The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule (press release; fact sheet; MSSP fact sheet; which addresses an array of policies under Medicare Part B and the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) Quality Payment Program (QPP). What it is. CMS’ major proposed rule affects payments to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and… (Testa, October 31, 2025) #Care Coordination, #Delivery Reform, #Demonstration Programs, #Drug Pricing, #Mental and Behavioral Health, #Physicians, #Primary Care, #Quality, #Telehealth

Today, two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration’s suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown was unlawful, issuing separate but related orders that will determine benefits for millions of Americans over the next month.  Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins: In this case, brought by a coalition of cities and private… (Eisen, McClurg, October 31, 2025) #Social Determinants of Health

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Specialty Focus Facility (SFF) program, designed to improve care in the nation’s poorest-performing nursing homes, has not led to lasting improvements in quality or compliance. In a report, OIG determined that most nursing homes graduating from… (Eisen, October 29, 2025) #Long-Term Care

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing to discuss the future of biotechnology and the steps needed to maintain U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation. The hearing focused on ensuring continued innovation and increased competitiveness in the American biotechnology space, while also maintaining high standards for safety and affordability. Witnesses and members discussed and widely agreed on… (Ray, October 30, 2025) #Drug Pricing, #Food and Drug Administration, #Pharmacy Benefit Managers, #Prescription Drugs

An October 22 letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a range of Senate committees including the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) indicates that pregnant women are being neglected in ICE detention in violation of federal directives to protect pregnant, postpartum and nursing persons.   The letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Immigration Project, Robert F. Kennedy… (Joyce, October 29, 2025) #Health Equity, #Immigration, #Women’s Health

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new draft guidance to accelerate development of biosimilars by addressing the necessity of comparative efficacy studies (press release, fact sheet). This action is pursuant to President Trump’s executive order titled Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First. Additional details follow. Current State of Biosimilars – In the fact sheet, HHS details… (Slifer, October 29, 2025) #Biosimilars, #Food and Drug Administration, #Prescription Drugs

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an interpretive rule reaffirming that the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) generally preempts state laws that address broad areas of credit reporting, consistent with Congress’s intent to establish uniform national standards. The new interpretation replaces and formally withdraws a July 2022 interpretive rule that had taken a narrower view of FCRA preemption, which… (Colocho, October 28, 2025) #Costs, #Health Equity

A group of 28 Democratic senators led by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter calling on the Administration to immediately open “window shopping” ahead of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace open enrollment. Typically, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) opens window shopping on October 25th or 26th the week… (McClurg, October 27, 2025) #Affordable Care Act, #Costs, #Health Insurance Exchanges

The Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing to discuss shoppable services and their effects on healthcare costs and outcomes. The hearing focused on ways that price transparency increases consumer choice and therefore introduces competition into the healthcare market. Across the board, members argued that a free-market model would lead to lower costs and higher quality care, especially for older… (Marceno, October 25, 2025) #Costs, #Pharmacy Benefit Managers, #Prescription Drugs, #Transparency

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) circulated a memorandum obtained by reporters saying that it cannot use contingency funds to pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in November and it cannot reimburse states that choose to make up the funding gap. About 42 million people nationwide currently rely on SNAP. Earlier this month, USDA directed states not to… (McClurg, October 24, 2025) #Nutrition