Trump administration proposes crackdown on Medicaid state-directed payments

The proposed rule codifies cuts outlined in the GOP’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” but also takes other steps to restrict supplemental Medicaid payments. The CMS said it would save the federal government over $500 billion if finalized.

By Sydney Halleman • May 21, 2026

Lawmakers mull Medicare physician pay reform to tamp down consolidation

Physician pay hasn’t kept up with the costs of providing care, pushing independent practices to sell to health systems and likely increasing costs, witnesses said during a House subcommittee hearing.

By Emily Olsen • May 21, 2026

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Surprise Billing

Federal legislation banning surprise bills has hit a barrage of roadblocks, complicating efforts to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges.

By Healthcare Dive staff

ACA deductibles reach record high as membership losses slated to continue: KFF

A fuller picture is emerging of how the expiration of enhanced subsidies is affecting the Affordable Care Act exchanges and the millions of Americans who rely on them for coverage.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • May 20, 2026

Senate Democrats move to roll back Medicare AI prior authorization pilot

Lawmakers introduced a resolution to end the WISeR model, which Democrats say is delaying and denying care to seniors.

By Emily Olsen • May 20, 2026

HHS reorganizes Office for Civil Rights with religious bent

The civil rights enforcement arm of the HHS will reinstate a division dissolved during the Biden administration that focuses on conscientious objections and religious issues in health and social programs.

By Sydney Halleman • May 20, 2026

Employer to pay $4.25M to settle claims it failed to consider vaccine exemptions

Recent enforcement involving COVID-19 vaccines appears to go hand in hand with the Trump administration’s broader prioritization of Christian issues.

By Emilie Shumway • May 19, 2026

Tenet hospitals, Leapfrog spar over legal fees in hospital ratings case

The Tenet-owned hospitals want Leapfrog to pay $10.5 million in legal fees after a judge agreed that the nonprofit unfairly deflated their ratings. The penalty would “cast a specter of financial ruin” over the nonprofit, Leapfrog said.

By Sydney Halleman • May 19, 2026

CMS finalizes major changes to ACA exchanges, including greater access to catastrophic plans

The Trump administration continues to open the doors to the cheap, high-deductible coverage, to the worry of insurance experts and stakeholders in the healthcare industry.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • May 18, 2026

Employer groups, unions urge Trump administration to reform No Surprises dispute resolution

Providers are reaping high award amounts, and arbiters have “structural conflicts of interest” that incentivize a high volume of disputes, driving up healthcare costs for employers and patients, the groups wrote.

By Emily Olsen • May 18, 2026

Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill by mail

The ruling maintains access to mifepristone while litigation continues. The drug can still be prescribed at pharmacies or by mail without requiring in-person visits.

By Sydney Halleman • May 15, 2026

CMS launches initiative to speed electronic prior authorization adoption

The effort, part of the agency’s ambitious Health Tech Ecosystem, aims to accelerate the industry’s progress before requirements on electronic prior authorization go into effect next year.

By Emily Olsen • May 14, 2026

Physicians skeptical of insurer pledges to reform prior authorization: survey

Only 33% of physicians surveyed by the American Medical Association said they believed voluntary pledges made by major insurers last year to reform prior authorization would result in any meaningful difference to the industry.

By Sydney Halleman • May 14, 2026

CMS suspends new Medicare enrollment of hospice, home health providers

The agency is halting enrollments for six months as part of the Trump administration’s broader attempt to crack down on fraud. Hospice and home health groups said they largely supported the moratorium.

By Emily Olsen • May 13, 2026

FDA chief Marty Makary resigns from agency, ending tumultuous tenure

Makary’s exit ends a turbulent run marred by leadership upheaval, mass layoffs, political pressure and public spats with drugmakers.  

By Ben Fidler • May 12, 2026

Feds propose rule to help employers expand fertility benefit coverage

The proposal addresses a key plank in President Donald Trump’s labor agenda and would exempt fertility benefits from the requirements of some federal health coverage laws.

By Ryan Golden • May 11, 2026

MACPAC calls for increased transparency in Medicaid AI prior authorization

The influential advisory group is recommending policies to boost human oversight and visibility into how Medicaid plans are using the technology, in a bid to prevent risks like inaccuracies or data bias.

By Emily Olsen • May 11, 2026

Federation of American Hospitals taps new government relations head

Elizabeth Schwartz will head up government relations at the for-profit hospital trade association as health systems brace for federal funding cuts.

By Sydney Halleman • May 8, 2026

Healthcare sector continues to buoy job growth

“Remove healthcare from the equation, and the US labor market is actually losing more than it is gaining,” one economist said.

By Kathryn Moody • May 8, 2026

FDA warns of neurosurgical supply disruptions

Interruptions in the supply of neurosurgical patties, sponges and strips are expected to continue through 2026.

By Elise Reuter • May 6, 2026

DOJ launches strike force targeting West Coast healthcare fraud

The strike force allows the department's healthcare fraud unit to coordinate with U.S. attorney’s offices in Arizona, Nevada and the Northern District of California, where the DOJ says fraud schemes are increasing.

By Emily Olsen • May 4, 2026

How states are planning to implement Medicaid work requirements: survey

Most states are planning to adopt less restrictive policies to verify compliance with work requirements mandated by the “Big Beautiful Bill,” but some are implementing the policies early or checking eligibility more frequently.

By Emily Olsen • May 4, 2026

Supreme Court temporarily restores mail-order access to abortion drug

On Monday morning, the Supreme Court paused a lower court’s decision that effectively banned the mailing of mifepristone, after makers of the abortion drug asked the nation’s highest court to intervene.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Updated May 4, 2026

Nebraska rolls out Medicaid work requirements, putting tens of thousands at risk of coverage losses

The Cornhusker State is the first to roll out work requirements under the GOP’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” well in advance of the law’s 2027 deadline. Between 20,000 and 40,000 people are expected to lose Medicaid as a result.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • May 1, 2026

Education Department caps graduate student loans, hitting health workforce

The agency kept a contested definition of “professional” student that excludes fields like graduate nursing and physical therapy from higher loan caps. Healthcare groups say the regulation could worsen workforce shortages.

By Ben Unglesbee • April 30, 2026

Consumer health data’s regulatory patchwork is growing. Relief isn’t coming.

Healthcare organizations are struggling to navigate the compliance landscape amid a pullback in federal enforcement, a wave of state legislation and emerging voluntary initiatives, experts say.

By Michael Brady • April 30, 2026