CMS launched a new oversight initiative to ensure that all Medicaid and CHIP enrollees can prove that they are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or have a satisfactory immigration status.

CMS has begun to provide states with monthly enrollment reports identifying individuals whose citizenship or immigration status could not be confirmed through federal databases, such as the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.

In announcing the initiative, CMS stated, “States are responsible for reviewing cases, verifying the citizenship or immigration status of identified individuals, requesting additional documentation if needed, and taking appropriate actions when necessary, including adjusting coverage or enforcing non-citizen eligibility rules…. We expect states to take quick action and will monitor progress on a monthly basis.”

While this initiative does not explicitly impact CHCs, they may be asked (or want) to assist patients in proving their citizenship/ immigration status so that the patients do not lose Medicaid/CHIP eligibility.

As a result of the passage of HR 1, beginning on September 1, some SNAP recipients now must meet work requirements and report that they are meeting this requirement to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS).

Under these new federal rules, to keep or become eligible for SNAP benefits certain people will have to meet SNAP work requirements that include working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training program for at least 20 hours a week (or 80 hours each month) AND report that they are meeting these work requirements. If SNAP recipients are not meeting this requirement, they will be limited to three months of SNAP benefits for a three-year period.

These rules apply if the individual:

• Is between 18-54 years old;
• Does not have a dependent child under 18; and,
• Is considered physically and mentally able to work.

Pennsylvania no longer qualifies for waivers of these rules by county or municipal jurisdiction because of a change in the federal law. Certain people may be exempt from these requirements.

Learn more about SNAP work requirements exemptions and how you can let DHS know if you meet one.

Pittsburgh-area doctors are sounding the alarm on medetomidine, a veterinary tranquilizer that’s increasingly permeating street drugs like “flysky” in Western Pennsylvania. The drug continues to become more prevalent, and doctors say there are minimal clear treatment options for the severe withdrawal process.

Source: TribLIVE.com

State officials are considering whether to bring in outside help to reduce an error rate that could carry a stiff price tag due to a provision in the tax reconciliation bill approved by Congress in July. “For the first time ever, the [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] error rate will determine how much a state contributes to the cost of SNAP benefits — previously those benefits were 100% federally funded. The Congressional Republicans’ Budget Reconciliation Bill cuts federal funding to states for SNAP and requires states to pay for a portion of the cost of benefits based on its SNAP error rate if the rate is above six percent,” Ali Fogarty, a Department of Human Services spokeswoman, said in an email.

Source: State Affairs

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy awarded Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) grants to 19 organizations across 14 states to develop new, accredited rural physician residency programs, including rural track programs.

These residency programs are then sustained long-term through viable and stable funding mechanisms, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and other public or private funding sources. The largest federal source of funding for graduate medical education, Medicare paid an estimated $21.2 billion in FY2023, primarily to hospitals.  Training physicians in rural residency programs not only improves access to care in rural areas, but also increases the likelihood of graduates practicing in a rural community. The aim of this funding is to help rural communities address physician workforce shortages.

To date, HRSA has made 103 RRPD program awards across 36 states and one territory to develop rural residencies. As of August 1, 2025, 62 RRPD program recipients have created new rural residency programs for a total of 752 approved residency positions. Fifty-two of these residency programs have enrolled more than 660 resident physicians to train in rural areas.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are establishing the Healthcare Advisory Committee—a group of experts charged with delivering strategic recommendations directly to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to improve how care is financed and delivered across Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

“Every American high-quality, affordable care – without red tape, corporate greed, or excessive costs,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “This new advisory committee will unite the best minds in healthcare to help us deliver real results, hold the system accountable, and drive forward our mission to Make America Healthy Again.”

“This is a moment for action,” said CMS Administrator Oz. “This committee will help us cut waste, reduce paperwork, expand preventive care, and modernize CMS programs with real-time data and accountability, all while keeping patients at the center. We are calling on experts across the country to join us in this effort to help us Make America Healthy Again.”

Nomination Process

CMS is accepting nominations for advisory committee members. Individuals with expertise in chronic disease prevention and management, federally administered health care financing, and delivery system reform are encouraged to apply. Individuals may either self-nominate or be nominated by an organization. Nominations must be submitted within 30 days of the publication date in the Federal Register and members will be selected later this year.

Committee Deliverables

The advisory committee will focus on developing:

• Actionable policy initiatives to promote chronic disease prevention and management;
• Opportunities for a regulatory framework of accountability for safety and outcomes that reduce unnecessary red tape and allow providers to focus on improving patient health;
• Levers to advance a real-time data system, enabling a new standard of excellence in care, rapid claims processing, rapid quality measurement, and rewards;
• Structural opportunities to improve quality for the most vulnerable in the Medicaid program; and
• Sustainability of the Medicare Advantage program, identifying opportunities to modernize risk adjustment and quality measures to assess and improve health outcomes.

For more information or to submit nominations, visit the Federal Register Notice at: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-16136.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) revealed the 13 Appalachian colleges and universities selected to participate in our Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI) for 2025-26!

Since 2001, 30+ schools (and 3K+ students!) from across the region have participated in ACRI.

This program gives students the applied research tools they need to solve economic development challenges in their communities.

The full list of this year’s participating schools is online now.

H.R. 1 and the Final Marketplace Integrity Rule make significant changes regarding the eligibility of non-citizens to enroll in coverage with financial assistance or to qualify for coverage altogether.

Effective Aug. 25, 2025, the final rule changes the definition of lawfully present to once again exclude DACA recipients from coverage. Also, the final rule makes several immediate changes to the income verification process that will lead to more applicants needing to verify their income, while making the tax penalty for too much advance premium tax credit (APTC) much greater.

Consumers must submit additional income documentation if their projected income is above 100% federal poverty level (FPL), but trusted data sources indicate income is less than 100% FPL, or if there is no tax data to verify income. This is a change to the longstanding and current policy.