National – Government Shutdown Update:
The federal government entered a shutdown on October 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass a funding bill for the 2026 fiscal year. Key disagreements center on health care subsidies and broader spending priorities. As a result of this lapse in appropriations, approximately 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed, while another 700,000 are continuing to work without pay.- Federal agencies are scaling back operations, and some employees who were previously exempt are now facing furloughs. Service disruptions are expanding, including delays in air travel. Although federal employees historically received guaranteed back pay, recent guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) suggests congressional action may now be required to ensure it.
- Government shutdowns occur when Congress fails to agree on a budget or temporary funding measures. During a shutdown, non-essential discretionary federal programs close due to the lack of appropriated funds. The shutdown will end, and the government will fully reopen once Congress passes funding appropriations, which must then be signed into law by President Trump. Lawmakers also have the option to pass a temporary spending bill, known as a continuing resolution, to extend funding and allow more time for negotiations.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) updated its forecast for the cost of orphan drug exemptions under Medicare, estimating an increase of $3.9 billion over the next decade. The revision follows the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes provisions that delay or exempt certain drugs, such as Keytruda, Darzalex, and Opdivo, from Medicare price negotiations. The updated total cost is now projected at $8.8 billion, up from the previous estimate of $4.9 billion. To learn more, check out this POLITICO article.
A new analysis from RBC Capital Markets reveals a slowdown in FDA drug approvals during the third quarter of 2025. Approval rates fell to 73%, while rejections rose to 15% and review delays hit 11%. The slowdown is attributed to leadership turnover, staffing cuts, and the ongoing government shutdown. Despite recent gains in pharmaceutical indices, analysts warn that these disruptions may pose underappreciated risks to the sector’s momentum.
The White House enacted mass terminations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), citing the ongoing government shutdown. The cuts affected offices focused on injury prevention, chronic disease, and respiratory surveillance. By the following day, some of the firings were reversed due to job classification errors. Staff reinstated included those working on disease outbreaks and the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not released official figures, but sources indicate the CDC was disproportionately impacted.
The Senior Care Pharmacist published a study examining the viability of a new tool, the Assessment for the Appropriate Use of Opioids in Long Term Care. Conducted across six nursing homes, the study aimed to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness in guiding opioid prescribing practices for residents with dementia. Among the 137 residents with dementia, 24 (18%) were prescribed opioids. Of those, only 13% verbally reported experiencing pain, raising questions about documentation and assessment practices.
A new analysis by the Lown Institute revealed that unnecessary back surgeries for seniors cost Medicare nearly $2 billion between 2020 and 2022. The study found that hospitals performed over 200,000 avoidable spinal fusion, laminectomy, and vertebroplasty procedures on Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older. States with the highest rates of overuse included California, Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Check out McKnights article to learn more.
The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) released a Data Bulletin analyzing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among construction workers. The report shows that construction workers face a higher risk of MSDs than the general workforce due to physically demanding tasks and work environments. More than 33,000 cases resulted in days away from work in 2021–2022. The bulletin also highlights a strong association between MSDs and prescription opioid use, especially among part-time, overtime, and self-employed workers.
Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act (H.R. 5031) now has 13 cosponsors (6 Democrats and 7 Republicans). As a reminder, Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) bill proposes temporary supply fee payments to long-term care pharmacies under Medicare Part D for plan years 2026 and 2027. It mandates a $30 fee per eligible prescription in 2026, with an inflation-adjusted increase in 2027, and enforces compliance through civil penalties. The bill also provides federal subsidies to reimburse plan sponsors and requires a GAO study on the economic sustainability of long-term care pharmacies, with recommendations to ensure continued access, especially in rural areas.
Industry Watch: Healthcare News
Families like mine depend on their local pharmacy for medicine — and for survival
STAT 10 (October 27) - Pharmacy closures are a public health emergency in slow motion. As Walgreens plans to shutter 1,200 stores by 2027 and Rite Aid reels from bankruptcy, rural communities face a growing crisis: pharmacy deserts. Click here to read Guadalupe Hayes-Mota's story, highlighting how closures threaten access to essential medications, especially for vulnerable populations.
Pharmacy Community Stands Together to Protect Seniors and Prevent a Long-Term Care Crisis
SCPC (October 14) - The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), representing the nation’s long-term care pharmacies, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), representing pharmacists and pharmacies dedicated to managing medications for older adults and medically complex patients, and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), representing community pharmacists nationwide, stand united in support of immediate action—whether through legislation or administrative measures—to protect seniors’ access to the pharmacy care they depend on. The organizations strongly support the Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act (H.R. 5031) as a critical step toward that goal. To read the full press release, click here.
AstraZeneca strikes drug pricing deal with Trump
STAT10 (October 10) - President Trump on Friday said he struck a drug pricing deal with AstraZeneca aimed at fulfilling his plan to bring U.S. drug prices in line with what other countries pay, the second agreement after Pfizer’s last week. Similar to Pfizer’s deal, the British pharma company agreed to give the U.S. Medicaid program drug prices that are in line with what it offers other major developed countries and to launch new drugs at so-called most-favored nation prices. Read the full article here.
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