funding for providers.Medicare reforms with a greater chance of near-term passage revolve around MA or Medicare Part C, in which the government contracts with private payers to manage the care of Medicare beneficiaries. MA, which allows plans to offer more benefits than in traditional Medicare but also curtails provider networks and coverage, has grown to cover more than half of all Medicare seniors.The problem could be getting worse. In a 2024 survey, 8 in 10 nurses told National Nurses United that they’d experienced violence on the job within the past year, exacerbated in part by patients’ and caregivers’ frustrations over COVID-19 protocols and precautions.Tammy Baldwin, D‑Wis., reintroduced the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act in April, which would direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to require covered certain employers — including hospitals, clinics and mental health facilities — to implement comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans.
