Weekly Healthcare Policy Round-Up

In this week’s Health Policy Round-Up, ALF shares the most up to date news happening in Washington DC.

• On September 9^th, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies fiscal year 2026 spending bill which eliminates funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). American Liver Foundation’s CEO sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee expressing strong concern over the agency’s potential elimination and stressing the harmful effect this could have on the first-ever national study to assess the prevalence of MASLD (formerly called NAFLD) currently underway at AHRQ. This ongoing study will assess the prevalence of MASLD in the United States, the costs associated with diagnosis with MASLD, including the costs to government programs, the costs and impact on patients and the healthcare system if MASLD is not addressed and progresses. American Liver Foundation will continue to closely monitor the situation with AHRQ and any potential effect this will have on the MASLD study.

• The House Appropriations Committee commends the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for seeking input on how best to address the need to prioritize early detection, screening, and prevention sciences for primary liver cancer. Primary liver cancer has a dismal five year survival rate of only 22 percent, is the third most common cause of cancer death in the U.S., and unlike most cancers, the rate of liver cancer mortality continues to increase. Therefore, the Committee urges NCI to use submitted expert feedback to inform a national agenda for early detection, screening, and prevention of primary pancreatic and liver cancers. The Committee requests an update on this effort in 2027. ALF strongly supports the efforts for enhanced screening and prevention of primary liver cancer. ALF will continue to monitor this work and its effect on patients.