Voluntary Prior Authorization Reform Initiative
In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new industry-wide initiative to streamline prior authorization processes. Led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, the roundtable brought together executives from major payers to formalize a set of voluntary commitments aimed at improving access to care and reducing administrative burden.
The effort is intended to advance value-based care goals by promoting interoperability, increasing process transparency, and reducing avoidable delays that contribute to inefficiencies and unnecessary costs across the healthcare continuum.
HHS Reconstitutes CDC’s Vaccine Advisory Committee
On June 9, 2025, HHS removed all members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee (ACIP), citing the need to restore public trust and eliminate conflicts of interest. Learn what this change could mean for healthcare payers, providers, and immunization policy in the U.S.
Enhanced Federal Initiatives Advance Healthcare Price Transparency
Federal agencies have amplified efforts to enforce healthcare price transparency, introducing stringent guidelines and escalating penalties to ensure compliance. These regulatory updates affect hospitals, insurers, and employers nationwide and demand immediate attention and action to remain compliant.
FDA Approves First At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Kit
The FDA has approved the first at-home cervical cancer screening kit, the Teal Wand™, offering a self-administered alternative to Pap smears.
OpenAI Launches HealthBench
OpenAI has introduced HealthBench, a groundbreaking benchmark designed to assess the performance and safety of AI systems in healthcare settings.
Major Public Health Policy Updates for 2025
Health Policy in 2025: Key Updates Impacting Payers and Administrators At A Glance A series of pivotal health policy shifts in early 2025 are reshaping the healthcare landscape, bringing notable implications for payers, health plans, and healthcare administrators. Medicare introduced historic caps on prescription drug costs and is intensifying its scrutiny of private Medicare Advantage […]
FDA Approves Google Pixel Watch 3 for Pulse Detection
The FDA has approved Google’s Pixel Watch 3 for loss-of-pulse detection, marking a major step in wearable health tech.
Executive Order on Price Transparency Act
On February 25, 2025, the Trump administration announced an Executive Order focused on enhancing price transparency in healthcare, a critical step toward empowering patients with clear and actionable pricing information. This initiative is expected to foster competition among providers and payers, ultimately aiming to reduce healthcare costs and improve patient access to care.
Could AI Prescribe Medications? H.R. 238
Could AI soon prescribe medications? H.R. 238 raises crucial questions about the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare decision-making.
