HHS Update: SNAP Limits, Care Model Launches, ACA Subsidy Cliff Looms

Welcome back to your weekly HHS update, listeners. This week, the biggest headline is HHS Secretary Rollins signing six new state waivers on December 10 to ban unhealthy foods from SNAP under the Make America Healthy Again initiative, targeting Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. As Rollins said, "President Trump has made it clear: we are restoring SNAP to its true purpose – nutrition," aiming to reverse chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Key developments include CMS launching the ACCESS Model on December 1, a voluntary 10-year program starting July 1, 2026, for tech-supported care in Original Medicare, focusing on conditions like hypertension and depression with outcome-based payments. They also finalized the 2026 Home Health rule, boosting payments 2.4% while tweaking quality reporting—dropping COVID vaccine measures and adding new surveys by April 2026. HHS released its AI Strategy on December 4 to transform operations, with FDA rolling out an agency-wide AI platform. Senate confirmations brought in leaders like Brian Christine as Assistant Secretary for Health and Alicia Jackson for ARPA-H. Meanwhile, enhanced ACA premium subsidies expire December 31—Senate Leader Thune pledges a vote next week amid GOP push for HSAs. For Americans, SNAP changes could cut junk food access, promoting healthier eating but challenging low-income families short-term. Businesses in home health gain from payment hikes, while Medicare patients get better chronic care options. States like those waived see flexibility in nutrition policy, easing local burdens. Nonprofits note charity exemptions in new PRWORA rules restricting benefits to citizens and qualified aliens since July. Experts at Holland & Knight highlight ACCESS as a game-changer for scalable care. Watch ACA subsidy deadlines and ACCESS rollout. Stay informed at HHS.gov. If you're affected by SNAP waivers, contact your state agency. Tune in next week, subscribe now, and thanks for listening. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.