Insights: Policy

CLARITY Act (Crypto Market Structure)

Senate negotiators failed to reach an agreement on the CLARITY Act prior to departing for their summer recess over the weekend. However, Majority Leader Thune (R-SD) “filed cloture on the motion to proceed” to the bill (i.e., initiated the process for a procedural vote on the bill) that will take place on 9/15, just after the Senate returns. The...

Medicare Hospice Reimbursement

CMS issued the FY27 hospice final rule, finalizing a 2.3% payment update (an estimated $755m increase over FY26). The update comprises a 3.2% market basket update reduced by a 0.9% productivity adjustment. The update is a tenth of a point below the proposed 2.4% due to a larger productivity adjustment. The finalized aggregate cap amount for...

Medicare Inpatient Hospital (IPPS) Reimbursement

CMS issued the FY27 IPPS final rule, finalizing a 2.3% increase in inpatient payment rates (reflecting a 3.2% hospital market basket increase reduced by a 0.9% productivity adjustment). The update is a tenth of a point below the proposed 2.4%, due to a small increase in the productivity adjustment. CMS expects the final changes to increase...

OBBBA Medicaid Work Requirements

Judge Stearns of the District of Massachusetts denied a preliminary injunction against portions of CMS’s interim final rule implementing the OBBBA Medicaid work requirement. The court will set an expedited schedule for full merits briefing before the Jan. 1, 2027 implementation deadline.

Democratic Health Insurance Reform Agenda

Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over health insurance policy, released a request for information (RFI) seeking comments on reforms to the health insurance system. The document builds on a March “Dear Colleague Letter” from Ranking Member Wyden (D-OR) and follows a similar June RFI on drug pricing. Comments are...

Tech / Media / Telecom

Social Media/Minors

The Senate Commerce Committee held a vote on of five children's online safety bills. The committee advanced four of those proposals, including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which was advanced with no opposition. The committee did not take up separate legislation that Sen. Blackburn (R-TN) had been developing with the White House that would...