Reflecting on Key Policy Developments from 2025 and Looking Forward to 2026  

Welcome to the end of year edition of Health Policy News! In this issue, we review key health policy developments from 2025 and what we’ll be watching in 2026. And, don’t miss our feature on state Rural Health Transformation Program applications below! 

2025 Year in Review 

Throughout 2025, our health policy SME’s reflected a mix of legislative and regulatory changes. At the Federal level, proposals such as H.R. 1 introduced changes to the coverage landscape, while states continued to explore opportunities through waivers and the Rural Health Transformation Program, as well as innovations closer to home. Funding freezes and constraints added complexity, shaping priorities for both policymakers and stakeholders. 

Our monthly editions also featured updates from emergency medical services through a partnership with PCG’s Fire & EMS blog, offering perspectives on workforce challenges, resource allocation, and evolving service delivery models. 

In case you missed any of these articles when they were originally released, included below are links to our most-read posts from 2025:    

• Improving Health Outcomes Through Access to Home Blood Pressure Monitoring 

• Understanding the True Cost of EMS: Why Accurate Data Matters More Than Ever 

• State of the States: Medicaid Work Requirements 

• Medicaid Reimbursement Shifts, Rural Health Transformation, and What EMS Agencies Need to Know 

• One Month In: How the Government Shut Down is Impacting Access to Health Care 

• Understanding the Health Policy Impact of the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA): PCG Summaries of Medicaid & Marketplace Related Provisions 

• CMS Released Long Awaited Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural Health Transformation Program 

• Recording : Strategic Planning for Success: The Vital Role of Behavioral Health Assessments 

Key Themes from 2025 and Predictions for 2026   

Click here for a more in-depth analysis of key developments in 2025 and predictions from our subject matter experts for 2026 – including related to Medicaid policy, the commercial coverage market, H.R. 1, Community Engagement Requirements, rural health, Section 1332 Waivers, EMS topics, and more.  

Rural Health Transformation Applications Pending- Decisions Expected End of Month

 As a part of our 2026 predictions, our SME’s highlight recent developments in implementation of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program. Applications were submitted to CMS in early November 2025 making this an exciting time for states. To support policymakers, PCG has compiled a summary of all publicly available applications, outlining key rural health policy initiatives, performance metrics, and state-based approaches to transformative rural health care delivery.  To read more, click here. 

Access the full summary here: Rural Health Transformation Program:  Summary of State Applications 

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