News

House Judiciary Subcommittee Opens Probe into U.S. Medical Residency System

March 24, 2025

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House Judiciary Subcommittee Opens Probe into U.S. Medical Residency System – The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust has launched an antitrust investigation into the nation’s medical residency system. Subcommittee Chairman Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) has written to stakeholder organizations about antitrust exemptions for medical residency programs and accreditation associations. Fitzgerald asserts that the residency antitrust exemption “has distorted the American medical residency market, undermining free market principles to the detriment of the nation’s doctors and the patients who rely on them.”  The letters request information about complaints related to the matching process, resident compensation limits, resident working conditions, and the mobility of residents between residency positions. The panel is seeking responses from the American Medical Association, National Resident Matching Program, Duke University Health System, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Association of American Medical Colleges, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, American Osteopathic Association, and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

 

Hawley Questions Dr. Oz About Past Statements Re: Gender Affirming Care, Abortion – Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is expressing reservations about the nomination of Mehmet Oz, MD to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In a social media post last week, Hawley raised questions about Dr. Oz’s past statements in support of gender affirming care for minors and opposition to pro-life state laws. Hawley suggests that Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, disavow his former views and confirm his alignment with President Donald Trump’s positions. The Senate Finance Committee will vote to advance Oz’s nomination to the full Senate for consideration on Tuesday. Sen. Hawley is not a member of the Finance Committee.

 

Trump Administration Postpones Telehealth Prescribing Rules – The White House has postponed the implementation of two Biden administration-era regulations – the first regarding access to buprenorphine treatment via telemedicine encounter, and the second dealing with continuity of care via telemedicine for Veterans Affairs patients. The rules, which were set to go into effect March 21, have been postponed until December 31. The Trump administration cites the need to review public feedback on the policies and “any questions of fact, law, and policy that the rules may raise” as the reason for postponement.

 

Trump Fires Two FTC Commissioners, Creating Uncertainty for PBM Lawsuit – The Trump administration dismissed two Democratic commissioners – Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter – from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last week. The move calls into question the future of the FTC’s work to investigate the business practices of the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry. Bedoya and Slaughter were overseeing a lawsuit against CVS Health Corp., Cigna Group, and UnitedHealth Group Inc. which alleged that the PBMs used illegal rebate programs to keep less expensive insulin products off of drug formularies. The FTC’s two GOP members had recused themselves from the case, which remains in active litigation.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization oversight hearing “Closing the Data Gap: Improving Interoperability Between VA and Community Providers;” 3:00 p.m.; March 24

 

Senate Finance Committee open executive session to consider favorably the nomination of Mehmet Oz, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; 9:30 a.m.; March 25

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health markup of pending legislation; 2:15 p.m.; March 25

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health oversight hearing “Breaking Down Barriers: Getting Veterans ACCESS to Lifesaving Care;” 2:30 p.m.; March 25

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.2168 —To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on the use of home cardiorespiratory monitors for infants, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Yakym, Rudy [Rep.-R-IN-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2161 —To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain types of human-animal chimeras; Sponsor: Smith, Christopher H. [Rep.-R-NJ-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.2149 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for a presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents for certain veterans who served in Guam; Sponsor: Moylan, James C. [Del.-R-GU-At Large]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.2120 — To amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a Radiation Oncology Case Rate Value Based Payment Program exempt from budget neutrality adjustment requirements, and to amend section 1128A of title XI of the Social Security Act to create a new statutory exception for the provision of free or discounted transportation for radiation oncology patients to receive radiation therapy services; Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [Rep.-R-PA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.2114 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act, title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, and the National Organ Transplant Act to prohibit certain organ transplants with specified connections to the People’s Republic of China; Sponsor: Dunn, Neal P. [Rep.-R-FL-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.2111 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt the premium cigar industry from certain regulations; Sponsor: Donalds, Byron [Rep.-R-FL-19]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2107 —To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children’s hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Crenshaw, Dan [Rep.-R-TX-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2106 —To establish a grant program to support schools of medicine and schools of osteopathic medicine in underserved areas; Sponsor: Costa, Jim [Rep.-D-CA-21]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2105 — To address the importation and proliferation of machinegun conversion devices; Sponsor: Casten, Sean [Rep.-D-IL-6]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Judiciary; Homeland Security

