The News
Daily coverage of the developments shaping health and human services. From policy shifts to program innovations, reports on trends-shaping mental health, addiction treatment, child and family services, autism and I/DD, disability support and long-term care, social services, corrections, juvenile justice, chronic disease management, health care systems, and more-helping leaders make timely, informed decisions.
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18 Health Plans Score 5 Stars On NCQA’s 2026 Health Plan Ratings, Up From 11 In 2025
October 4, 2026Eighteen health plans received a 5-star rating in the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) 2026 Health Plan Ratings, up 64% from 11 plans in 2025 and five plans in 2024. Another 53 plans received 4.5 stars. The 18 top-rated… -
CMS Renews D.C. Medicaid Waiver Through 2031, Adds Coverage Of Pre-Release Services
October 4, 2026The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved a five-year renewal of the District of Columbia’s Whole-Person Care Transformation Section 1115 demonstration, continuing federal Medicaid funding for covered services provided to beneficiaries with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or serious… -
Oregon Opens 12-Bed Youth Secure Inpatient Facility, Increasing State Capacity To 44 Beds
October 4, 2026The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) opened a new 12-bed secure inpatient treatment facility for youth ages 10 to 17 in Eugene. The facility, serving youth who have received treatment at lower levels of care and need more intensive services and… -
70% Of Health Care Workers Under Age 30 Expect To Look For A New Role Within The Next Year
October 4, 2026About 70% of health care workers under age 30 expect to look for a new role within the next year, while 59% of direct care workers across all age groups said they were likely to look at job openings, interview,… -
37 States Join CMS Initiative To Shift Medicaid Quality Measurement Toward Health Outcomes
October 4, 2026Thirty-seven states have joined a new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiative – Investing in Health Outcomes – to shift Medicaid quality measurement toward health outcomes and away from a reliance on process and utilization measures. Through the… -
Seven States Receive Top Grade For Involuntary Treatment Laws From Treatment Advocacy Center
October 4, 2026Seven of 51 U.S. jurisdictions received an A for their involuntary psychiatric treatment laws from the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC). Eleven received a D or F. The seven jurisdictions receiving an A, with scores of 90 or higher, were Kentucky… -
Take-Home Methadone Associated With Lower Mortality & Treatment Discontinuation
October 4, 2026Initiating take-home methadone was associated with lower all-cause mortality and treatment discontinuation compared with requiring daily visits for methadone dosing. Among prevalent new users, starting take-home methadone within five to 12 weeks after induction was associated with the largest reduction… -
Massachusetts Medicaid Seeks 1115 Waiver Extension Adding Hospital Incentives & Global Budgeting
October 4, 2026Massachusetts is seeking a five-year extension of its Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration that would continue the state’s accountable care organization (ACO) model while introducing new hospital incentives and an optional global budget payment model. The proposed extension would run from… -
Federal Court Ends 14 Years Of Oversight Of North Carolina Community-Based Services For People With Serious Mental Illness
October 4, 2026A federal court ended nearly 14 years of oversight of North Carolina’s community-based housing and support system for adults with serious mental illness on September 14, 2026. The court terminated the state’s Transition to Community Living (TCL) settlement agreement after… -
Nebraska Medicaid Changes ABA Billing & Prior Authorization Requirements
October 4, 2026Nebraska Medicaid changed its applied behavior analysis (ABA) coverage and billing requirements effective July 1, 2026. The changes include prohibiting independent ABA provider organizations and clinical professionals from billing Medicaid directly for services delivered in school settings. The state also reduced…
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