In this week’s update: Twelve states sue HHS over policy prohibiting gender affirming care, Arkansas legislators discuss CMS rejection of Medicaid dental expansion plan, Idaho Medicaid coverage and benefits at risk in 2026, Kentucky Medicaid Oversight Board issues recommendations for 2026, Massachusetts Governor to prohibit prior authorization requirements for essential care, Missouri Supreme Court upholds ban on gender transition care, and New York Governor unveils new healthcare initiatives.

In this week’s update: CMS awards Rural Health Transformation Program grants, CMS plans to negotiate GLP-1 drug pricing and coverage, HHS revises childhood vaccine schedule, HHS authorized to now share limited Medicaid enrollee personal data, California ends Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, Colorado Joint Budget Committee discusses Medicaid spending concerns, Delaware Legislature sees legislation to weaken state hospital oversight board, Federal Court in Florida rules the state violated constitutional rights of residents dropped from Medicaid, Georgia study committee releases report on cancer care, Maryland Governor introduces legislation to establish state vaccine authority, Mississippi House committee passes CON reform bill, New Jersey enacts bill banning copay accumulators, North Carolina trial court upholds constitutionality of state’s CON law, Utah initiates pilot program to begin prescribing medication renewals, and Wyoming Supreme Court strikes down abortion ban.

In this week’s update: Bipartisan coalition targets misleading AI-generated weight-loss advertisements, District Court orders $1 billion in school mental health grants to be reinstated, Connecticut to help offset loss of ACA tax credits for consumers, Illinois legalizes medical aid in dying, Louisiana reverses Medicaid contract terminations, Nebraska set to become one of first states to implement new Medicaid work requirements, New York Governor announces intent to sign medical aid in dying legislation, and Texas and Florida file lawsuit challenging abortion drug access.

In this week’s update: CDC vaccine committee overturns Hepatitis B recommendation for newborns, CMS issues guidance on community engagement requirements for Medicaid expansion states, Colorado prepares implementation of new behavioral health services utilization review requirements, Florida Speaker proposes new healthcare reform measures, Indiana Appeals Court blocks releases of individual abortion reports, Michigan enacts bills lowing healthcare costs for National Guard members and their families, Mississippi Attorney General issues recommendations on opioid settlement funds, Mississippi Senate study group issues healthcare recommendations for women and children, New York enacts bill requiring hospitals to implement language assistance programs, North Carolina Governor to halt Medicaid rate cuts, and North Carolina Trial Court upholds constitutionality of CON laws in the state.

In this week’s update: Federal Court issues preliminary injunction on effort to prohibit Medicaid funding be directed to Planned Parenthood, Florida Department of Health to hold stakeholder meeting on school immunization requirements, Idaho releases managed care transition RFI, Massachusetts Governor signs FY25 supplemental budget with healthcare implications, Nevada Governor signs special session healthcare bill into law, New Mexico solicits input to improve behavioral health services, North Dakota Supreme Court decision renders abortion care illegal, Washington Insurance Commissioner releases 2026 legislative priorities, Washington AI Task Force releases new interim report, West Virginia Board of Education reinstates school vaccination mandate, and Wisconsin Governor vetoes bill prohibiting state funds for healthcare of undocumented immigrants.

In this week’s update: Florida Senate committee advances measure mandating Medicaid MCOs ensure more after hour care access, Maryland PDAB takes next steps to set UPLs, Nebraska submits 1115 SUD demonstration amendment request, New York provides $6 million for behavioral health crisis response teams, South Carolina Senate committee fails to advance restrictive abortion measure, South Carolina Medicaid to stop covering GLP-1s for obesity, and Wisconsin Senate advances bill prohibiting use of state funds for healthcare services for undocumented immigrants.

In this week’s update: CMS issues preliminary guidance on provider tax sections from OBBA, Connecticut Legislature passes children’s behavioral health efforts, Michigan issues grant funding opportunity for behavioral crisis response initiatives, Maryland task force releases report on decriminalizing natural psychedelics, North Carolina Medicaid cuts to ABA providers are temporarily halted, Oklahoma federal district judge issues preliminary injunction on 2025 340B reform law, and Pennsylvania Governor signs FY25-26 Budget into law.

In this week’s update: All 50 states apply for the Rural Health Transformation Program, SNAP will be partially funded, NASHP to hold webinar on site-neutral payment model legislation, Arizona Governor launches prescription drug discount card program, Challenge filed to Colorado PDAB’s UPL, New York issues first ever report on maternal mental health, North Carolina Governor calls special session to fund Medicaid, Pennsylvania state court hears arguments in Medicaid covered abortion care case, Texas voters pass Proposition 14 to fund Dementia Initiative, and New York judge dismisses Texas challenge to shield law.

In this week’s update: ACA premiums to increase dramatically; California estimates 1.2 million will lose Medi-Cal coverage; Illinois passes measure to require hospitals to have a plan to deal with ICE; Oklahoma’s hospital pricing transparency law goes into effect; Pennsylvania mandates immunization coverage; and West Virginia may be allowed to use public nuisance laws against opioid distributors.

In this week’s update: CMS announces another round of funding for the Innovation in Behavioral Health Model; the USDA notifies states that SNAP funding is suspended due to the federal government closure; Kentucky holds a hearing on fluoride; Massachusetts considers prior authorization reform; a Michigan court allows the DHHS to rebid its prepaid inpatient health plans; and Wyoming considers maternity care shortages.

