CMS comment deadline arrives for sweeping 2027 Medicare proposal
CMS comments close September 14 on a proposed 2027 Medicare rule covering physician payments, telehealth, rural care, drug rebates and eligibility.
Health Policy
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CMS begins risk-based nursing-home surveys for top-performing facilities
CMS is starting a national process that may shorten routine surveys for about 12% of nursing homes while preserving complaint investigations and safety oversight.
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CMS reports $1.6 billion in potentially improper Medicare lab payments stopped
CMS says it stopped more than $1.6 billion in potentially improper Medicare lab payments through revocations, suspensions, referrals and recoveries.
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Medicaid Work-Rule Guidance Sets Jan. 1 Deadline and 80-Hour Test
CMS has set a Jan. 1, 2027, Medicaid deadline. Affected adults may need 80 hours of work, school or service, with exemptions and a 30-day appeal window.
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Twenty-Three States Sue Over New Title X Grant Conditions
Twenty-three states sued HHS over conditions in the next Title X grant competition, warning they could affect contraception, counseling and nondiscrimination practices.
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CMS allocates $122 million for rural health care in Virginia
Virginia will use an initial $122 million rural-health allocation for telehealth, maternal care, workforce training and other services, but rollout dates vary.
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CMS Medicaid Tax Proposal Puts States on Notice Before Oct. 1
CMS proposes tighter Medicaid provider-tax limits before an Oct. 1, 2026, change. Comments close Sept. 21, but benefit cuts are not immediate.
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Georgia Gets $93.3 Million as Medicaid Changes Near
CMS says Georgia’s rural-health installment will support 87 hospitals, but the grants are not replacement revenue as Medicaid changes approach in 2027.
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Federal Medicaid funding rule for minors takes effect October 13
A CMS rule taking effect October 13 will restrict federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for specified procedures for minors while preserving mental-health coverage.
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CMS Announces $93.3 Million for Georgia Rural Health Projects
A new federal award will support 87 rural hospitals and projects involving telehealth, maternal care, workforce training and hospital technology.
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HHS settlement puts patients’ medical-record access rights in focus
A $50,000 HHS settlement involving Azul Vision highlights HIPAA’s 30-day records deadline and what patients can do when requests are delayed.
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CMS opens comment period on permanent Medicare drug-negotiation framework
CMS proposed long-term rules for negotiating and renegotiating prices for high-cost, single-source Medicare drugs beginning in 2029. Comments are due Aug. 17, 2026.
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CMS Sets Nationwide Medicaid Work-Requirement Framework for 2027
An interim final rule from CMS will require certain adult Medicaid applicants and enrollees to document 80 hours of work, education, training or community service each month.
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CMS Plans Stricter Medicaid Waiver Spending Tests for 2027
CMS plans tougher financial reviews for Medicaid Section 1115 demonstrations beginning January 1, 2027, potentially limiting states’ waiver flexibility.
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CMS Proposes Medicare Oversight and Home-Health Payment Changes
CMS proposes broader Medicare enrollment enforcement and a projected 2.4% aggregate home-health payment increase for 2027. Comments are due August 31.
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Federal Medicaid deferrals pressure California and Minnesota
HHS is holding more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments while California and Minnesota document claims flagged for review, with providers facing added scrutiny.
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States face a January deadline as Medicaid work-rule systems move into implementation
CMS is helping states build Medicaid work-rule systems before January 1, 2027, including data checks, notices and exemption reviews for affected adults.
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New York Medicaid officials seek public input on proposed five-year waiver extension
New York is asking CMS to extend a major Medicaid demonstration for five years. Residents can speak Aug. 11 or submit written comments by Aug. 21, 2026.
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Nebraska Medicaid Work-Requirement Reviews Begin for First Renewal Group
Nebraska began Medicaid expansion work requirements May 1. Existing members are reviewed during their regular renewal, with the first affected eligibility periods ending July 31, 2026.
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Arkansas Medicaid Work-Requirement Checks Begin, With Penalties Delayed Until 2027
Arkansas DHS is checking records for many ARHOME enrollees during a six-month soft implementation. Notices may arrive now, but penalties under the new requirement begin no earlier than January 1, 2027.
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Ohio Medicaid Work Requirements: What Enrollees Need to Know Before 2027
Ohio Medicaid’s new 80-hour monthly community-engagement requirement begins January 1, 2027. Here is who may be affected, how Ohio plans to verify eligibility and what enrollees should do before notices arrive.
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New Hampshire Medicaid Members Should Prepare for 2027 Work-Requirement Changes
New Hampshire is preparing Granite Advantage members for federal Medicaid changes beginning January 1, 2027, including an 80-hour monthly community-engagement standard for applicable adults.