Beneficiary advocates Nebraska Appleseed and the National Health Law Program sued Nebraska over its version of Medicaid work requirements in district court after the state urged the Supreme Court to allow its 1115 demonstration to continue even if the court were to strike down work requirement programs in New Hampshire and Arkansas.

The Department of Labor on Friday (Feb. 26) extended the one-year timeframe for a worker to elect COBRA coverage for another year, since the original policy was slated to wind down.

Members of FDA’s vaccine advisory panel signaled they’re concerned about messaging and logistical issues that could come up later down the road, should Johnson & Johnson move its one-dose COVID-19 vaccine into a more-effective two-dose vaccine.

A majority of House lawmakers from both parties are telling HHS to fine drug companies that deny 340B discounts to hospitals for drugs dispensed by contract pharmacies and to make drug companies pay hospitals back for discounts that were withheld.

FDA’s vaccine advisers unanimously agreed that the benefits of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine outweigh its risks for people who are at least 18 years old, with all 22 members of the agency’s advisory committee expressing support for emergency use authorization.

FDA will work to rapidly authorize Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine, acting agency commissioner Janet Woodcock and biologics center director Peter Marks announced shortly after the agency’s panel of vaccine advisers unanimously agreed that the benefits of shot outweigh its risks for people who are at least 18 years old.

CMS will consider provider-specific emergency waivers for Texas clinicians in Medicare and Medicaid due to the recent severe winter storms in the state, but the agency says it has already provided numerous waivers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it will not add any more blanket waivers.

A Duke University professor said during a Duke in DC panel Friday (Feb. 26) that the current COVID-19 vaccine eligibility standards -- which are focused on older Americans, health care workers and teachers -- are exacerbating racial inequities and should be changed.