The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) released new guidance on how hospitals should calculate the estimated allowed amount values for their online machine-readable files as part of the Hospital Price Transparency requirements. Whenever possible, hospitals should use electronic remittance data to determine the average dollar amount received over the last 12-month period. If there is no historic data, hospitals should use the expected payment amount, encoded as a dollar figure. Hospitals will no longer be able to use a code of nine number nines to signify that there was not sufficient historic data for that item or service over the last year.

CMS also seeks public input by July 21, 2025 to identify challenges and improve compliance and enforcement processes related to the reporting of complete, accurate, and meaningful pricing data by hospitals.

Pennsylvania just unveiled a game-changer for its 1.5 million unpaid caregivers: the PA CareKit. Launched by the Department of Aging, this new resource is packed with tailored guides, respite care connections, and essential tools designed to ease the burden on everyone from spouses to grandparents raising grandkids. As part of the state’s decade long “Aging Our Way, PA” initiative, the CareKit was shaped by caregivers themselves. With one in four Pennsylvanians already over 60, this couldn’t come at a better time. Free print kits will be available at libraries and senior centers, helping caregivers provide compassionate care without sacrificing their well-being.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Michael Cabell is appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as the USDA Rural Development State Director for the state of Pennsylvania. Director Cabell will implement President Trump’s America First agenda at USDA Rural Development, ensuring the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers remain a top priority.

“When America’s farming communities prosper, the entire nation thrives. This new group of USDA appointees will ensure President Trump’s America First agenda is a reality in rural areas across the country. I am grateful for the leadership of these new state directors and look forward to their work reorienting the agency to put Farmers First again,” said Secretary Rollins.

“I’m honored by the trust President Trump and Secretary Rollins have placed in me to lead USDA Rural Development in Pennsylvania,” said Cabell. “Our mission is simple but critical: to strengthen the backbone of America by investing in rural communities. Whether it’s expanding access to reliable infrastructure, supporting farmers and small businesses or improving quality of life, I will work relentlessly to ensure that the America First agenda delivers real results for the people who feed, build, and power this country.”

Michael Cabell brings a strong record of public service and private sector leadership to his role as State Director. He previously served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he worked on issues impacting infrastructure, economic growth, and education in rural communities. Before his legislative service, Michael co-founded a multi-site behavioral healthcare company that serves communities across Pennsylvania.

State Directors serve as the Chief Executive Officer of USDA Rural Development in the states and territories and are tasked with leading teams to carry out the mission of Rural Development to the benefit of all rural Americans. In conjunction with the guidance and support of the National Office, State Directors are responsible for advancing the key priorities and initiatives of the Presidential Administration, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development. State Directors also provide key leadership to foster a mission-driven, accountable, and high-performing workforce focused on operational excellence, public trust, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources.

To learn more about USDA Rural Development’s leadership and programs, view www.rd.usda.gov. For general inquiries, email RD.PA.General.Inquiries@usda.gov.

Work requirements are the big Medicaid change that people so far find most politically palatable, with a majority of adults supporting them, writes Axios’ Maya Goldman. Safety net programs like Medicaid are supposed to catch vulnerable Americans and keep them from falling further into poverty.

Source: Axios

Primary care could and should be at the center of any plan to Make America Healthy Again, said public health experts who shared their reactions to public testimony of the nation’s health leader. Primary care is vital for better health outcomes and cost reduction, yet the U.S. has not fully embraced it. Proposed budget cuts to Medicaid and primary care could reduce access, especially in rural areas, affecting public health.

Source: Medical Economics

New data from 20 state-based marketplaces (SBM) shows more than 7 million enrollees nationally for the 2025 Enrollment Period. Pennie, Pennsylvania’s Health Insurance Exchange, is included in those record-breaking enrollment numbers with nearly 500,000 enrollees. This increase is attributed to additional flexibilities in eligibility and lower costs from federal Enhanced Premium Tax Credits offered in 2021. SBMs consistently report affordability as the top concern prohibiting access to coverage going forward.

To maintain the gains in enrollment and coverage and keep premiums low, Congress must extend these Enhanced Premium Tax Credits before they expire at the end of 2025. If not, the amount Pennsylvanians pay would increase by 82% on average, with many paying double, triple, or quadruple as much per month.