The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a reorganization of its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), restructuring the office into three distinct divisions focused on Conscience and Religious Freedom, Civil Rights, and Health Information Privacy, Data, and Cybersecurity. HHS says the changes are intended to strengthen enforcement of conscience protections, religious liberty, civil rights laws, and health information… (Colocho, May 19, 2026) #Privacy, #Public Health, #Workforce

President Trump announced a major expansion of TrumpRx.gov, the Administration’s direct-to-consumer prescription drug pricing platform, significantly broadening the program beyond its initial launch focused on high-cost brand-name medications subject to the Administration’s Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) agreements. According to the White House fact sheet, TrumpRx will now include more than 600 generic medications, with the Administration describing the effort as a “historic… (Colocho, May 18, 2026) #Costs, #Drug Pricing, #Generic Drugs, #Prescription Drugs, #Transparency

At the first meeting, the Healthcare Advisory Committee (the Committee) quickly moved through its agenda with little substantive discussion. The key takeaway is that HAC will conduct its work through six working groups: MAHA by Improving Wellness & Preventing Chronic Disease Reducing Administrative Burden Deploying Real-time Data Improving Care for Vulnerable Populations Strengthening Medicare Advantage Crushing Fraud, Waste, & Abuse… (Llamas, May 18, 2026) #Delivery Reform, #Insurance Reform, #Medicare Advantage

Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued an order that blocked a federal appeals court ruling from the Fifth Circuit that would have restricted the mailing of mifepristone. The order, issued shortly after a prior administrative stay expired (IHPP Summary), granted a stay, which keeps the current rules in place while the case continues in the lower courts and may be reviewed… (Eisen, May 15, 2026) #Women’s Health

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a new delegation of authority formally expanding the role of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in overseeing and administering the work of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Under the notice, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delegated authority to the AHRQ Director to implement and manage… (Colocho, May 15, 2026) #Affordable Care Act, #Prevention

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health advanced a bipartisan package of 10 health care and public health bills to the full committee during a markup focused largely on reauthorizations, FDA modernization, and targeted Medicare reforms. The measures, all approved by voice vote, included extensions of programs related to Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), dementia, breast cancer awareness, tick-borne diseases,… (Colocho, May 14, 2026) #Accountable Care Organizations, #Chronic Diseases, #Community Health Centers, #Food and Drug Administration, #Mental and Behavioral Health, #Public Health, #Value-Based Purchasing, #Workforce

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an immediate, nationwide six-month moratoria on the enrollment of new hospice and home health agencies (HHAs) in Medicare, citing concern about fraud, waste, and abuse. The actions were issued in coordination with Vice President Vance’s Anti-Fraud Task Force and align with the Trump Administration’s broader program integrity agenda outlined in a June 2025 Presidential Memorandum. The moratoria follow… (Testa, May 13, 2026) #Home Health, #Hospice, #Program Integrity

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) entered another period of uncertainty this week following the resignation of Commissioner Marty Makary after just 13 months leading the agency. Dr. Makary’s departure comes ahead of a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing scheduled for tomorrow on the FDA’s budget and follows months of internal disruption, including mass layoffs, persistent turnover among senior officials, tensions… (Colocho, May 12, 2026) #Artificial Intelligence, #Coverage Decisions, #Food and Drug Administration, #Tobacco

This week brought major developments related to medication abortion access and federal reproductive health policy. For now, the Supreme Court has temporarily preserved nationwide access to mifepristone through telehealth prescribing and mail distribution by extending its administrative stay in Louisiana v. FDA through May 14 while the Court considers whether lower court restrictions should remain in effect. At the same… (Eisen, May 12, 2026) #Health Equity, #Women’s Health

The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury (Departments) announced a proposed rule to allow employers to provide standalone fertility benefits (press release; landing page).   What it is. The Departments propose to establish a new category of limited excepted benefits to allow employers to provide fertility benefits. The proposal gives employers the flexibility to design and offer… (Llamas, May 11, 2026) #Insurance Coverage, #Women’s Health