October 17, 2025 • 4 mins
The big headline from the Department of Health and Human Services this week is the ongoing impact of the U.S. government shutdown, which started October 1. About 32,000 HHS employees are currently furloughed, pausing or slowing activities at key agencies like the FDA, CDC, CMS, and NIH. These shutdown effects are hitting everything from drug application processing to public health research, and even Medicare claims payments are temporarily on hold. For Medicare providers out there, it’s critical to know that telehealth reimbursement rules have jumped back to pre-pandemic standards—except for behavioral health—so you may need to warn patients that coverage has changed.
On the grants front, HHS just rolled out major policy updates. Now, grantees must get prior approval for any budget changes above 10%, compared to the former 25%. There are stricter deadlines for requesting no-cost extensions, and lease improvements now need a formal landlord letter of consent. HHS explicitly reserves the right to terminate awards at its convenience, with no appeal, so organizations relying on HHS funds should check the new Grants Policy Statement now. HRSA confirms all new awards and modifications after October 1 are subject to these rules.
Amid these pressures, HHS did not put initiatives on hold altogether. In a recent move to address autism, HHS unveiled its “Autism Action Plan.” The FDA has authorized the use of leucovorin for cerebral folate deficiency linked to autism and expanded Medicaid coverage. The NIH is kicking off new trials on leucovorin’s impact. At the same time, the FDA is updating acetaminophen warning labels and launching a public campaign after ongoing debates around its use in pregnancy and child development. This reflects HHS’s broader commitment to prioritizing research-informed policies, as echoed in recent releases like the Make America Healthy Again Strategy Report, which takes aim at childhood nutrition, vaccine safety, and regulatory reform for drug advertising and approval.
HHS is also going through a major organizational shake-up. Five existing agencies are merging into the new Administration for a Healthy America, with significant workforce reductions planned. The CDC is refocusing on infectious diseases, and both the FDA and CDC expect to lose about 20% of their workforce. This reorganization is designed to save taxpayers up to $1.8 billion per year while modernizing how health policy is delivered at the federal level.
For American citizens, these changes mean potential delays in health services, stricter research and funding oversight, and sharper transparency in drug and vaccine information. Businesses and healthcare providers have new compliance hurdles for grants and claim processing, while state and local governments must prepare for evolving federal public health priorities and tighter budgets. Internationally, partners are watching how these strategic changes position the U.S. on vaccine science, autism research, and health data standards.
Leadership at HHS has urged patience and engagement during these transitions. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Secretary, said the department is “committed to safeguarding essential services and advancing public health, even in challenging times.” Subject matter experts point out that while immediate disruptions are tough, these structural reforms could streamline health policy and funding long-term.
Listeners can expect more developments soon, especially as Congress debates health care subsidies and shutdown funding. Look out for the upcoming HHS stakeholder webinars on grant policies and the latest NIH research calls for public input. For updates, check the HHS and HRSA websites, and if you’re affected by Medicare telehealth changes, reach out to your provider for more information.
Thanks for tuning in. If you want to stay on top of federal health news, remember to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
On the grants front, HHS just rolled out major policy updates. Now, grantees must get prior approval for any budget changes above 10%, compared to the former 25%. There are stricter deadlines for requesting no-cost extensions, and lease improvements now need a formal landlord letter of consent. HHS explicitly reserves the right to terminate awards at its convenience, with no appeal, so organizations relying on HHS funds should check the new Grants Policy Statement now. HRSA confirms all new awards and modifications after October 1 are subject to these rules.
Amid these pressures, HHS did not put initiatives on hold altogether. In a recent move to address autism, HHS unveiled its “Autism Action Plan.” The FDA has authorized the use of leucovorin for cerebral folate deficiency linked to autism and expanded Medicaid coverage. The NIH is kicking off new trials on leucovorin’s impact. At the same time, the FDA is updating acetaminophen warning labels and launching a public campaign after ongoing debates around its use in pregnancy and child development. This reflects HHS’s broader commitment to prioritizing research-informed policies, as echoed in recent releases like the Make America Healthy Again Strategy Report, which takes aim at childhood nutrition, vaccine safety, and regulatory reform for drug advertising and approval.