 

H.R.2092 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a task force to improve access to health care information technology for non-English speakers; Sponsor: De La Cruz, Monica [Rep.-R-TX-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.225 — Supporting the designation of March as “Autoimmune Awareness Month” and supporting efforts to increase awareness of autoimmune diseases and increase funding for autoimmune disease research; Sponsor: Stevens, Haley M. [Rep.-D-MI-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.1087 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust allowable direct and indirect costs for nursing and allied health education programs; Sponsor: Klobuchar, Amy [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.1085 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a pandemic preparedness and response program using artificial intelligence; Sponsor: Rounds, Mike [Sen.-R-SD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.1082 — A bill to apply the Medicaid asset verification program to all applicants for, and recipients of, medical assistance in all States and territories, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.1080 —A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from gross income certain federally subsidized loan repayments for dental school faculty; Sponsor: Wicker, Roger F. [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.1076 —A bill to address the importation and proliferation of machinegun conversion devices; Sponsor: Klobuchar, Amy [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.1074 — A bill to provide for a study on the accessibility of substance use disorder treatment and mental health care providers and services for farmers and ranchers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.128 — A resolution recognizing March 14, 2025, as “Black Midwives Day” and the longstanding and invaluable contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health in the United States; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.231 — Recognizing the longstanding and invaluable contributions of Black midwives to maternal and infant health in the United States; Sponsor: Moore, Gwen [Rep.-D-WI-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Armed Services

 

H.R.2172 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to clarify congressional intent and preserve patient access to home infusion therapy under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Buchanan, Vern [Rep.-R-FL-16]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.2178 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a program of research related to cerebral palsy, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cohen, Steve [Rep.-D-TN-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2185 — To protect public health and human safety by prohibiting the farming of mink for their fur, to compensate farmers as they transition out of the industry, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Espaillat, Adriano [Rep.-D-NY-13]; Committees: House – Agriculture; Budget

 

H.R.2191 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise certain physician self-referral exemptions relating to physician-owned hospitals; Sponsor: Griffith, H. Morgan [Rep.-R-VA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.2193 — To require the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to take certain actions with respect to the health insurance program carried out under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Grothman, Glenn [Rep.-R-WI-6]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.2197 — To prevent 340B covered entities from using savings derived for sex reassignment surgeries, hormonal therapies, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Johnson, Dusty [Rep.-R-SD-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2199 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to clarify and preserve the breadth of the protections under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act; Sponsor: Kelly, Mike [Rep.-R-PA-16]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2202 — To prohibit taxpayer-funded gender transition procedures, and for other purposes; Sponsor: LaMalfa, Doug [Rep.-R-CA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Ways and Means

 

H.R.2213 — To authorize the President to enter into trade agreements for the reciprocal elimination of duties or other import restrictions with respect to medical goods to contribute to the national security and public health of the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Malliotakis, Nicole [Rep.-R-NY-11]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Rules

 

H.R.2214 — To improve services provided by pharmacy benefit managers; Sponsor: Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [Rep.-R-IA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.2220 – To preserve access to emergency medical services; Sponsor: Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [Rep.-D-WA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.2223 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make loans, loan guarantees, and grants for purchasing, planning, constructing, or renovating pediatric or adult mental health treatment facilities and pediatric or adult substance use disorder treatment facilities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Salinas, Andrea [Rep.-D-OR-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2226 —To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit discrimination against entities that do not participate in abortion and to strengthen implementation and enforcement of Federal conscience laws; Sponsor: Smith, Christopher H. [Rep.-R-NJ-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.2229 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve the ability of veterans to make appointments for mental health care furnished by the Secretary; Sponsor: Steil, Bryan [Rep.-R-WI-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.2232 — To amend title XVIII to protect patient access to ground ambulance services under part B of the Medicare program; Sponsor: Tenney, Claudia [Rep.-R-NY-24]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.2234 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update certain standards regarding anesthesia and pain management services in the Veterans Health Administration; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs