Stay up to date on the latest across Washington, D.C. with this brief. Read below for news from Nov. 2 to 13.
HHS invests $9.7M in preventing elder abuse, exploitation
HHS announced a $9.7 million investment Monday through the Administration for Community Living to help prevent elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Financial exploitation alone is estimated to cost older Americans $28.3 billion annually, according to the department.
The funding will, among other things, support expanding legal help and strengthening advocacy for those in nursing homes and other care facilities. The ACL will award six new Elder Justice Innovation grants over the next three years totaling $5.6 million and four new Legal Assistance Enhancement Program grants totaling $1.9 million over two years.
“Older Americans have earned the right to live with dignity, control their own lives, and protect what they worked hard to build,” said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., HHS secretary, in a statement. “The Trump Administration is investing more than $9.7 million to prevent abuse and financial exploitation, expand access to legal help, and defend the rights of nursing home residents. We are putting practical tools and trusted support into communities to help older Americans safeguard their independence and financial security.”
Trump admin awards $10B in RHTP funds for year two
The Trump administration announced Monday funding for the second year of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), with $10 billion in awards slated for all 50 states.
Similar to fiscal year 2026, Texas and Alaska will receive the largest amount of funding as part of the program. Texas is set to receive $281,976,026, while Alaska will receive $272,653,149.
New Jersey will receive the lowest amount of funding at $142,338,224. Full story.
HHS opens $1M funding opportunity to strengthen women’s preventive care
HHS announced Friday a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for its Women’s Initiative for Screening and Health (WISH) program.
The program will award up to $1 million in fiscal year 2027 to establish a multidisciplinary coalition to update HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-supported Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines.
The funding will fund one organization to create a multidisciplinary panel of at least 10 experts from women’s health, primary care, behavioral health and more. It will also allow the organization to conduct evidence reviews and develop and disseminate information on HRSA guidelines.
“The latest research only makes a difference when it reaches women and the clinicians caring for them,” said Tom Engels, HRSA Administrator, in a statement. “By bringing together clinical expertise and trusted community partners, we can help more women access recommended preventive care nationwide.”
The department says the opportunity advances priorities outlined in an October executive order from President Donald Trump.
CMS proposes rollbacks of 'excessively burdensome' Conditions of Participation
CMS plans to trim several “unnecessary” requirements for hospitals and other providers participating in Medicare, including emergency services readiness requirements and staff training for obstetrical services, pushed through during the tail end of the Biden administration.
The proposed rule’s Conditions of Participation (CoP) rollbacks, shared Nov. 5, followed a “comprehensive review” CMS conducted to identify and eliminate “obsolete, outdated and excessively burdensome regulations.” Full story.
CMS issues final 2027 outpatient pay rule
CMS finalized its annual outpatient hospital payments rule with a lower-than-proposed rate bump and its major, industry-opposed policy shifts moderated, but largely intact.
The 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment Systems rule outlines a 2.3% reimbursement increase for those meeting applicable quality reporting requirements. That’s below the proposed 2.4% increase and reflects a 3.2% projected hospital market basket increase and a 0.9 percentage point productivity adjustment. Full story.
CMS finalizes steeper Medicare physician pay cuts for 2027
CMS finalized sweeping Medicare payment reforms it says will shift the program from volume-based "sick care" toward prevention, primary care and accountable care.
The 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule includes a roughly 2% reduction in baseline physician payment rates with targeted increases and new payment opportunities for accountable care, primary and chronic care and behavioral health. Full story.
CMS, HHS finalize rule to strengthen OPO oversight
CMS and HHS announced the finalization of a rule that strengthens oversight of Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO), building on a 2019 Trump executive order.
Key provisions of the final rule include:
- Enhanced oversight of "unsound medical practices"
- Clearer guidance for OPOs to spot, investigate and prevent adverse events
- Documentation of research organs
- Clear circumstances in which CMS may decertify an OPO
“Americans waiting for lifesaving transplants cannot afford poor performance by OPOs, and CMS is committed to holding these organizations accountable,” said Mehmet Oz, M.D., CMS administrator, in a statement. “With today’s new rule, CMS is building on the success of organ procurement reforms from the first Trump Administration to promote clearer documentation, higher donation rates, and swifter consequences for bad actors.”
FTC sends warning letters over deceptive marketing amid ACA open enrollment
The Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to 25 companies that conduct marketing or generate sales leads for insurers as ACA enrollment season gets underway.
The commission said in an announcement that the letters aim to put these companies on notice about deceptive or unfair marketing tactics that are likely unlawful. Full story.