HHS is also going through a major organizational shake-up. Five existing agencies are merging into the new Administration for a Healthy America, with significant workforce reductions planned. The CDC is refocusing on infectious diseases, and both the FDA and CDC expect to lose about 20% of their workforce. This reorganization is designed to save taxpayers up to $1.8 billion per year while modernizing how health policy is delivered at the federal level.
For American citizens, these changes mean potential delays in health services, stricter research and funding oversight, and sharper transparency in drug and vaccine information. Businesses and healthcare providers have new compliance hurdles for grants and claim processing, while state and local governments must prepare for evolving federal public health priorities and tighter budgets. Internationally, partners are watching how these strategic changes position the U.S. on vaccine science, autism research, and health data standards.
Leadership at HHS has urged patience and engagement during these transitions. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Secretary, said the department is “committed to safeguarding essential services and advancing public health, even in challenging times.” Subject matter experts point out that while immediate disruptions are tough, these structural reforms could streamline health policy and funding long-term.
Listeners can expect more developments soon, especially as Congress debates health care subsidies and shutdown funding. Look out for the upcoming HHS stakeholder webinars on grant policies and the latest NIH research calls for public input. For updates, check the HHS and HRSA websites, and if you’re affected by Medicare telehealth changes, reach out to your provider for more information.
Thanks for tuning in. If you want to stay on top of federal health news, remember to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The big headline from the Department of Health and Human
Services this week is the ongoing impact of the US
government shutdown, which started October first. About thirty two thousand
HHS employees are currently furloughed, pausing or slowing activities at
key agencies like the FDA, CDC, CMS, and NIH. These
(00:21):
shutdown effects are hitting everything from drug application processing to
public health research, and even Medicare claims. Payments are temporarily
on hold for Medicare providers out there. It's critical to
know that telehealth reimbursement rules have jumped back to pre
pandemic standards except for behavioral health, so you may need
to warn patients that coverage has changed. On the grants front,
(00:44):
HHS just rolled out major policy updates. Now grantees must
get prior approval for any budget changes above ten percent,
compared to the former twenty five percent. There are stricter
deadlines for requesting no cost extensions and lease improvements now
need a formal landlord letter of consent. HHS explicitly reserves
(01:04):
the right to terminate awards at its convenience with no appeal,
so organizations relying on HHS funds should check the new
Grant's policy statement. Now HRSA confirms all new awards and
modifications after October first are subject to these rules. Amid
these pressures, HHS did not put initiatives on hold altogether.
(01:25):
In a recent move to address autism, HHS unveiled its
Autism Action Plan. The FDA has authorized the use of
luca orn for cerebral full eight deficiency linked to autism
and expanded Medicaid coverage. The NIH is kicking off new
trials on luc of worn's impact. At the same time,
the FDA is updating a set of minifin warning labels
(01:47):
and launching a public campaign after ongoing debates around its
use in pregnancy and child development. This reflects HHS's broader
commitment to prioritizing research informed policies, as echoed in recent
ry releases like the Make America Healthy Against Strategy Report,
which takes aim at childhood nutrition, vaccine safety, and regulatory
(02:08):
reform for drug advertising and approval. HHS is also going
through a major organizational shakeup. Five existing agencies are merging
into the new Administration for a Healthy America, with significant
workforce reductions planned. The CDC is refocusing on infectious diseases,
and both the FDA and CDC expect to lose about
(02:28):
twenty percent of their workforce. This reorganization is designed to
save taxpayers up to one dollar and eighty cents billion
per year while modernizing how health policy is delivered at
the federal level. For American citizens, these changes mean potential
delays in health services, stricter research and funding oversight, and
sharper transparency in drug and vaccine information. Businesses and healthcare
(02:53):
providers have new compliance hurdles for grants and claim processing,
while state and local governments must prepare for evolving federal
public health priorities and tighter budgets. Internationally, partners are watching
how these strategic changes position the US on vaccine science,
autism research, and health data standards. Leadership at HHS has
(03:14):
urged patients and engagement during these transitions. Robert F. Kennedy,
Junior HHS Secretary, said the Department is committed to safeguarding
essential services in advancing public health, even in challenging times.
