As the new administration headed up by President Donald Trump gets underway, work has begun on his vision for a fundamental transformation of the federal government, including some aspects of the healthcare delivery system.
While the specialty will continue to engage in specific policy debates in the coming months and years, it is important to think about them in the context of this administration’s broader plans for the healthcare system.
Here are a few trends to watch when it comes to the healthcare players and policy goals of this new administration in Washington D.C.
First and foremost, the specialty should be focused on changes at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). At the time of going to press, the Senate appeared likely to confirm Dr. Mehmet Oz as the administrator of CMS.
During his campaign for Senate in 2022, Oz championed Medicare Advantage and has spent time since then promoting the plan and recommending it to his social media followers.
Given this historical perspective and the Trump administration’s desire to run the government more in the guise of a business, it is likely that Oz will seek policies that allow CMS to operate more like a profit-seeking business rather than a service.
Additional spending reduction targets in this administration’s agenda come from other agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), namely the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Any reductions in these areas, especially as they relate to research, could have drastic impacts across the healthcare community. The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) is monitoring these developments closely and engaging with other health-related organizations to ensure a collaborative approach for interfacing with administration officials.
This maximalist strategy of taking a sledgehammer to agencies’ spending raises the topic of Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk’s quasi-governmental department is attempting to usurp Congress’s power of the purse and adds an additional layer of complexity in the realm of budget negotiations, especially for the remainder of this year.
We anticipate a high level of continued judicial review for additional forthcoming executive orders, as well as DOGE-related activities.
While these unprecedented actions can be dispiriting for us as advocates in the vascular health space, it is important to take on policy fights one at a time and tailor our methods to reflect this new normal.
Some battles will require us to reach out to Congress; some will require us to build public support to pressure the executive branch; and some will require us to do both. This nimble, multi-pronged approach will increase our chances of success on issues that matter to you and your patients.
The SVS is ready to empower our doctors on all of these fronts. We will continue to work with you and advocate in Congress on issues such as Medicare reimbursement, while also working with you on the public affairs side to build support for our practice in the realm of debates around issues like public health spending.
Dylan Lopez is the SVS advocacy and public affairs manager.
