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Federal Health Policy Update for March 5

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 27-March 6. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a full committee markup of nine bills addressing cybersecurity and digital safety. See that list here. Also on Thursday, the Senate HELP Committee conducted a hearing titled “Transforming Health Care with Data: Improving Patient Outcomes Through Next-Generation Care.” Find video of the hearing here. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) expressed interest in passing another reconciliation bill this year that would include policies addressing [...]

sysadmin2026-03-06T15:58:46-05:00March 6, 2026|ACO, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Medicaid, Medicaid regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 26

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 20-26. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Both chambers of Congress are in session this week and next. The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that began on February 23 continues. The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing titled “Advancing the Next Generation of America’s Health Care Workforce” to examine the shortage of resident physicians and explore ways to strengthen rural health care providers and Graduate Medical Education (GME). Watch the hearing and review the witness testimony here. Centers for Medicare & [...]

joe2026-02-26T15:43:01-05:00February 26, 2026|340b, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 19

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 13-19. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Congress is not in session this week and will return on Monday, February 23. The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing titled “Next Generation of Health Care Workforce” on Tuesday, February 24. View a livestream of the hearing here. The Courts A federal court has vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) 2024 overhaul of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger Notification Rule. That rule expanded disclosure requirements, requiring filings for transactions valued [...]

joe2026-02-19T15:40:16-05:00February 19, 2026|340b, Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 12

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 6-12. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House announced the launch of TrumpRx, a service that will enable consumers to purchase a limited number of discounted prescription drugs directly from the manufacturers of those drugs and in some cases from pharmacies without the benefit of health or prescription drug insurance. Learn more about TrumpRx and its launch from this White House announcement, an accompanying fact sheet, and the TrumpRx web site. Congress Following passage of [...]

joe2026-02-12T16:12:39-05:00February 12, 2026|340b, Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 5

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 30 through February 5. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress On Tuesday Congress passed, and the president immediately signed, a package of appropriations bills that, among other government operations, funded the Department of Health and Human Services for the rest of federal FY 2026. Major provisions include: The extension of telehealth flexibilities through the end of 2027. The elimination of $8 billion cuts in Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH) allotments to the states for both FY 2026 and FY [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for January 29

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 23-29. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The Senate today failed to advance a package of the remaining six FY 2026 appropriations bills, including funding for the Department of Health and Human Services. Democratic senators continue negotiating with the White House on how to proceed with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, including the possibility of separating the DHS bill from the broader appropriations package and making targeted amendments to that measure. The Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies bill, [...]

joe2026-02-02T08:58:43-05:00January 29, 2026|Affordable Care Act, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for January 15

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 9-15. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House has unveiled “The Great Healthcare Plan,” which it describes as “… a broad healthcare initiative that will slash prescription drug prices, reduce insurance premiums, hold big insurance companies accountable, and maximize price transparency in the American healthcare system.” The major components of the plan, and the key steps for each, are: lower drug prices slash prescription drug prices allow more over-the-counter medicines lower insurance premiums send the [...]

joe2026-01-15T16:13:09-05:00January 15, 2026|340b, Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare|

Federal Health Policy Update for January 8

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 29 to January 8. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Congress returned from winter recess facing a full policy agenda and health care issues remain prominent. Following the expiration of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits, the House is expected to vote on a three-year clean extension brought by a discharge petition from Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY). The Senate is unlikely to advance the measure but a bipartisan group of senators is developing an alternative: [...]

joe2026-01-08T15:32:32-05:00January 8, 2026|340b, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for December 18

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 12-18. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress In a 216-211 vote yesterday, the House passed the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, a Republican package aimed at addressing multiple health care policies. The legislation includes provisions for employee tax-advantaged benefits like HSAs and FSAs, cost-sharing reductions (CSR) subsidies, and increased transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). It notably did not include an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that many of the [...]

joe2025-12-18T16:29:43-05:00December 18, 2025|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for December 4

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for November 21 through December 4. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Congress is back in session to discuss the Affordable Care Act tax credits set to end on December 31and other extenders that will expire on January 30, 2026 along with the latest continuing resolution (CR). Members continue to negotiate potential solutions to the expiring enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies but there is no consensus on whether or how to address the expiring benefit. Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) [...]

joe2025-12-04T15:05:28-05:00December 4, 2025|340b, Affordable Care Act, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, health equity, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|