Trump 2.0: What to expect in healthcare and tech policy 

Major changes are coming to healthcare and technology policy following the 2024 election. A recent policy webinar hosted by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) offered valuable insights into what lies ahead, with expert analysis from Chelsea Arnone, Director of Federal Affairs, and Cassie Ballard, Director of Congressional Affairs.

New healthcare leadership: Unexpected choices

If you’ve been following healthcare policy, Trump’s picks for key health positions might raise your eyebrows. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is slated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. It’s an interesting choice, to say the least. Kennedy’s been vocal about wanting to “make America healthy again,” focusing on chronic disease prevention and processed foods. But here’s what’s fascinating: his regulatory approach might not align with the traditional Republican deregulation playbook.

“Kennedy is arguably a controversial pick to lead HHS,” noted Arnone. “His focus has been on chronic disease prevention, obesity, and processed foods. However, his ideas don’t quite mesh with the deregulation that the administration is likely to take upon.”

Meanwhile, for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we’re looking at Dr. Mehmet Oz taking the helm. “He’s very pro-Medicare Advantage and has backed permanent telehealth,” Arnone explained. “His investments in numerous digital health companies suggest he could seek to boost AI, remote patient monitoring, wearables and digital therapeutics.”

A new department that’s not really a department

Here’s something unprecedented: Trump has announced a “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. But here’s the catch – it’s not actually a federal department. This task force comes with ambitious goals but unclear authority, proposing massive cost-cutting, regulation reduction, and federal workforce changes. Success will largely depend on congressional support for any major changes.

The administration will operate with Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress – 53-47 in the Senate and 218-212 in the House. This partisan alignment could accelerate implementation of Trump’s healthcare agenda, though the margins remain slim.

Key health policy priorities expected under Trump 2.0 include:

– Rolling back Biden-era regulations, like Biden’s AI executive order

– Healthcare reform: Changes to the Affordable Care Act, particularly regarding expiring insurance subsidies

– Efforts to repeal or modify Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which includes regulation that “provide meaningful financial relief for millions of people with Medicare”

Industry stakeholders are watching closely as December 31st marks the expiration of key telehealth flexibilities established during COVID-19. CHIME is leading an advocacy effort urging Congress to extend these policies for two years.

“The next few months will be critical as we transition between administrations,” said Ballard. “Healthcare organizations should stay engaged with policy developments and consider joining advocacy efforts to shape the direction of health IT regulation.”