BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Civibrief//Brief deadlines//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Health Care Costs deadlines ยท Civibrief BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22750:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260104 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Calendar Year 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment S ystem (HH PPS) Rate Update; Requirements for the HH Quality Reporting Pro gram and the Expanded HH Value-Based Purchasing Model; Medicare Provider Enrollment\, Durable Medical Equipment (DME)\, and DME\, Prosthetics\, Or thotics\, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Policies DESCRIPTION:This final rule sets forth routine updates to the Medicare hom e health payment rates in accordance with existing statutory and regulato ry requirements. In addition\, this final rule discusses the behavior adj ustments and finalizes a temporary behavior adjustment. It also finalizes the recalibrated case-mix weights and updated functional impairment leve ls; comorbidity subgroups; and low-utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) thresholds for CY 2027. Additionally\, this final rule discusses and resp onds to comments on the provision of home health palliative care services and includes a summary of comments received on the request for informati on (RFI) on a home health specific wage index included in the proposed ru le. This rule also finalizes changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and summarizes potential initiatives to improve alignme nt between the HH QRP and expanded Home Health Value- Based Purchasing (H HVBP) Model. Lastly\, the rule clarifies the application of the DMEPOS fa ce-to- face encounter requirements for the replacement of DMEPOS items; m akes changes to the provider and supplier enrollment requirements; makes changes to implement a DME benefit expansion for infusion pumps and drugs ; and discusses collection of information requirement changes regarding t he DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) country of origin.\nRecord: h ttps://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22750 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22750 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-19535:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261123 SUMMARY:Comments close: Request for Information; Medicare Part D Reasonabl e and Relevant Pharmacy Contracting Standards DESCRIPTION:This request for information (RFI) solicits input from interes ted parties for purposes of establishing standards for reasonable and rel evant pharmacy contract terms and conditions under the Medicare prescript ion drug benefit. Section 6223(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act\ , 2026 (CAA\, 2026) amends section 1860D- 4(b)(1)(A) of the Social Securi ty Act (the Act) to require Part D plan sponsors to permit any pharmacy t hat meets standard contract terms and conditions under the plan to partic ipate as a network pharmacy of the plan. Section 6223(a) of the CAA\, 202 6 further requires that\, notwithstanding any other provision of law\, fo r plan years beginning January 1\, 2029\, such standard contract terms an d conditions offered by Part D plan sponsors must be reasonable and relev ant according to standards established by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Finally\, section 6223(a) of the CAA\, 202 6 requires the Secretary to issue this RFI for purposes of establishing s uch standards.\nComment: http://www.regulations.gov/commenton/CMS-2026-30 37-0001\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-19535 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-19535 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-21891:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261127 SUMMARY:Comments close: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act\, Excha nge Pre-Eligibility Verification DESCRIPTION:This proposed rule would implement new requirements specified under the Working Families Tax Cut (WFTC) legislation related to Exchange eligibility and verification. This proposed rule contains related update s to provisions affecting inconsistency periods\, inconsistency verificat ion procedures\, annual eligibility redeterminations and eligibility rede terminations during the plan year\, as well as expanding enrollment metho ds during the verification process and establishing new coverage effectiv e dates.\nComment: http://www.regulations.gov/commenton/CMS-2026-3367-000 2\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-21891 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-21891 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22015:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261130 SUMMARY:Comments close: Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program DESCRIPTION:In accordance with subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 19 74\, as amended\, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)\, Cen ters for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)\, is providing notice of a co mputer matching program between CMS and participating State-Based Adminis tering Entities (AEs)\, titled "Determining Eligibility for Enrollment in Applicable State Health Subsidy Programs Under the Patient Protection an d Affordable Care Act". The matching program supports eligibility determi nations for enrollment in applicable State health subsidy programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)\, including Qualif ied Health Plans (QHPs)\, Medicaid\, the Children's Health Insurance Prog ram (CHIP)\, and Basic Health Programs (BHPs). The matching program also supports implementation of statutory requirements concerning Medicaid com munity engagement and the prevention of concurrent Medicaid enrollment in more than one State through the Multi-State Enrollment Prevention (MSEP) system.