CMS targets Medicaid eligibility in new crackdown; Trump administration weighs cannabis rescheduling; consumer data reshapes HCP engagement – Morning Medical Update

CMS targets Medicaid eligibility in new crackdown

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a nationwide effort to remove ineligible Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, tightening verification of citizenship and immigration status through federal databases. States will now receive monthly reports flagging individuals whose status cannot be confirmed, with instructions to verify or terminate coverage as needed. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the move protects taxpayer dollars, while CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, M.D., emphasized that benefits must be “strictly reserved for those eligible under the law.”

Trump administration weighs cannabis rescheduling

President Donald Trump said his administration is considering reclassifying cannabis, with a decision expected in the coming weeks. Rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III could bring tax relief to licensed businesses by removing 280E restrictions, though federal oversight and interstate commerce barriers would remain. Industry leaders say the shift would modernize research rules and expand treatment options, while urging operators to prepare for stricter compliance under a federal framework. Cannabis Science and Technology has more.

Consumer data reshapes HCP engagement

The old sales-rep model is giving way to digital-first outreach, but health care marketers still risk treating providers as little more than prescribing profiles. A new push argues that true engagement means viewing HCPs as whole people — parents, gamers, podcast listeners — whose personal habits and values shape how they consume information. By linking professional identifiers with consumer-level insights, marketers can personalize outreach, reach providers on the platforms they actually use, and build deeper trust that may ultimately improve patient care.