Senate Democrats want more information on how to enact private health insurance reforms, including feedback on establishing a federal public option. The 86-page RFI, published July 30, asks stakeholders and policy experts for their input on dozens of potential policy…
Policy Updates
CMS will discontinue the Part D premium stabilization program at the end of this year, returning the standalone prescription drug plan market to what the agency called “traditional market conditions.” CMS said July 28 its analysis of 2027 bids indicated…
As HHS hosts payers and medical associations in Washington, D.C., it will introduce a pledge July 29 to advance mental health and addiction care nationwide. Optum CEO Patrick Conway, MD, told Becker’s on July 27 that his company will be…
A handful of state legislatures have passed laws this year that limit how health insurers use artificial intelligence when making coverage or reimbursement decisions. Seven state laws enacted this year:
Committees in the House and Senate each advanced healthcare price transparency legislation this week, both aiming to expand disclosure requirements for hospitals, insurers and other healthcare providers. Both measures would expand the existing hospital and payer price transparency rules, bring…
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Since the beginning of 2026, federal lawmakers have been pitching reforms that touch every corner of the payer space, from government-run programs to how insurance companies conduct business. Here are eight bills from 2026 that payers should keep on their…
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., introduced his “MediKids” bill July 21, which would promise healthcare coverage for those up to 26 years old. The law would amend the Social Security Act to make everyone under 26 eligible for Medicaid and to…
The Department of Labor is proposing a new rule that would let employer group health plans deliver required documents to workers electronically by default, a change the department estimates could save plans $3.9 billion over the next decade. The proposed…
In June 2025, health insurers pledged to simplify and reduce prior authorization requirements, affecting plans covering 257 million Americans. It’s been over one year since, and, while payers have been vocal about their progress, there are still big steps left…
A newly proposed federal bill would create a government-run public health insurance option sold on the ACA exchanges and permanently extend the enhanced premium subsidies that lapsed at the end of 2025. The Medicare-X Choice Act, introduced July 15 by…