ACA deal is slipping away

The prospects are not looking good for an extension of enhanced ACA premium tax credits. Republicans don't agree among themselves on a proposal, and Democrats don't like any of the Republican ideas.

Republican senators want to convert premium tax credits into pre-funded health savings accounts. But there are significant disagreements within the party over how to do that. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Roger Marshal (R-Kan.) want to leave the base ACA tax credits in place and use the extra pandemic-era premium subsidies to fund those accounts. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wants to let the enhanced subsidies expire and instead use base ACA tax credits for HSAs, which would be akin to an Obamacare repeal.

Democrats thought they'd be negotiating over abortion restrictions, income caps on eligibility, and zero-dollar premiums. They didn't anticipate a fight over HSAs, and they say it's too late to do anything other than extend the credits for at least one year.

But at least senators are still acting like there's a chance to get a deal done, right?

"Oh we're not going to get it done this year," Scott said Tuesday. Read more.

The courts

Vaccine-injury lawyers devise new legal strategies

Legal protections for vaccine makers are being put to the test as health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. takes vaccine skepticism mainstream, Isabella Cueto reports.

Pandemic-era lawsuits over vaccines that previously faced steep odds are gaining momentum under the Trump administration.

Vaccine-injury lawyers are devising new legal strategies that could further shape policy in their favor. Using novel approaches, lawyers are also creating opportunities for the Trump administration to pick a side in court — and possibly influence legal precedent for years to come.

Read more to learn about some of those lawsuits.

vaccines

How RFK Jr. could undermine vaccines globally

Kennedy urged countries around the world to follow the lead of the United States by banning the preservative thimerosal in vaccines, Helen Branswell reports.

Infectious disease experts aren't that worried about nations following Kennedy's advice, but they fear that he may sow more doubt in vaccines, eroding immunization rates in other parts of the globe.

Thimerosal plays an important role in safeguarding vaccines in much of the world, and peer-reviewed studies have found the preservative to be safe. Read more.

hhs

RFK Jr. ally joins the administration

Wellness entrepreneur Calley Means is joining HHS as a senior adviser on nutrition and food policy, an HHS spokesperson confirmed to Chelsea Cirruzzo.

Means, a close ally of Kennedy, recently finished a stint as a special government employee at the White House. In his previous role, Means was not required to divest from Truemed, his startup that allows people to use their HSA/FSAs savings to purchase items like cold plunge pools, supplements, and fitness equipment. In his new role, he will divest from Truemed.

Means has been a vocal supporter of Kennedy's push to get states to restrict SNAP recipients from using their benefits to purchase soda and junk food.

Means' sister, Casey, also a wellness influencer, is nominated for surgeon general, but her confirmation hearing was waylaid by her maternity leave.

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