Physician pay, HHS leadership, maternal health: a Senate roundup

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The Senate could take up legislation that would counter the 2025 cut to doctors’ pay in this year’s Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Meanwhile, the Senate this week considered the nomination of a new deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Maternal health also could be improved through legislative support for pregnancy programs.

Physician pay

Sen. Roger "Doc" Marshall, MD (R-Kansas)

Sen. Roger “Doc” Marshall, MD (R-Kansas), introduced S. 1640, tentatively titled the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025.

The two-page bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee. Much of its language deals with code sections of the Social Security Act, but it appears to legislate an 8.51% increase for services furnished on or after June 1 to Jan. 1, 2026.

That is “a prorated reversal of the 2.83% cut physician practices have endured since the beginning of 2025 as well as an inflation-based update,” said Anders Gilberg, senior vice president of government affairs for the Medical Group Management Association.

“MGMA strongly supports this important legislation and appreciates Sen. Marshall’s leadership in the Senate on behalf of physician group practices,” he said in a post on social networking site LinkedIn.

Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-North Carolina)

It appeared the bill had the same intent as legislation already pending in the U.S. House of Representatives. Earlier this year, Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-North Carolina) introduced similar legislation in the House, with bipartisan support.

As for Marshall’s bill, Congress.gov also lists the legislation’s working title as A Bill to Amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to Increase Support for Physicians and Other Practitioners in Adjusting to Medicare Payment Changes.

HHS nominees get hearings

James "Jim" O'Neill, MA, testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee on May 8, 2025. This image was taken from the hearing video published by Forbes on YouTube.

The Senate this week also held hearings on the nominations of two leaders for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Republicans and Democrats split over their qualifications and suitability to lead HHS, and over the direction, goals and measures of President Donald J. Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.

The Senate Committees on Finance and Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) held separate hearings about the nomination of James “Jim” O’Neill, MA, to serve as HHS deputy secretary.

O’Neill opened his hearings with similar statements to the respective committee members. He referred to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

“Sadly, America’s health is in crisis,” O’Neill said in testimony. “Three quarters of Americans are overweight or obese, leading to chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and over time, heart attacks and kidney failure. Diabetes alone costs us $400 billion every year, and it has exploded in prevalence tenfold since 1960. Fentanyl ravages our cities and our countryside. Addiction and mental health are urgent unsolved problems. Since 2000, suicide has increased by 37%. Medicare hospital insurance is headed toward insolvency. Families struggle to afford individual insurance. We spend $4.1 trillion on health care — double the OECD average — yet our life expectancy is actually shorter than it was in 2010. These aren’t just numbers; they’re a call to action. Overall, what we’ve been doing is just not working.”

O’Neill drew praise from HELP Committee Chair Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-Louisiana) and Finance Committee Chair Sen. Mike Crapo.

Cassidy also cited the health problems ailing America.

“The American people want solutions that make their lives easier. They want results, not excuses,” Cassidy said. “President Trump, working with Secretary Kennedy, has laid out a bold vision to make health care more affordable and to Make America Healthy Again. To do this, he needs officials with the expertise and vision to carry out his agenda, while also increasing transparency, restoring trust, and ensuring that science, not politics, drives decision-making. That is why this nomination is so important.”

Senate Finance Committee Ranking member Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) claimed the tenure so far of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “has been nothing short of a disaster.” His official testimony recounted the chronic and current health woes, including the current measles outbreak, and argued Kennedy has done nothing to help.

“Unfortunately, Mr. O’Neill, who has been nominated to serve as Mr. Kennedy’s right hand man, has been cheering him on every step of the way, including as recently as last week when he told my staff that he thought Robert Kennedy was doing a ‘good’ job on addressing the measles outbreak,” Wyden said.

Legislative liaison

Wyden also criticized Gary Andres, PhD, the president’s nominee for assistant secretary for legislation. Andres, current Republican staff director of the House Budget Committee, was part of the Senate Finance Committee hearing.

“In his current role, Mr. Andres released House Republicans’ wishlist of more than $2 trillion in proposed Medicaid cuts and hundreds of billions more from programs that help families afford food, energy bills, and child care,” Wyden said. “Mr. Andres should also answer for this anti-family grab-bag of cuts targeting our country’s most vulnerable citizens.”

In his testimony, Andres said he hopes to build a bridge between Congress and the White House.

“I’m also passionate about health care reform and eagerly anticipate working on an agenda to Make America Healthy Again,” Andres said. “Much of Washington’s debate centers on what I term the supply side of health care — tracking the number of providers, coverage levels, and health care spending. These metrics matter and warrant attention.

“Equally critical, however, is the demand side of health care,” his official statement said. “We must prioritize keeping people healthy, emphasizing preventative care and screenings, reducing chronic illness, and taking proactive steps to foster wellness. If confirmed, I would pursue these objectives with enthusiasm and vigor.”

A bill for mothers

Marshall, who made his career as an obstetrician-gynecologist, also was a leading co-sponsor of the bill, the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act. His legislative summary said the bill “would improve access to critical resources during the toughest phases of motherhood, including the prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood development stages.”

In 2023, the number of U.S. births was the lowest since 1979, and the total fertility rate in America hit an all-time low. Last year, fertility and birth rates remained near record lows, reflecting a continued, concerning trend in America, according to Marshall’s office.

“As a former OB-GYN who spent over 25 years caring for thousands of women and delivering over 5,000 babies, I understand firsthand the importance of supporting mothers throughout their pregnancy and into motherhood,” Marshall said in a news release. “The MOMS Act is critical legislation to ensure we are providing countless women in America the resources they need.”

Co-sponsors include Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri).