Stay up to date on the latest across Washington, D.C. with this weekly brief. Read below for news from Oct. 12 to Oct. 16.
HHS demands info from leading medical orgs on minor ‘sex-rejecting procedures’
HHS has issued letters to leading medical organizations in a “final demand” to state clearly whether they continue to support “sex-rejecting procedures” for minors.
According to the Oct. 14 announcement, letters were sent to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the American Medical Association (AMA), American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, Endocrine Society and others.
In addition to the organizations’ stances on such procedures, HHS is also seeking identification of planned revisions to respective guidance and timeline for any changes. The agency expects a written response within 10 business days—and noted it has previously requested a “substantive response” from the organizations.
HHS launches health center ‘healthy lifestyle’ commitment
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Tom Engels announced Wednesday the launch of the “HHS Health Center Healthy Lifestyle Commitment.”
The voluntary initiative encourages HRSA-supported health centers across the U.S. to prioritize nutrition, prevention and other healthy living habits for patient care.
“We will not reverse chronic disease by waiting until Americans get sick,” Kennedy said in a statement. “HHS is equipping health centers to make nutrition, physical activity, healthy sleep, and prevention part of everyday care. This commitment will help doctors and families act earlier, build healthier habits, and prevent disease before it starts.”
CMS targets duplicative ACA, Medicaid enrollments
The Trump administration has put a focus on rooting out fraud, waste and abuse, and on Wednesday, regulators offered a look at progress to date in those efforts.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in an announcement that so far this year it has identified 189,000 people enrolled in Affordable Care Act exchange plans as well as in duplicative Medicaid, Medicare or Children's Health Insurance Program coverage. Full story.
Delaware receives over $1M in RHTP funds
Delaware will receive more than $1 million in RHTP funding to aid recruitment and retention efforts for its rural workforce.
The funds will support two educational awards for eligible medical students and fund an expected 61 housing and relocation awards for eligible students in graduate medical education programs.
Awardees will commit to five years of practice in rural areas of the state, with at least 50% serving qualified areas.
In total, the state will receive $157,394,964 during fiscal year 2026.
CMS names $177M in Nebraska RHTP funding
Nebraska will receive more than $177 million in RHTP funding to strengthen care delivery across rural parts of the state, including modernizing technology, supporting workforce development and more.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- Supporting partnerships, operational improvements and care delivery changes for rural providers
- Supporting new approaches to delivery and financing to improve care quality, strengthen primary care and support sustainable rural healthcare
- Expanding remote care and data-driven tools to improve care coordination and access
In total, the state will receive $218,529,075 during fiscal year 2026.
Missouri receives $2.3M in RHTP funds
Missouri will receive an additional $2.3 million in RHTP funding to strengthen its rural healthcare workforce, CMS said Tuesday.
There are two projects supported by this round of funding:
- $1.46 million to address recruitment and retention issues across rural parts of the state
- $879,000 to establish the state’s first certified nurse midwife training program
It builds on a previous $45 million funding announcement Sept. 22. In total, the state will receive $216,276,818 during fiscal year 2026.
Trump admin proposes new $70,000 fee for F-1 student visa workers
The Trump administration has proposed another new visa fee that would likely limit hospitals and other healthcare employers’ access to foreign-born skilled workers.
The Department of Homeland Security outlined plans to bring new fees for Optional Practical Training (OPT), a type of temporary employment for nonimmigrant students with an F-1 visa. OPT must be directly related to the student’s major area of study and recommended by their educational institution. Full story.
CMS awards $37.7M in RHTP funds to Louisiana
Louisiana will receive $37.7 million in RHTP funding to strengthen its rural healthcare workforce through training and recruitment efforts, CMS announced Friday.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- Up to $20 million to connect public universities, community and technical colleges with rural healthcare providers
- $12.7 million to help 53 rural providers recruit and retain providers
- $5 million to create healthcare career pathways across 39 campuses
In total, the state will receive $208,374,448 during fiscal year 2026.
Iowa receives $209M in RHTP funds
CMS announced Friday that Iowa will receive $209 million in RHTP funding to expand advanced medical care, maternal health and cancer prevention across rural areas.
Projects supported by the funding include:
- Supporting healthcare workforce recruitment, training and retention strategies
- Expanding remote care and data-driven tools to improve coordination and access
- Supporting partnerships, operational improvements and care-delivery changes for rural providers
It is the total amount in RHTP funding the state will receive for fiscal year 2026.