The Friday Five for November 14, 2025:

• iPhone Pocket Brings Back… Pockets.


• CMS Rural Health Transformation Program


• Government Shutdown Update


• Most-Favored Nation Drug Pricing


• CMS GENEROUS Model

 

Get Connected:

🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!

📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

Phone Pocket Brings Back… Pockets.

Articles of Interest – More Pockets

Hart, Jordan. “Apple and Issey Miyake Design $230 Iphone Pocket Inspired by a ‘Piece of Cloth.’” Business Insider, Business Insider, www.businessinsider.com/apple-issey-miyake-design-iphone-pocket-2025-11. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Crossbody Strap – Sienna.” Apple, www.apple.com/shop/product/mggn4ll/a/crossbody-strap-sienna. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Cross, Greta. “Internet Conflicted over Apple’s $230 Iphone Pocket Case. See New Product.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/11/11/iphone-pocket-apple-phone-case/87214270007/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Introducing Iphone Pocket: A Beautiful Way to Wear and Carry iPhone.” Apple Newsroom, 12 Nov. 2025, www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/11/introducing-iphone-pocket-a-beautiful-way-to-wear-and-carry-iphone/.

Jewiss, Connor. “The Iphone Pocket Is the Apple Accessory You Never Saw Coming.” CNET, www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/the-iphone-pocket-is-the-apple-accessory-you-never-saw-coming/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Rural Health Transformation Program:

“All 50 States Seek to Transform Rural Health with CMS.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/all-50-states-seek-transform-rural-health-cms. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Muoio, Dave. “All 50 States Submit Applications for $50B Rural Health Transformation Program.” Fierce Healthcare, www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/cms-opens-state-applications-50b-rural-health-transformation-program. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

 

Government Shutdown Update:

Swenson, Ali. “An Emerging Shutdown Deal Doesn’t Extend Expiring Health Subsidies. Here’s What Could Happen to Them.” AP News, AP News, 10 Nov. 2025, www.apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf.

“Division A - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/continuing_appropriations_act_2026_bill_text.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Division B - Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/agfy26conf.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Division C - Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/lbfy26aconf.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Division D - Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/mcvafy26conf.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Federal Shutdown Deal Would Wipe out Hard-Won THC Consumables Market in Texas.” Dallas News, The Dallas Morning News, 12 Nov. 2025, www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/11/11/federal-shutdown-deal-would-wipe-out-hard-won-thc-consumables-market-in-texas/.

Caballero, Martín. “Senate Advances Hemp Ban amid Growing Prohibition Fears.” Brewbound, 11 Nov. 2025, www.brewbound.com/news/senate-advances-hemp-ban-amid-growing-prohibition-fears/.

Gringlas, Sam. “Senate Approves Shutdown Ending Legislation, Sending Bill to the House for a Vote.” NPR, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/11/10/g-s1-97245/senate-shutdown-vote.

Yarrow, Grace. “Senators Reject Paul’s Hemp Plans.” Politico, www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/11/10/congress/senators-reject-pauls-hemp-plans-00646064. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

“Speaker Johnson Won’t Guarantee Vote in House on ACA Subsidies.” ABC7 Los Angeles, 12 Nov. 2025, www.abc7.com/live-updates/government-shutdown-updates-house-speaker-mike-johnson-commits-vote-senate-funding-deal/18139514/entry/18140103/.

Usigan, Ysolt. “THC Ban Hidden in Government Spending Bill Could Shut down Delta-8 Market, so Stock up Now.” VICE, 12 Nov. 2025, www.vice.com/en/article/federal-thc-ban-on-hemp-products/.

Lalljee, Jason. “The Bill to Reopen the Government Would Shut down These THC Products.” AXIOS, www.axios.com/2025/11/12/government-shutdown-bill-thc-hemp-products. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

Tsirkin, Julie, and Frank Thorp V. “The Government Shutdown May Last Longer Because of a Fight over Hemp.” NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, 10 Nov. 2025, www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/government-shutdown-may-last-longer-fight-hemp-rcna243075.

Faguy, Ana. “Trump Signs Spending Bill to End Longest Shutdown in US History.” BBC News, BBC, 13 Nov. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/c891nvwvg2zo.

Stech, Katy, et al. “Trump Signs Funding Bill to End Longest US Government Shutdown.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Nov. 2025, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/12/house-bill-government-shutdown-vote.

Desjardins, Lisa. “What’s in the Senate Shutdown Deal.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 11 Nov. 2025, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whats-in-the-senate-shutdown-deal.

 

Most-Favored Nation Drug Pricing:

Krishnan, Manisha. “A Proposed Federal THC Ban Would ‘wipe out’ Hemp Products That Get People High.” Wired, 12 Nov. 2025, www.wired.com/story/proposed-federal-thc-ban-would-wipe-out-hemp-products-that-get-people-high/.

“AstraZeneca Announces Historic Agreement with US Government to Lower the Cost of Medicines for American Patients.” AstraZeneca, www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2025/astrazeneca-announces-historic-agreement-with-us-government-to-lower-the-cost-of-medicines-for-american-patients.html. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

Sagonowsky, Eric. “AstraZeneca CEO Visits White House to Formalize MFN Agreement with Trump.” Fierce Pharma, www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/art-deal-az-visit-white-house-formalize-mfn-agreement-trump-msnbc-reports. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

“Agent of Record.” Insuranceopedia, 14 Jan. 2025, <a href="http://ww