Jen Laws - Policy Candy

As the saying goes, some professional news: I am extremely honored to accept the position of President & CEO of Community Access National Network. Learn more about our work at tiicann.org & review our acclaimed HIV/HCV Co-infection Watch at HIV-HCV-Watch.com

WHEW! That was fast.

@DrBruggeman I don't see how this is ANY different from the profit making of the commercial or MA sectors.

@DrBruggeman These health conditions as infectious diseases require highly personalized care for effective management and keeping people OUT of the hospital. But states are willing to risk that exceptional cost in favor of imposing UM for MDRP negotiation.

The absolute scandal no one is talking about is how state Medicaid programs are doing this - adjusting benefit design and PDLs to extract (read extort) supplemental rebates at the cost of clinically appropriate care by way of admin barriers. ->

On National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day PUTT stands w/patients in the fight for better access to HIV prevention, testing & treatment. Pharmacies play a critical role in HIV prevention & care. To learn more #AskYourPharmacist #NNHAAD #HIVAwareness @AIDSHealthcare @TIICANN

This is an important issue - states considering banning fluoride must factor in to their budget more Medicaid costs for the increase in cavities that kids will have. And this at a time when states have to absorb nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts from the feds.

U.S. nursing homes are fabricating schizophrenia diagnoses to hide their use of dangerous antipsychotic drugs to subdue dementia patients, a government watchdog report found. The drugs increase risk of falls, strokes and death. wapo.st/4tfSUsr

Join us for this free Florida Statewide Virtual Convening! TOMORROW, March 20, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (ET) Clear guidance on navigating Florida’s Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to ensure clients maintain access to critical health coverage tinyurl.com/NavigateFLSEP

Oregon Rep. Bentz discusses the nursing shortage and asks for solutions. Dr. DiGiorgio says that consolidation, the regulations that bind providers to data entry instead of at bedside, and monopolization are factors to the shortage. Perhaps if #340B savings were reinvested back into patient care as intended, that would leave more financial room to adequately pay and retain nurses.

Independent practices are closing and consolidating because of misaligned reimbursement and physician FFS practices. Rep. Bilirakis asks Dr. DiGiorgio about the loss of independent practices, who says that #340B program abuse is among the top two reasons this is happening. Witness R. Shawn Martin speaks on behalf of community health centers, which are also impacted by the unpredictable nature of reimbursements. Physicians tend to leave rural communities and seek opportunities elsewhere because of consolidation.

To rep. Harshbarger's point - abuse of 340B is pretty rampant. ->

@TIICANN @HouseCommerce Vertical integration, as mentioned by witness @DrDiGiorgio, Neurosurgeon @UCSFHospitals, is nothing more than legalized self-dealing. She shares there is little evidence that consolidation improves costs,

THREAD 🧵: The @HouseCommerce Health Subcommittee just kicked off its third meeting on health care affordability, this time focusing on hospitals and large health care systems. Follow along with us as we provide real-time analysis and commentary.

Patients w/ liver and other chronic illnesses, face high costs driven by specialists & expensive Rx. Hospitals are supposed to make sure patients receive charity care from the massive discounts they receive from #340B, but evidence shows they are not. @HouseCommerce patients are counting on you in tomorrow’s hearing. magnoliamarketaccess.com/wp-content/upl…

Thank you to @HouseCommerce and Chairman @RepGuthrie for examining the role that hospitals play in driving up health care costs for patients. We urge you to consider the patient perspective during tomorrow’s hearing. More evidence continues to come out about outsized hospital spending within #340B. kff.org/health-costs/h…

@samkarlin The Spartacus moment of our time.

all time great way to give a no comment

#HealthcareCosts top household budget concerns—above food, rent, and utilities. @KFF and Center staff identify the 8 trends shaping healthcare spending in 2026. Read more: hubs.ly/Q0478tcm0 #AffordableHealthcare @emmawage @matthew_t_rae

This piece by @blackdoctor_org makes a great point: reforms are not rollbacks. Millions of underserved patients rely on #340B to access affordable health care. They deserve to know how the program is operating to adhere to health equity standards. That means finances flowing through the system need to be reinvested back into patients instead of filling the coffers of large entities. Read more >> blackdoctor.org/340b-reform-is…