Billy Wynne

FTC Announces New HSR Thresholds and Filing Fees for 2025; Effective February 10 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced updated jurisdictional thresholds and a revised filing fee schedule for reporting transactions under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act, effective February 10, 2025 (press release). Under the Clayton Act, the FTC is required to adjust HSR thresholds…

Agency Finalizes Reforms to ACA Marketplace for 2026: Higher User Fees, Safeguards Against Fraud, Simplified Plan Choice, and More The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2026 final rule (fact sheet) – a wide-ranging rule affecting Marketplaces, qualified health plans in the individual and…

CY 2026 MA and Part D Advance Notice Proposes to Increase Payments to Plans by 4.33 Percent and Continues Part D Redesign Implementation; Comments Due February 10th The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Contract Year (CY) 2026 for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and…

Senate Budget Committee Releases Bipartisan Report on Harmful Effects of Private Equity in Health Care The Senate Budget Committee released a bipartisan report detailing the findings of its investigation into the harmful effects of private equity (PE) investment on the U.S. health care system (press release). The investigation was led by Senate Budget Committee Chairman…

CMS and ASPE Release Data on Health Insurance Coverage Gains Amid Concerns Over an Upcoming Trump-Vance Administration The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) have released new updates and analyses on health insurance coverage ahead of the end of the Marketplace Open…

Office for Civil Rights Proposes Changes to HIPAA Security Rule; Comments Due March 7 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), issued a proposed rule to update the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule, marking its first update since 2013 (fact sheet). The proposed…

Agency Announces 14 States and DC Receive Next Round of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Planning Grants The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that 14 states and the District of Columbia have received Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) Planning grants. The purpose…

Innovation Center Announces 15 States Selected to Participate in the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model Today, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced fifteen state Medicaid agencies (SMAs) have been selected for the Transforming Maternal Health Model (IHPP Model Summary; IHPP NOFO Summary). The model began on January 1, 2025 and will run for ten years.…

Cures 2.1 White Paper Released On December 24, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Larry Bucshon (R-IN) released a white paper (summary/press release) titled “A Roadmap for 21st Century Cures,” a document that provides an overview of the next steps for the Cures 2.0 Act and the 21st Century Cures Act. This white paper follows a…

Nominations for U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Due March 15 The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) issued a request for nominations to serve as members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF is an independent group of medical experts that evaluates and makes evidence-based recommendations on preventive health care services like…