\nComment: http://www.regulations.gov/commenton/CMS_FRDOC_0001-44 75\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22015 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22015 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-20281:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261130 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model DESCRIPTION:This final rule implements the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing Model (GLOBE Model)\, a new mandatory Medicare payment model under section 1115A of the Social Security Act. The GLOBE Model will tes t whether a payment model that uses an alternative method for calculating Medicare Part B drug inflation rebate amounts for certain separately pay able Medicare Part B drugs and biological products reduces costs for Orig inal Medicare (OM) beneficiaries and the Medicare program while preservin g quality of care. The term OM has the same meaning as Medicare fee-for-s ervice and the traditional Medicare program.\nRecord: https://civibrief.c om/actions/frl-2026-20281 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-20281 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22792:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261205 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program DESCRIPTION:This rule finalizes and codifies the Medicare Drug Price Negot iation Program ("Negotiation Program") and establishes certain new polici es for the Negotiation Program and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program ("Part D Program") as required by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This final rule also finalizes a proposed policy for specific fixe d combination drugs that are new formulations.\nRecord: https://civibrief .com/actions/frl-2026-22792 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22792 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-20447:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261207 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Transparency in Coverage DESCRIPTION:These final rules set forth requirements that amend the regula tions under the Public Health Service Act\, the Employee Retirement Incom e Security Act of 1974\, and the Internal Revenue Code regarding price tr ansparency reporting requirements for non- grandfathered group health pla ns and health insurance issuers offering non-grandfathered group and indi vidual health insurance coverage. Specifically\, these final rules are in tended to improve the standardization\, accuracy\, and accessibility of p ublic pricing disclosures in line with the goals of Executive Order 14221 \, "Making America Healthy Again by Empowering Patients With Clear\, Accu rate\, and Actionable Healthcare Pricing Information." With respect to th e In- network Rate and out-of-network Allowed Amount machine-readable fil es\, these final rules aim to achieve these goals by adding new contextua l files and additional data elements like product type\, provider network name\, and provider network identifier; changing the reporting level for aggregation of data; removing in-network rates for unlikely provider- to -service mappings; increasing the reporting period and lowering the claim s threshold for out-of-network historical data; and reducing the reportin g cadence. These final rules also aim to improve the findability of all p ublicly disclosed machine-readable files required under the Transparency in Coverage rules\, including the prescription drug file\, by requiring a text file containing contact information for the files\, and a footer wi th website URLs. These final rules also require pricing information that is made available through an online consumer tool and on paper (upon requ est)\, to also be made available by phone\, and establish that the satisf action of such requirement also satisfies the requirements of section 114 of the No Surprises Act (including for grandfathered group health plans and health insurance issuers offering grandfathered group and individual health insurance coverage that are not otherwise subject to these final r ules).\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-20447 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-20447 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22944:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261210 SUMMARY:Comments close: Modification to Work Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults DESCRIPTION:The proposed rule would codify USDA's regulatory implementatio n of provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBB) changing the three-month time limit for certain participants subject to work requ irements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These c hanges include modifying the list of exceptions from the time limit for c ertain populations; updating requirements for areas to qualify for waiver s of the time limit; and adding the temporary good faith exemptions in Al aska and Hawaii. Additionally\, this rule proposes to strengthen requirem ents for requesting waivers of the time limit and revise the SNAP definit ion of a homeless individual.\nComment: http://www.regulations.gov/commen ton/FNA-2026-0628-0001\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22 944 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22944 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-23003:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261214 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Housing and Community Development Act of 1980: Verif ication of Eligible Status DESCRIPTION:This final rule revises HUD's Section 214 regulations to requi re the verification of U.S. citizenship or the eligible immigration statu s of all applicants and recipients of assistance under a covered program regardless of age. The rule will also make prorated assistance a temporar y condition pending verification of eligible status of all family members \, where permitted by statute\, as opposed to under HUD's current regulat ions where prorated assistance could continue indefinitely. These amendme nts bring HUD's regulations into greater alignment with the wording and p urpose of Section 214 and align with the current Administration's priorit ies and regulatory reform efforts.