HHS Names Its Executive Performance Watchdogs

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.

2026-15652, Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2027 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2027. As required by statute, this final rule includes the classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's (PPS) case-mix groups and a description of the methodologies and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for FY 2027. It also finalizes the third and final of the 3-year phaseout of the rural adjustment, which began in FY 2025. This final rule includes a solicitation for public comments on alternative data sources for the IRF PPS wage index; requires all therapy treatments and/or therapy evaluations to begin no later than 36 hours from midnight on the day of admission; finalizes requirements for the initial Interdisciplinary Team meeting to occur on or before 4 days from the date the patient is admitted; and summarizes a request for information on potential future IRF PPS payment reform. Additionally, this final rule includes updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program and changes to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program.

2026-15562, Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2027

Starting October 1, 2026, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) will see updated payment rates and new rules for how Medicare pays them. The Quality Reporting and Value-Based Purchasing programs are also getting tweaks to help improve care. These changes affect SNFs nationwide and could impact how much money they get and how they report quality data.

Previous: 2025-20730, Combined Notice of Filings

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission got new filings from several natural gas companies about their rates and operations. These filings could lead to changes in how much customers pay or how services run, with important comment deadlines coming up in early to mid-December 2025. If you use or work with natural gas pipelines, keep an eye on these updates—they might affect your bills or contracts soon!

Next: 2025-20733, Acetone From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024

The U.S. Department of Commerce reviewed acetone imports from Korea and found that Kumho P&B Chemicals didn’t sell their acetone at unfairly low prices during March 2023 to February 2024. This means no extra duties will be charged, keeping things fair and steady for importers and buyers. The final decision kicks in on November 24, 2025, after some government delays pushed deadlines back.