By Mary Clymer, SWHR Public Affairs Intern
As health care research continuously evolves with the current administration, robust conversations have emerged around future legislative priorities related to biomedical research, public health infrastructure, and women’s health initiatives. On June 12, the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) Policy Advisory Council members were joined by Caroline Tucker, health policy advisor for Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Vice Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee and Chairman of the Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, at their second meeting of the year.
Moderated by SWHR Chief Advocacy Officer Lindsey Miltenberger, MA, the conversation covered questions related to the priorities of Preventive Health and Wellness Caucus in the 119th Congress, chronic disease management, and the impact of the most recent Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Report that outlined policy strategies to combat childhood chronic disease in the United States.
Role of the Congressional Preventive Health and Wellness Caucus
Launched by Rep. Buchanan and Rep. Gwen Moore, (D-WI), the bipartisan Preventative Health and Wellness Caucus, works to bring awareness to the growing obesity epidemic and foster an open dialogue about policy-based solutions for emerging public and chronic health challenges related to obesity.
According to Tucker, the Caucus is open to feedback on its 2025 programming, including chronic disease-focused briefings and roundtables, and encourages stakeholders to submit ideas. Specific topics of interest to the Caucus involve exploring efforts to utilize health data to improve general wellness; providing continued education around health disparities and preventive care; exploring the benefits of using AI technology in health while protecting patients’ privacy; and leveraging health data to improve wellness and bring down health care costs for all Americans.
The Importance of Early Prevention for Chronic Diseases
A primary concern discussed during the meeting was the way the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health is navigating recent cuts to medical research while still improving chronic disease management and early intervention.
Tucker emphasized the importance of creating more innovative Medicare payment models and programs to fund essential screening and preventive treatment options. She also highlighted how elevating pathways for care, such as in-home care, can expand access for people with chronic diseases. Additionally, Tucker expressed the importance of building stronger patient-provider relationships in preventive care. Tucker shared that Rep. Buchanan introduced the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act to expand chronic disease treatment through employer-sponsored health care coverage.
Insights on the MAHA Report
In discussing the recently published MAHA Report, Tucker noted that MAHA is a move toward improving overall wellness by creating a healthier food supply, preventing chronic diseases, and providing essential educational resources. While the MAHA Report did not directly address Medicare, Tucker noted that Chairman Buchanan is seeking insights into how efforts like the Food is Medicine initiative—which are relevant to the MAHA Commission’s work—could be tied into the Medicare program to improve overall health for the Medicare population. Additionally, she encouraged health care organizations and groups to communicate with Rep. Buchanan’s office or the MAHA Caucus if their priorities are relevant to MAHA goals and could broaden the scope of the work beyond children’s health. According to Tucker, Rep. Buchanan’s office is focused on having an “MAHA health summer” focused on both aggressive and innovative ideas to encourage legislative action around wellness and preventive care.
Turning Vision into Impact
Tucker left the SWHR Policy Advisory Council members with valuable insight into legislators’ understanding of upstream health strategies when it comes to creating a more sustainable health care system. By advocating for Medicare funding, biomedical research, and equal access to care, conversations such as these can pave the way for more meaningful change.
SWHR will continue to monitor how congressional leaders are thinking about issues such as health research funding, workforce capacity, and the integration of women-focused priorities into broader health research and innovation strategies.