Subject matter experts point out that while immediate disruptions are tough,
these structural reforms could streamline health policy and funding. Long term,
(03:37):
listeners can expect more development soon, especially as Congress debates
healthcare subsidies in shutdown funding. Look out for the upcoming
HHS stakeholder webinars on grant policies and the latest NIH
research calls for public input. For updates, check the HHS
and ARS websites, and if you're affected by Medicare telehealth changes,
reach out to your provider for more information. Thanks for
(03:59):
two tuning in. If you want to stay on top
of federal health news, remember to subscribe. This has been
a quiet please production. For more check out quiet please
dot ai
The big headline from the Department of Health and Human
Services this week is the ongoing impact of the US
government shutdown, which started October first. About thirty two thousand
HHS employees are currently furloughed, pausing or slowing activities at
key agencies like the FDA, CDC, CMS, and NIH. These
(00:21):
shutdown effects are hitting everything from drug application processing to
public health research, and even Medicare claims. Payments are temporarily
on hold for Medicare providers out there. It's critical to
know that telehealth reimbursement rules have jumped back to pre
pandemic standards except for behavioral health, so you may need
to warn patients that coverage has changed. On the grants front,
(00:44):
HHS just rolled out major policy updates. Now grantees must
get prior approval for any budget changes above ten percent,
compared to the former twenty five percent. There are stricter
deadlines for requesting no cost extensions and lease improvements now
need a formal landlord letter of consent. HHS explicitly reserves
(01:04):
the right to terminate awards at its convenience with no appeal,
so organizations relying on HHS funds should check the new
Grant's policy statement. Now HRSA confirms all new awards and
modifications after October first are subject to these rules. Amid
these pressures, HHS did not put initiatives on hold altogether.
(01:25):
In a recent move to address autism, HHS unveiled its
Autism Action Plan. The FDA has authorized the use of
luca orn for cerebral full eight deficiency linked to autism
and expanded Medicaid coverage. The NIH is kicking off new
trials on luc of worn's impact. At the same time,
the FDA is updating a set of minifin warning labels
(01:47):
and launching a public campaign after ongoing debates around its
use in pregnancy and child development. This reflects HHS's broader
commitment to prioritizing research informed policies, as echoed in recent
ry releases like the Make America Healthy Against Strategy Report,
which takes aim at childhood nutrition, vaccine safety, and regulatory
(02:08):
reform for drug advertising and approval. HHS is also going
through a major organizational shakeup. Five existing agencies are merging
into the new Administration for a Healthy America, with significant
workforce reductions planned. The CDC is refocusing on infectious diseases,
and both the FDA and CDC expect to lose about
(02:28):
twenty percent of their workforce. This reorganization is designed to
save taxpayers up to one dollar and eighty cents billion
per year while modernizing how health policy is delivered at
the federal level. For American citizens, these changes mean potential
delays in health services, stricter research and funding oversight, and
sharper transparency in drug and vaccine information. Businesses and healthcare
(02:53):
providers have new compliance hurdles for grants and claim processing,
while state and local governments must prepare for evolving federal
public health priorities and tighter budgets. Internationally, partners are watching
how these strategic changes position the US on vaccine science,
autism research, and health data standards. Leadership at HHS has
(03:14):
urged patients and engagement during these transitions. Robert F. Kennedy,
Junior HHS Secretary, said the Department is committed to safeguarding
essential services in advancing public health, even in challenging times.
Subject matter experts point out that while immediate disruptions are tough,
these structural reforms could streamline health policy and funding. Long term,
(03:37):
listeners can expect more development soon, especially as Congress debates
healthcare subsidies in shutdown funding. Look out for the upcoming
HHS stakeholder webinars on grant policies and the latest NIH
research calls for public input. For updates, check the HHS
and ARS websites, and if you're affected by Medicare telehealth changes,
reach out to your provider for more information. Thanks for
(03:59):
two tuning in. If you want to stay on top
of federal health news, remember to subscribe. This has been
a quiet please production. For more check out quiet please
dot ai
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