
Policy Digest — September 21, 2026
The White House moved toward a veto over NIH grants this week, and new records showed how hastily Medicare launched its AI prior-authorization pilot.

The White House moved toward a veto over NIH grants this week, and new records showed how hastily Medicare launched its AI prior-authorization pilot.

Medicare rewrote the coverage standard for TAVR this week and quietly opened a second one for aortic regurgitation.

Comment season closed on the 2027 payment rules and hospitals answered on every front at once, medical societies wrote their own vaccine schedule, and Edwards’ size-adjustable pulmonary valve reached its first American patient.

HHS opened a comment period on whether vaccines should still be routinely recommended, CMS put its RAPID device coverage pathway out for comment and paused TCET for new candidates, and No Surprises Act arbitration passed $22 billion in cost.

Trump narrowed the childhood vaccine schedule and ordered an MMR split, the Fifth Circuit voided the No Surprises payment benchmark, and new data showed insurers denying up to 18% of prior authorization requests.

CMS published its RAPID device coverage notice against a payment rule that already closed a different door, joint replacement bundles go mandatory nationwide, and the ACA marketplace enters 2027 renewal sicker, pricier and in court.
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