\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions /frl-2026-23003 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-23003 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-21420:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261215 SUMMARY:Comments close: Medicare Program; Implementation of Sections 6219\ , 6220\, and 6224 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act\, 2026 DESCRIPTION:This proposed rule would implement section 6219 (Adjustments t o Medicare Part D Cost-Sharing Reductions for Low-Income Individuals)\, s ection 6220 (Requiring Enhanced and Accurate Lists of (REAL) Health Provi ders Act)\, and section 6224 (Modernizing and Ensuring Pharmacy Benefit M anager Accountability) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act\, 2026.\nCo mment: http://www.regulations.gov/commenton/CMS-2026-3533-0002\nRecord: h ttps://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-21420 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-21420 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22743:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270101 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2027 Payment Poli cies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; and Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program DESCRIPTION:This final rule addresses: changes to the physician fee schedu le (PFS); other changes to Medicare Part B payment policies to ensure tha t payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice\, re lative value of services\, and changes in the statute; codification of es tablishment of new policies for: the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; limiting Medic are coverage of certain individuals; the Ambulatory Specialty Model; upda tes to drugs and biological products paid under Part B; Medicare Shared S avings Program requirements; updates to the Quality Payment Program; upda tes to policies for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health C enters; update to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act\, 2026 p rovisions; updates to Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule regulations; updat es to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program.\nRecord: https://c ivibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22743 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22743 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22739:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270101 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Pa yment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems; and Quality Reporti ng Programs; including the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Program; Request for Information o n Strengthening the Standardization and Comparability of Hospital Price T ransparency (HPT) Data; Prior Authorization; Accrediting Organization (AO ) Deeming for Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA); and Not ices of Closure of Teaching Hospitals and Opportunities To Apply for Avai lable Slots DESCRIPTION:This final rule with comment period revises the Medicare Hospi tal Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulat ory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2027 based on our continuing experience with these systems. We also describe the change s to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medi care services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment sy stems. In addition\, this final rule with comment period updates and refi nes the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Progra m and the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program. There are no changes to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program. We finalized the expansion of the prior authorization requirement to includ e additional Botulinum Toxin Injection services. We also finalized implem entation of certain provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act\, 2 026\, for off-campus outpatient departments of a provider. In addition\, this final rule with comment period announces notices of closure of teach ing hospitals and opportunities to apply for available slots. Additionall y\, we finalized the policy that hospital accrediting organizations (AOs) with deeming authority may assess compliance with certain Emergency Medi cal Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) administrative requirements under 42 CFR 489.20 during accreditation and reaccreditation surveys.\nRecord: ht tps://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22739 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22739 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22194:effective@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270101 SUMMARY:Takes effect: Medicare Program; CY 2027 Changes to the End-Stage R enal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System\, Acute Kidney Injury (AKI ) Dialysis Payment\, and ESRD Quality Incentive Program DESCRIPTION:This final rule updates and revises the End-Stage Renal Diseas e (ESRD) Prospective Payment System for calendar year 2027. This rule als o includes updates to the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnis hed by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury. In addit ion\, this rule updates the requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive P rogram.