On Friday, July 3, 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") released its 2026 Regulatory Agenda. The Administration’s regulatory agenda serves as a public roadmap for how federal agencies intend to implement the President’s policy priorities through rulemaking, guidance, and deregulatory actions. Published through the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, it provides insight into the regulations agencies expect to propose, finalize, modify, or withdraw in the coming months.

Below are several Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS") rules included in the 2026 Regulatory Agenda that may be of interest to health plans and insurers:

• Final Rules:
  • Transparency in Coverage (expected July 2026)
  • Requirements Related to Advanced Explanation of Benefits and Other Provisions Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 (expected September 2026)
• Proposed Regulations:
  • Exchange Pre-Enrollment Eligibility Verification (expected July 2026)
  • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; State Innovation Waivers and Health Care Choice Compacts (expected July 2026)
  • Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance (expected August 2026)
  • Requirements Related to Air Ambulance Services, Agent and Broker Disclosures, and Provider Enforcement (expected September 2026)
  • Requirements Related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (expected December 2026)

The regulatory agenda is often an early indicator of future compliance requirements, enforcement priorities, and policy shifts. While agencies frequently adjust projected timelines, the regulatory agenda offers valuable insight into areas where CMS and other agencies are likely to focus regulatory and oversight efforts in the year ahead. More specifically, the agenda reflects agency planning and priorities, but does not create legal obligations or a guarantee that a rulemaking will occur on the projected timeline.