Why States Are Withholding Rural Health Transformation Fund Applications
The Trump administration’s new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program promises “radical transparency,” yet many states are declining to release their full applications. The result is growing frustration among rural…
CMS Just Put the Inpatient-Only List on a Three-Year Clock
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has finalized a major change that will reshape surgical care, inpatient volumes and post-acute flows: the phaseout of the Medicare Inpatient-Only (IPO) list…
Five Scenarios That Could Decide the Future of ACA Subsidies
With enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire Dec. 31, Congress is entering a sprint toward the next government funding deadline on Jan. 30. President Trump briefly signaled openness…
Student Loan Rule Changes Put Nursing and Allied Health Pipelines at Risk
Although finalized months ago, the student loan rule is gaining attention because schools and students are now confronting its practical effects. The 2026 shift will make graduate education less accessible…
Weekly wrap up for the week of November 15. 2025
Leaked executive order draft lays out Trump’s plan to squash state AI policy What’s happening: A leaked draft executive order, “Eliminating State Law Obstruction of National AI Policy,” would direct the…
A Pivotal Shift in Vaccine Messaging
Earlier this week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to remove its…
Calley Means New Role at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
In a significant development with implications for healthcare policy and hospital operations, Calley Means—longtime adviser to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and influential advocate for the “Make America Healthy…
Weekly Wrap Up for the Week of November 10, 2025
Republicans demand tougher abortion restrictions to extend Obamacare funds What’s happening: Senate Republicans say they will only support extending expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidy funds if Democrats accept tighter…
Health Care Affordability is Top of Mind for California Voters
Health care affordability has emerged as a top concern in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race, with candidates addressing how they would respond to anticipated federal cuts to safety net programs and…
Senate Republicans Split as ACA Subsidy Deadline Looms and White House Floats Alternatives
Now that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has ended, Washington is staring down a new crisis: the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies at the end of…