\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22194 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22194 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22739:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270104 SUMMARY:Comments close: Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems; and Quality Repor ting Programs; including the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Progra m and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Program; Request for Information on Strengthening the Standardization and Comparability of Hospital Price Transparency (HPT) Data; Prior Authorization; Accrediting Organization ( AO) Deeming for Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA); and N otices of Closure of Teaching Hospitals and Opportunities To Apply for Av ailable Slots DESCRIPTION:This final rule with comment period revises the Medicare Hospi tal Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulat ory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2027 based on our continuing experience with these systems. We also describe the change s to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medi care services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment sy stems. In addition\, this final rule with comment period updates and refi nes the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Progra m and the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program. There are no changes to the Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program. We finalized the expansion of the prior authorization requirement to includ e additional Botulinum Toxin Injection services. We also finalized implem entation of certain provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act\, 2 026\, for off-campus outpatient departments of a provider. In addition\, this final rule with comment period announces notices of closure of teach ing hospitals and opportunities to apply for available slots. Additionall y\, we finalized the policy that hospital accrediting organizations (AOs) with deeming authority may assess compliance with certain Emergency Medi cal Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) administrative requirements under 42 CFR 489.20 during accreditation and reaccreditation surveys.\nComment: h ttp://www.regulations.gov/commenton/CMS-2026-2344-2189\nRecord: https://c ivibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22739 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22739 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22812:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270111 SUMMARY:Comments close: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Cutting Administra tive Requirements for Excellence in Patient Care DESCRIPTION:This proposed rule would reform Medicare and Medicaid regulati ons deemed obsolete or excessively burdensome on healthcare providers and suppliers\, with the objective of reducing costs\, enhancing flexibility in delivering innovative care\, and streamlining existing regulations. T his reform seeks to enable healthcare professionals to devote more resour ces to improving patient care by eliminating or minimizing requirements t hat impede quality patient care or that divert resources away from furnis hing high quality patient care.\nComment: http://www.regulations.gov/comm enton/CMS-2026-3631-0001\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026- 22812 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22812 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22903:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270111 SUMMARY:Comments close: Unemployment Insurance Program National Minimum We ekly Work Search Requirements DESCRIPTION:The U.S. Department of Labor (Department)\, through the Employ ment and Training Administration (ETA)\, is proposing to amend 20 CFR par t 604 both to reflect a 2012 update in Federal law in which Congress\, by amending section 303(a) of the Social Security Act (SSA)\, established a Federal work search requirement; and to establish a national minimum wee kly work search requirement standard for the Federal-State unemployment c ompensation (UC) program. This proposed rule would mandate\, among other things\, that States require individuals claiming UC to complete at least five qualifying work search activities or\, where applicable\, meet Stat e-adopted points-based system requirements amounting to five qualifying a ctivities or satisfy equivalent labor force attachment criteria\, each we ek for which UC is claimed; that individuals report their work search act ivities as part of their certification process prior to payment being iss ued; and that State law allow for certain qualifying work search activiti es beyond simply employer contacts. This action is necessary to reduce in consistencies beyond those created by local labor markets in State- level requirements for individuals to actively seek work. The intended effect is to hold States accountable for administering a UC program that provide s temporary wage replacement to eligible individuals while they are activ ely seeking work through a meaningful engagement with the labor market.\n Comment: http://www.regulations.gov/commenton/ETA-2026-0100-0001\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22903 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22903 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:act-frl-2026-22996:comments-close@civibrief.com DTSTAMP:20261114T183129Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270111 SUMMARY:Comments close: Patient-Level Data for Drugs and Biological Produc ts Submissions Containing Real-World Data and Real-World Evidence; Reques t for Information DESCRIPTION:The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency)\, is announci ng a request for information (RFI) from interested parties to share persp ectives on patient-level data access related to the use of real-world evi dence (RWE) in regulatory decision-making for drugs and biological produc t submissions. The purpose of this RFI is to solicit input from intereste d parties on innovative solutions to address the challenges in submitting patient-level data for real-world data (RWD) analyzed in clinical studie s included in a marketing application. Interested parties may include reg ulated industry\, health information technology (HIT) vendors\, academic medical centers\, electronic data capture vendors\, patient advocates\, a nd other interested parties.\nComment: http://www.regulations.gov/comment on/FDA-2026-N-10742-0001\nRecord: https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026- 22996 URL:https://civibrief.com/actions/frl-2026-22996 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR