Stay up to date on the latest across Washington, D.C. with this weekly brief. Read below for news from Oct. 2 to Oct. 9.
HHS announces up to $27.8M for falls prevention initiatives
HHS announced Oct. 9 that it will award $27.8 million over three years to recipients of three falls prevention initiatives.
The funds will expand proven programs, strengthen connections between providers and community organizations and help states and local partners reach more older adults.
“A fall can change an older American’s life in an instant, and we can prevent many of these injuries,” said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., HHS Secretary, in a statement. “HHS is connecting healthcare screening with proven community programs to identify risks earlier, improve strength and balance, and help older adults maintain their independence. These investments will reduce injuries and healthcare costs while helping more Americans remain safely in their homes and communities.”
CMS releases 2027 MA star ratings
The Trump administration released the 2027 Medicare Advantage star ratings, with many enrollees in plans that earned at least four stars.
CMS counted 508 MAPD contracts for 2027, with an average score of 3.99. That's down slightly from 2026's average score of 4.01, but higher than the 2025 average of 3.95. Full story.
HHS launches vaccine injury research, reporting initiatives
HHS announced a series of actions aimed at strengthening the federal government's response to vaccine-related health concerns.
The initiatives include a new NIH clinic; modernizing the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS); requiring EHRs to capture vaccine-related adverse events and proposing reimbursing physicians for reporting suspected related injuries. Full story.
340B program has grown beyond original intent, fuels consolidation: HHS
A controversial program to subsidize safety-net hospitals’ drug spending “has expanded beyond its original intent,” incentivizing provider consolidation while doing little to better serve patients’ needs, Department of Health and Human Services policy heads wrote in a new report. Full story.
North Carolina receives over $17M in RHTP funding
CMS announced Oct. 7 that North Carolina will receive more than $17 million in RHTP funds to expand the state’s rural mental health and substance use disorder services.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- $4 million towards three new mental health clinics
- $3 million towards expanding access to opioid use disorder medications
- $4 million towards mobile crisis teams
It builds on a previous $20 million announcement from Sept. 30. In total, the state will receive $213,008,356 during fiscal year 2026.
Lawmakers urge CMS to roll back proposed remote patient monitoring restrictions
A bipartisan group of 32 House lawmakers is pressing CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, M.D., to roll back proposed Medicare payment changes that would bar remote patient monitoring programs from using third-party clinical staff.
Legislators argue the proposal could significantly reduce access for Medicare beneficiaries, particularly rural patients and those served by small, independent physician practices and hospitals. Full story.
FTC issues price transparency warning letters to 24 hospital systems
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning letters to 24 “of the nation’s largest healthcare services” regarding compliance with hospital price transparency requirements, the regulator announced Monday.
The letters, templates for which were made public (PDF), told hospitals they may be running afoul of the law if they fail to “provide patients with timely, accurate, and complete pricing for healthcare services, especially for non-emergency services that are scheduled in advance.” Full story.
CMS finalizes price transparency regulation updates
The Trump administration finalized a rule Monday that aims to make the data files mandated under price transparency regulations more usable.
CMS said that the final rule will improve data files made available by payers and providers by reducing duplicative information, adding further context about in-network pricing and holding stakeholders accountable for submitting incomplete or inaccurate data. Full story.
White House to dispense Part B rebates to over 20M enrollees
The Trump administration said Monday that it will pay out $90 rebates to more than 20 million Medicare Part B enrollees.
The White House said in a fact sheet that the rebates will be dispensed from the Medicare Improvement Fund, a $2 billion initiative established by Congress to support improvements to traditional Medicare. Full story.
HHS names STREETS initiatives recipients
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday the eight communities that will receive funding through the agency’s Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support (STREETS) program.
The STREETS initiative, which the agency announced in February, funds targeted outreach, psychiatric care, medical stabilization and crisis intervention for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder (SUD). It will provide $96 million across four years to help communities build coordinated care systems. Full story.
HRSA names 10 drugmakers for revised 340B rebate pilot
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) named 10 drug manufacturers and 21 drugs that will participate in its revised 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program, which launches Jan. 1.
The administration published its list online Oct. 1. Full story.
CMS names $7.2 million in South Dakota RHTP funding
South Dakota will receive an additional $7.2 million in Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding, CMS announced Oct. 2.
The funds will support 25 projects led by local ambulance services, hospitals, community organizations and more. Projects supported by the funding include:
- Expanding ambulance-based telemedicine
- Funding EMS workforce training
- Modernizing dispatch and communication systems
It builds on previous $13 million and $120 million funding announcements as part of the program. In total, South Dakota will receive $189,477,607 during fiscal year 2026.