HHS Bureaucracy Alert: Comment on Our Form-Filling Plans

2026-19493, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Temporary Moratoria on Certain Agent and Broker Registration To Participate in the Exchanges

Starting now, new agents and brokers without a 2026 registration can’t sign up to help people enroll in health insurance through federal exchanges for 2027. This pause helps stop fraud and protect your info while CMS improves safety rules. If you’re already registered or working with state exchanges, this doesn’t affect you.

2026-17622, Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Operations; Correction

This document corrects typographical errors and omissions in the final rule that appeared in the June 4, 2026, Federal Register titled "Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Operations" (referred to hereafter as the "IDR final rule"). The effective date of the IDR final rule was August 3, 2026.

2026-16414, Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System

This document withdraws a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on January 11, 2008. The proposed rule would have amended the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) regulations at 45 CFR 1355.40 and the appendices to Part 1355 to modify the requirements for States to collect and report data to ACF on children in out-of-home care and in subsidized adoption or guardianship arrangements with the State. This document also withdraws the provision of the 2008 proposed rule that implemented the AFCARS penalty requirements of the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-145).

2026-16296, Substances Generally Recognized as Safe

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is proposing to require the submission of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) notices for the use of a human or animal food substance purported to be GRAS under the conditions of its intended use under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).

2026-16134, Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs

This NPRM proposes to rescind and replace the Head Start Program Performance Standards (Performance Standards), last revised in 2024. The proposed Performance Standards would significantly reduce Federal bureaucratic burden on programs; defer to State policies wherever possible; return substantial local control to Head Start agencies delivering the services and to parents as the primary caregivers and decision-makers for their children; reduce unnecessary duplication of Head Start regulations with Federal statute and other regulations; and emphasize the critical role of health, nutrition, and physical exercise for young children.

2026-15686, Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements

This final rule updates the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for fiscal year 2027. This final rule also includes an analysis of Medicare non-hospice spending, including details regarding a hospice service and spending variation index, and finalizes the requirement that hospices provide the hospice election statement addendum to all Medicare beneficiaries at the time of hospice election. Additionally, this rule finalizes conforming changes to discharge from hospice care regulations and changes to the face-to-face encounter regulations. This final rule also includes a summary of comments received on our requests for information regarding community- based palliative care; the construction of a hospice specific wage index; and the overlap between hospice and medical aid in dying laws. Finally, this rule finalizes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program.

Previous: 2025-08419, Infant Formula Nutrient Requirements; Request for Information

The FDA wants your input to review and possibly update the nutrients in baby formula sold in the U.S. This affects formula makers, parents, and babies by aiming to keep formulas healthy and safe. The FDA is gathering info now to decide if changes are needed, so stay tuned for updates that could impact what’s in your baby’s bottle and when.

Next: 2025-08421, Spring Meeting of the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

The Advisory Committee for Atlantic Tuna conservation is meeting June 2-3, 2025, both online and in person. This meeting affects fishermen, seafood businesses, and ocean lovers by discussing new rules to protect tuna and keep fishing fair. No big money changes yet, but stay tuned for updates that could impact fishing seasons and limits.