The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the launch of the Investing in Health Outcomes (IHO) initiative, a voluntary effort with states to shift Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) quality measurement toward measures that more directly reflect improvements in beneficiary health outcomes. 37 states have signed the IHO pledge, representing approximately 56 million Medicaid and CHIP… (Colocho, September 25, 2026) #Chronic Diseases, #Costs, #Prevention, #Public Health, #Quality

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report finding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rapidly expanded immigration detention capacity without first developing a comprehensive strategic plan, resulting in millions of dollars in waste and leaving the agency without sufficient information about the long-term affordability of its investments. Since January 2025, ICE has pursued six new detention-expansion initiatives while… (Colocho, September 25, 2026) #Immigration

Today, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) held a hearing to consider the nomination of Dr. Heidi Overton to serve as the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Additional details on the hearing follow. The HELP Committee was also scheduled to vote on the nominations of Nicole Saphier as Surgeon General, Timothy Westlake as… (Slifer, September 24, 2026) #Food and Drug Administration, #Prescription Drugs, #Program Integrity, #Public Health, #Transparency

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a request for information (RFI) on establishing standards for reasonable and relevant pharmacy contract terms and conditions in Part D, pursuant to section 6223 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2026 which requires Part D plan sponsors to permit any pharmacy that meets such standards to participate as a network… (Slifer, September 23, 2026) #Medicare Part D, #Pharmacies, #Pharmacy Benefit Managers, #Prescription Drugs

Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) reintroduced the Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act (S.5443), legislation that would establish mandatory federal cybersecurity requirements for health care providers, health plans, clearinghouses and business associates and provide $1.3 billion to support hospital cybersecurity improvements. The legislation would direct HHS to establish minimum cybersecurity standards, with heightened requirements for systemically important… (Colocho, September 22, 2026) #Artificial Intelligence, #Health Information Technology, #Hospitals, #Transparency

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an interim final rule with comment period (IFC) to impose a temporary moratorium pausing the registration of new agents and brokers to assist consumers with enrollment through Federally-facilitated Exchanges through February 1, 2027. This action is part of the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud’s efforts to address fraud, waste, and abuse… (Llamas, September 22, 2026) #Affordable Care Act