The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report examining the landscape of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), including how they are marketed, how they are used, and which populations benefit most. HSAs are available to people enrolled in HSA-eligible high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and allow tax-free contributions, investment growth, and rollover of unused funds from year to year, including into retirement…. (Eisen, November 20, 2025) #Affordable Care Act, #Cost-Sharing

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released an audit of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) evaluating whether the agency closed contracts in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and HHS policies. Reviewing $11.2 billion in contracts, OIG found widespread failures to complete required closeout actions, identifying billions in… (Eisen, November 19, 2025) <span style="font-size:90%;

The Senate Special Committee on Aging convened a hearing with generic drug manufacturers to discuss the U.S. manufacturing of generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and policies to further support domestic manufacturers. Chair Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) expressed concern regarding the safety of generic drugs from foreign countries and expressed support for taking steps… (Slifer, November 19, 2025) #Generic Drugs, #Public Health

The chairs of the Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce Committees sent letters this week to a New Jersey Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) and to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), respectively, about organ transplant policies and procedures. The Senate Finance Committee was also scheduled to hold a hearing on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) today, which… (McClurg, November 19, 2025) #Program Integrity

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to rescind the 2022 public charge ground of inadmissibility regulations. DHS argues that the 2022 rules are overly restrictive, inconsistent with congressional intent, and limit officers’ ability to make precise and reliable determinations of whether an immigrant is likely at any time to become a public charge,… (Colocho, November 18, 2025) #Costs, #Health Equity, #Immigration, #Public Health

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued preliminary guidance to states on how the agency expects to implement changes to heath-care related (provider taxes) contained in H.R.1. CMS explains that while the agency is determining additional guidance and regulatory action, this preliminary guidance is intended to help states in their efforts to meet the new statutory requirements. A full… (Marceno, November 18, 2025) #Costs, #Public Health

Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released two updates related to sharing personal information. First, CMS notified stakeholders that it is re-establishing a matching program between CMS and State-Based Administering Entities (AEs) to determine eligibility for enrollment in state health subsidy programs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Second, CMS requests public comment on a change to Medicare forms to disclose personal health… (McClurg, November 17, 2025) #Affordable Care Act, #Health Information Technology, #Privacy, #Program Integrity

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for a new grant cycle of the Continuum of Care (CoC) program. This program works with local partner organizations to link people experiencing homelessness to housing resources and supports. According to HUD, funding under the CoC program will take a controversial step to shift assistance… (Marceno, November 14, 2025) #Prevention, #Public Health

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a proposed rule that would significantly narrow and simplify its 2023 Section 1071 small-business lending data collection requirements, even as the agency faces an unprecedented threat to its viability following a new Justice Department (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) determination that its current funding structure is unlawful. The proposal would raise lender-coverage… (Colocho, November 14, 2025) #Health Equity, #Transparency

In September, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program. According to CMS, all 50 states submitted applications to the RHTP, which were due November 5, 2025. Congress’s recent budget reconciliation package included the program as a compromise to address concerns about the impact of the bill… (Marceno, November 13, 2025) #Hospitals, #Public Health, #Rural Health