The Democratic Women’s Caucus, a coalition of 96 lawmakers, advocates for women’s economic prosperity, healthcare access and safety.

In this week’s episode of "Podnosis," Fierce Healthcare staff writer Emma Beavins speaks with Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and Rep. Kelly Morrison of Minnesota about their policy agenda, including the impact of Medicaid cuts, the fight for abortion and birth control access, and efforts to work with Republicans on healthcare reform.

To learn more about the topics in this episode:

• Fighting maternal and infant health inequities
• UnitedHealth report: Disparities persist in maternal, infant health
• Most states saw hospital obstetric service shutdowns from 2010-2022, with rural states hit hardest
• Gates Foundation invests $2.5B to spark women's health innovations
• The business case for investing in women’s health
• CMS selects states for Medicaid maternal health model
• Maternal mental health in the spotlight

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Lawmakers are turning up the heat on pharmacy benefit managers, with more than 1,500 bills introduced this year targeting drug costs, utilization rules and pharmacy networks. In the latest episode of Podnosis, Wes Hill, senior director at RxBenefits, said rising drug prices and pressure from constituents are driving the surge. While federal movement has been limited, states are advancing legislation at a rapid pace, creating new compliance challenges for PBMs and plan sponsors.

Hill said employers—who shoulder much of the cost of pharmacy benefits—need to make their voices heard. By tracking legislation, assessing its impact and working with advisors, they can help shape reforms and protect their health plans. To hear more about the legal battles and what’s ahead for PBMs, listen to the full Podnosis episode.

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Medication nonadherence is not new, but it remains a persistent, complex problem. Adherence rates hover near 50%—roughly the same as two decades ago—as companies explore new ways to engage patients and help them stick to treatment regimens.

AdhereHealth combines technology with care navigators to identify at-risk patients and help them consistently access their prescriptions.

In this episode of "Podnosis," Fierce Healthcare Senior Writer Anastassia Gliadkovskaya speaks with Chandra Y. Osborn, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief experience officer at AdhereHealth, about how the company takes on risk to drive outcomes and why it keeps a human in the loop.

To learn more about the topics in this episode:

• Healthcare 'flying blind': Medication nonadherence and how remote therapeutic monitoring can help
• Out-of-pocket spending on prescriptions grew even after accounting for rebates: study
• PatchRx to integrate medication adherence data with virtual care platforms
• Scriptology acquires RxLive to build out its tech stack

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