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We believe the FCC is very near to formally eliminating the 39% national television ownership cap, with the final rule now at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the OMB. The agency…

With only a handful of state legislatures still in session and most adjourned for the year, our review of state efforts to expand oversight of or impose restrictions on material changes in hospitals and healthcare…

The House and Senate are both in session this week, as the pre-August calendar is becoming the biggest obstacle for several Republican priorities that need to be worked out. We continue to believe the Digital…

CMS informed Medicare Advantage (MA) insurers [HUM, UNH, CVS, ELV, CNC, ALHC, MOH, CLOV] that it is voluntarily recalculating their CY26 Star Ratings, which determine CY27 Quality Bonus Payments (QBP). Under the agency’s approach, released…

We remain skeptical that Congress will pass comprehensive federal AI legislation this year or likely next year, leaving companies to navigate a state-by-state regulatory patchwork since no current federal law exists that broadly preempts state…

Yesterday’s disclosure by the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) that it is reviewing a finalized Medicare Part D Most Favored Nation (MFN) policy suggests the administration likely intends to move forward with its late…

CMS’s draft coverage policy for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) appears largely consistent with our initial expectations, likely bringing some incremental upside as well. If finalized largely as proposed in Sept., as seems probable, we…

Last week’s ACA-related court ruling permanently, which enjoined key portions of the CY25 Obamacare regulation, may initially reassure insurers [OSCR, CNC, ELV] and hospitals [HCA, THC, CYH, UHS, ARDT] about certain enrollment-related program integrity headwinds….

We see three Washington policy-related risks that are likely to generate headline risk, including: A tentative U.S.-Iran agreement that will probably be extended beyond the 60-day timeframe and should hold at least through the midterm…

The Senate is in session, and the House is out this week, which matters because the calendar is becoming the biggest obstacle for several Republican and industry-backed priorities that still need meaningful floor time before…