This month, Congress will need to pass a funding bill to avoid an Oct. 1 government shutdown after the end of the 2024 fiscal year.
Here are four policy issues to watch:
1. HHS fiscal 2025 budget
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted Aug. 1 to approve legislation that would provide $122.8 billion for HHS.
This includes a $21.3 million increase toward rural health programs and $1.4 billion for healthcare workforce development, according to the American Hospital Association.
The House Appropriations Committee approved its version on July 10.
2. Title X ruling
The Supreme Court decided Sept. 3 to not allow Oklahoma to take back millions in "federal family planning grants" that the Biden administration rescinded. This was due to Oklahoma's refusal to provide abortion information to patients requesting it, Politico reported.
3. Organ transplant reform
The American Institutes for Research will elect a new board of directors, nearly one year after President Biden signed into law the ability for different entities to oversee certain aspects of the U.S. transplant system, rather than awarding a single contractor, according to a Sept. 3 newsletter from Politico.
4. Medicare Part D
Medicare plans will soon send notice of annual changes to beneficiaries, including information on deductibles, premiums and copays, Politico reported in the newsletter.