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As the debate over how to address rising premiums on the Affordable Care Act's exchanges drags on, a recent survey suggests experts are skeptical of plans to lean on health savings accounts (HSAs). Researchers at Cornell University's Health Policy Center polled a panel of 64 healthcare and health policy experts, and 70% said they believe it would worsen affordability to deposit the value of the recently expired enhanced premium tax credits into an HSA rather than apply it directly to the premium.
According to CMS, America’s healthcare system is plagued by complexity, high costs, and fragmentation—placing strain on patients, providers, and our national budget. Outdated infrastructure and disconnected data have made it harder—not easier—to get quality care and achieve positive long-term outcomes. Without competitive pressure, the system fails to reward the best ideas leveraging modern technology. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking bold steps to modernize the nation’s digital health ecosystem with a focus on empowering Medicare beneficiaries through greater access to innovative health technologies.
HHS released a new proposed rule this week aimed at rolling back several Biden-era health IT policies and slimming down the federal health IT certification program. The proposal, called HTI-5, would remove or revise nearly 70% of current certification criteria against which health tech products are certified. There are currently 60 certification criteria within HHS’ health IT certification program — this plan seeks to remove 34 and revise seven. HHS said the goal is to cut costs and reduce regulatory hurdles for health tech developers.
DEA issues 4th extension of telehealth controlled substance flexibilities as debate enters 6th year
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published a yearlong extension of telemedicine prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances, just one day before the end of the year, when the flexibilities would have expired. Because the Department of Health and Human Services and the DEA haven’t figured out a long-term solution, the pandemic-era prescribing flexibilities for controlled substances remain in place, now extended for a fourth time since the end of the public health emergency in May 2023.
CMS Breaks Out State-Level Rural Health Transformation Program Funding
All 50 states are receiving awards under the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative to strengthen healthcare in rural communities across the country. In 2026, states will receive first-year awards from CMS averaging $200 million within a range of $147 million to $281 million. Along with telehealth and work force initiatives, states will test new primary care and value-based care models, strengthen partnerships among rural and other providers, and promote regional collaboration that improves health sustainability and patient outcomes.
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