In this week’s update: Fifteen governors launch the Governors Public Health Alliance, NASHP releases new model law on site neutrality, California Governor signs PBM licensure bill into law, Governor signs CARE Court expansion into law, California to begin selling insulin under its own label, Florida analysis finds notable disenrollment from KidCare program, Florida Auditor General criticizes DBPR for lack of wholesaler and manufacturer monitoring, Mississippi study committee explores health insurance solutions, and North Carolina Governor offers update on medical debt relief program.

In this week’s update: SCOTUS hears oral arguments on conversion therapy case, California Governor signs prior authorization and corporate practice of medicine bills into law, New Maine healthcare commission to focus on healthcare transactions, Federal Court dismissed a challenge to Michigan’s 2022 constitutional amendment that protects abortion care, New Hampshire issues its Rural Health Transformation Plan, New York Drug Utilization Review Board recommends pausing Medicaid coverage of Duchenne drug, Ohio House committees holds hearings on reproductive healthcare legislation, and Pennsylvania lawmakers introduce legislation to regulate AI in healthcare.

In this week’s update: CMS issues guidance for emergency services payments in care for undocumented immigrants, Colorado Governor reinstates prior authorization requirements for behavioral health services, Colorado PDAB approves first ever UPL, Idaho DOGE Task Force extends consideration of Medicaid expansion repeal, Maryland PDAB initiates process to approve UPLs for two drugs, Michigan legislature enrolls budget that sustains healthcare spending, New Mexico special session addresses healthcare, and North Dakota Medicaid program submits SPA to cover services rendered by community health workers and community paramedics.

In this week’s update: California Governor signs bill prohibiting ICE in hospitals, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration requests additional funds for drug importation program and other expenses in FY 2025 - 2026, Florida Medicaid expansion ballot initiative delayed until 2028, Florida dental therapists poised to make play in 2026, Georgia Pathways to Coverage program receives two year extension, Kansas special committee hears about implications of 340B program, Federal Court in Maine denies preliminary injunction request in 340B litigation, Missouri ballot summary for an anti-abortion constitutional amendment is ordered to be rewritten, North Carolina legislature adjourns without Medicaid budget agreement, and North Dakota forms an interim committee to help formulate state application for the Rural Transformation Program.

In this week’s update: New StateVitals COVID-19 vaccine state guidance tracker published, CMS releases application information on Rural Transformation Program, West Coast Health Alliance issues winter virus vaccination recommendations, NASHP annual conference concludes in San Diego, Florida Surgeon General highlights goal of banning mRNA COVID vaccines, GAO releases report on Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage program, Illinois releases Medicaid managed care RFP, Massachusetts House Committee passes supplemental budget to support hospitals, Michigan House passes legislation to define medical decision-making responsibilities, and Washington AI task force considers prior authorization recommendation.

In this week’s update: HHS releases MAHA report on childhood chronic disease, CMS issues preliminary guidance on state directed payment programs, California enrolls healthcare bills before the end of session, Preliminary injunction in Mississippi 340B reform litigation denied, Nebraska opts to fund statewide drug disposal program, South Carolina prepares for bill hearing to consider total abortion ban, and multiple states issue new standing orders or guidance on COVID-19 vaccines.

In this week’s update: NASHP’s Annual Conference begins Monday, FDA guidance on COVID-19 vaccines causes issues in some states, Pacific states form a vaccine alliance, Texas and Florida join effort to ban abortion medication, Florida Surgeon General ends state vaccine mandates while the Governor creates a MAHA commission, Ohio Medicaid must recalculate payments to nursing homes, TennCare will cover obesity medications, and Texas bans abortion medications from being mailed into the state.

In this week’s update: HHS releases MAHA tracker, Alaska Medical Board considers proposed rule regarding gender affirming care, California Governor vetoes housing and behavioral health legislation, Colorado Governor freezes provider reimbursement rates as part of $103 million in cuts to the current fiscal year’s budget, Idaho DOGE panel to explore Medicaid expansion repeal, Louisiana releases Medicaid Dental Benefit RFI, North Carolina CON legal battles continues, and Federal Court finds Oregon 2018 drug pricing transparency law can be implemented.

In this week’s update: CMS announces initiative to disenroll noncitizens from Medicaid, Covered California announces average health insurance premium increase of 10.3 percent, Colorado General Assembly enrolls bill to reimburse Planned Parenthood with state Medicaid funds, Florida expecting a Medicaid budget shortfall in new fiscal year, Georgia Insurance Commissioner to penalize health insurers for mental health parity violations, Idaho Medicaid providers to see a four percent cut, Iowa Governor confirms Medicaid work requirement are to be implemented in January 2026, Kentucky Governor makes Designer Xanax a Schedule I controlled substance, New Hampshire expands Right to Try law, and New Mexico interim committee hears research on prior authorization and provider administrative burden.

In this week’s update: Federal appeals court upholds 2021 Arkansas law banning gender affirming care for minors, Indiana set to adjust Medicaid spending assumptions moving forward, Indiana state court of appeals upholds 2022 abortion ban, Louisiana audit finds Medicaid benefits paid out to deceased individuals, New Jersey enacts safeguards for accessing substance use treatment, New York adopts certificate of need regulatory changes, North Carolina Medicaid agency issues new provider cuts in response the General Assembly’s stopgap budget, Ohio to consider GLP-1 out of pocket costs for state employees, and Oregon to delay implementation of 1115 Medicaid re-entry program.