K&L Gates Triage: An Insider’s Perspective on the Health Care Debate in Washington, DC
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has imposed immediate nationwide moratoria on the initial Medicare enrollment of hospices and home health agencies (HHAs), including additions of new branch locations,...more
Last week ended with a flurry of legislative activity, including House passage of the budget resolution that permits the Senate to start work next week on a “skinny” reconciliation bill to fund US Customs and Border...more
We conclude our statutory update with seven bills that were introduced and passed by the New Jersey Senate and Assembly in 2025 but were not approved until early January 2026. NJ Interstate Physician Assistant Licensure...more
On April 10, 2026 (and officially published in the Federal Register on April 14, 2026), CMS published a proposed rule that would expand electronic prior authorization requirements, modernize HIPAA transaction standards, and...more
Both chambers of U.S. Congress return this week, with funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) still at an impasse. Following the release of President Donald Trump's budget request on April 3, 2026, Congress...more
Below is Alston & Bird’s Health Care Week in Review, which provides a synopsis of the latest news in health care regulations, notices, and guidance; federal legislation and congressional committee action; reports, studies,...more
Congressional Republicans have renewed their focus on the possibility of moving funds for the Iran war, the US Department of Homeland Security, and other priorities using the partisan budgetary process known as...more
As previously reported by Sheppard, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has announced several program integrity actions to combat health care fraud. Among these actions was the issuance of a Request for...more
The latest chapter in the Trump Administration’s multiprong effort to limit the availability of gender affirming care (“GAC”) to minors played out this week in an hours-long hearing in Eugene, Oregon....more
Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are in session this week. The House delayed its return by one day due to severe weather across the Eastern portion of the country, which resulted in delayed and...more
On February 27, 2026, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register to gather stakeholder feedback on 13 topics that may be included in a potential...more
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on February 27, 2026, that signals a potential expansion of federal health care fraud, waste, and abuse enforcement. While the RFI...more
Our Health Care Group examines the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) six-month nationwide moratorium affecting certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) companies and the...more
Following this weekend’s events in Iran, congressional attention will center on votes related to war powers and US military engagement in the region, likely reshaping the floor schedule to prioritize national security and...more
Key Takeaways: The CRUSH RFI is part of a broader, coordinated anti-fraud crackdown....more
Key Takeaways - The Declaration. Secretary Kennedy’s declaration concludes that pediatric gender-affirming care does not constitute a “safe and effective treatment” and that practitioners who furnish such services fall...more
The U.S. Senate is out of session this week, and all action is expected to take place in the U.S. House of Representatives following the release of a package containing the final four appropriations bills. The text of the...more
The Federal Government issued two proposed rules this month that would limit minors access to gender affirming care (GAC) and restrict funding to hospitals that provide GAC to minors: (1) Prohibition on Federal Medicaid and...more
Senate votes on dueling healthcare bills. Although neither bill passed, some moderate House Republicans continue to try to find a path forward on the expiring enhanced advanced premium tax credits (APTCs), with Speaker...more
With only two weeks left of U.S. Congress in session, a final push for a consensus on healthcare is underway. Both Democrats and Republicans are hoping to secure political wins for their parties and constituencies while the...more
The biggest item on the agenda this week is continued discussion of the expiring enhanced advanced premium tax credits (APTCs). As part of the deal to reopen the government last month, Senate Majority Leader Thune (R-SD)...more
Many healthcare programs are extended for specific time periods, as short as one or two years or as long as 10, and are usually attached to a larger piece of must-pass legislation....more
Each week while Congress is in session, our Policy team delivers a key update to highlight a topical benefits, health, or retirement news item from the Hill, such as a newly introduced bill, a summary of a committee hearing,...more