Bipartisan legislation to fund the government through mid-December saw progress with a deal to reauthorize U.S. Food and Drug Administration user fee programs, but obstacles remain to a final bill before the Sept. 30 end of the current fiscal year.

The roadmap implements the three pillars of the President's March 2022 Strategy to Address our National Mental Health Crisis.

CDC reports lower in-hospital mortality rates from the omicron variant, providers have until Sept. 30 to report period 3 Provider Relief Fund spending.

HHS seeks input on the No Surprises Act's advanced explanation of benefits and good faith estimate requirements for insured individuals; comments are due Nov. 15.

America's Essential Hospitals urges CMS to swiftly restore full Medicare Part B drug payment rates for hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program and define a select group of hospitals with a safety net mission.

Congressional negotiators are holding closely the details of talks on short-term legislation expected to extend government funding through mid-December and avert a shutdown at midnight, Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year.

The Biden administration encourages organizations to commit to working toward its goal of ending hunger and increasing healthy eating and physical activity by 2030.

The Biden administration's fall plan to manage the COVID-19 pandemic includes securing millions of updated vaccines and additional at-home, rapid tests; ensuring vaccine access for higher-risk Americans; and fostering community conversations about updated vaccines.

Lawmakers are working to balance Democrats' calls for more COVID-19 and Monkeypox funding under a continuing resolution with Republicans' demands for a "clean" bill to fund the government through the November midterm elections.

The agency requests information on health care access and equity, provider experiences, and the effect of policies introduced in response to COVID-19.

The association urged CMS to adequately reimburse off-campus, provider-based departments; refine physician quality reporting; and codify a definition of essential hospitals.

CDC recommends updated Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccines that target the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of SARS-CoV-2.

The Biden administration requests an additional $47 billion in emergency funding in the continuing resolution, including $22.4 billion to fight COVID-19; Congress must reauthorize the FDA user fee program by Sept. 30.

An Aug. 31 CMS proposed rule aims to streamline Medicaid and CHIP enrollment and ensure continuous coverage throughout the renewal process.

CMS on Aug. 29 finalized its decision to delay indefinitely implementation of the Radiation Oncology Model, which was scheduled to start Jan. 1, 2023.

No-cost, at-home COVID-19 tests no longer will be offered through the United States Postal Service, CDC releases a fall vaccination plan, and FDA warns prescribers about Paxlovid drug interactions.

The Department of Homeland Security finalized a rule codifying the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program with some limited changes.

The annual 340B Drug Pricing Program recertification period for hospitals began Aug. 24. Hospitals will have until Sept. 19 to complete the process.

Pfizer applies for emergency use authorization for its omicron-specific booster vaccine, the National Healthcare Safety Network will take over hospital data reporting, and CMS tells hospitals to brace for the public health emergency's end.

The rule finalizes disclosure requirements for the qualifying payment amount and select provisions for the related independent dispute resolution process.

CDC updated its COVID-19 safety guidelines, FDA warned of false negative test risks, and bebtelovimab will transition to the commercial marketplace.

HHS releases two new reports on long COVID-19 research and support, while the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response shares guidance on Paxlovid efficacy and eligibility.

The proposed rule expands the definition of discrimination "on the basis of sex" and explicitly includes telehealth services in nondiscrimination policies.

The declaration enables HHS to modify Medicare and Medicaid program requirements and could lead to more emergency funding for virus prevention and vaccines.

Health care providers have until Aug. 30 to download their preview reports before CMS shares quality data publicly in October.

The regulation contains payment and quality reporting provisions, a new designation to identify “birthing-friendly” hospitals, and a 4.3 percent increase in operating payment rates for general acute-care hospitals, compared with a proposed 3.2 percent update.

This is the second star ratings update since the agency updated its methodology in 2020 to include the use of peer grouping.