WASHINGTON — A new cadre of lawmakers will wield power and influence over health policy as Republicans begin to take control of the Senate in January.

The GOP will have at least 51 seats in the House next year after defeating Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio and winning the West Virginia seat left vacant by Joe Manchin. Republicans also fended off rivals in states such as Nebraska and Texas.

Republican lawmakers will chair the plum committees, which have the authority to schedule hearings, draft legislation, conduct investigations and vote on subpoenas. Their offices will also have more staff and resources to bring their vision to life.

With the Senate under Democratic control for the past four years, newly empowered committee chairmen will have a bigger platform to advance policy initiatives.

Republicans’ victory in the Senate also makes the race to replace Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) more important; because the leader of the party group will determine which law will be voted on in the Senate and will be more effective. Negotiating partner with the House of Representatives and the White House on key legislation.

Congress will face some problems major health problems next yearIncluding deciding whether to renew Affordable Care Act premium benefits that expire at the end of 2025.

STAT has named six lawmakers who will wield influence on health care when Republicans take power in early January.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)

Cassidy is the heir apparent to lead the Senate health committee, the panel’s top Republican this Congress.

Cassidy has expressed interest in reforming public health agencies, including the NIH and CDC, which the health committee would oversee under his authority.

As president, Cassidy will also oversee the new administration’s confirmation process for the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, the director of the National Institutes of Health and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This administration will see the first CDC director confirmed by the Senate due to the mandate recently added to pandemic preparedness legislation.

Cassidy has an interest in drug pricing issues, particularly how drugs are paid for. expensive gene therapies. He also started a study Medicare hospital payment reform He proposed with Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to equalize payment between hospital outpatient departments and physician offices for the same services.

Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)

It will finally be Crapo’s time to shine, having served as second fiddle on the Senate Finance Committee for four years. As a tax lawyer, Trump will be a key player on issues surrounding the expiration of tax cuts next year and the expiration of Affordable Care Act premium subsidies.

During his time with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Crapo showed that the two could negotiate major bipartisan health care packages like the committee’s. heavy pharmacy benefit manager reform legislation in this Congress.

Senator John Thune (RS.D.)

Thune, the current Senate minority whip, is poised for a promotion after McConnell retired as the conference’s second-in-command and announced his intention to run for Senate majority leader. Thune sits on the Senate Finance Committee and has made several efforts to create bipartisan health care legislation this Congress.

Over the past two years, it has undertaken efforts to streamline prior authorization. joined a study group collaborating to develop draft legislation to reform payments to physicians and the 340B drug rebate program. These efforts may signal which health issues will be most important for him or her moving forward.

Thune represents South Dakota, so we expect rural health care and supporting rural hospitals to be top issues for her.

Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas)

The other John running for the top spot in the Republican Senate conference is Cornyn, who has experience manipulating GOP vote counts and has a sophisticated interest in patent reform in the pharmaceutical industry.

Cornyn serves on the Finance and Judiciary Committees, which have been involved in drug pricing discussions in recent years. Cornyn led a drug patent reform bill aimed at reducing the backlog of patents drugmakers use to keep generic drugs off the market, and the legislation passed the Senate unanimously earlier this year. significantly diluted from its original form.

Because Cornyn is from a border state addressing the opioid crisis By supporting policies to decriminalize fentanyl test strips and stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)

Although he is unfit to lead a health committee, Marshall has proven willing to be an independent thinker and bipartisan dealmaker.

A prime example of his open-mindedness and interest in health care was his partnership with Senate health committee chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on legislation. to better fund primary care.. Although this specific legislation has not progressed, it has certainly raised some eyebrows.

As an obstetrician, he also has credibility with the Senate GOP on health issues. The title on his website lists his name as “Doc Marshall”. It also partnered with Thune, whose star is on the rise, on legislation. Simplify pre-authorization processes.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)

Blackburn is another senator willing to forge unlikely partnerships to advance health priorities.

During discussions regarding pharmacy benefits manager policy, introduced legislation It would regulate the fees PBMs can charge drug companies, and he has called for it in partnership with Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Increased scrutiny of Medicare Advantage plans.

He hails from Tennessee, a state with a significant healthcare presence in for-profit hospital giant HCA Healthcare.