Skip to main content
FQHC Talent

The Record

The week on the record

65 records · 16 issues

By issue

The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program

Delaware's round of nearly $23 million goes to its three federally qualified health centers. States are announcing awards and the health center share varies widely. Indiana's $112.4M in regional grants lists at least a dozen FQHCs as subrecipients, while Hawaii's first $58 million and Vermont's $11.7M round name no health center. In Maine, 100 lawmakers asked for $3 million to $6 million of the state's allocation to keep Penobscot Community Health Care open. State award lists often name more health centers than the press releases: New York's includes Refuah Health Center at $3.5 million, and South Carolina's funds at least ten health centers across 228 projects. (as of )

1 more record

AI in care: law, oversight and adoption

OpenAI connected ChatGPT for Healthcare to Epic on September 1, with UCSF Health as pilot partner; no source says whether OCHIN Epic health centers can use it. All four California AI-in-healthcare bills are on the Governor's desk and each must be acted on by September 30. AAAHC's v45 accreditation standards add AI governance expectations for surveys on or after December 15, 2026. In a survey of 784 health center patients, 64% were uncomfortable with AI in their care and 70% want to be told when it is used. (as of )

Health center openings, closures and mergers

Closures and openings are arriving together. Minnesota's largest health center closed two St. Paul clinics and Partnership Health Center will close its Seeley Lake clinic October 31, while Thrive Alabama plans a new Albertville site and two South Carolina health centers plan a merger into one 24-site organization, pending HRSA approval. North Hudson Community Action Corporation opened a Weehawken health center on September 18. (as of )

Medicaid financing and eligibility operations

Coverage is already falling before work requirements start: Michigan Medicaid has lost more than 80,000 people since January, and Texas's application backlog grew to more than 210,000 in August. Plan changes add to it: Healthy Blue leaves Louisiana Medicaid on December 31, moving more than 290,000 members on January 1. Comments on CMS's provider-tax implementation rule closed September 21 with no extension; the final rule is next. (as of )

Medicaid work-requirement implementation

Enrollees and physician groups filed a second challenge, Taylor v. Kennedy, on September 18, aimed at the rule's medical-frailty provisions. CMS told states on September 8 to check frailty against claims, encounter and health information exchange data first. The federal rule is in effect and every state must apply it no later than January 1, 2027. A federal court denied preliminary relief in Massachusetts v. Oz without deciding the merits. Montana begins removals for noncompliance on October 1, and Kentucky's three-of-six-month lookback is already running. (as of )

340B drug pricing

HRSA's revised rebate pilot is planned for January 2027 and does not exempt health centers; approvals of manufacturer plans are due September 24. In the states, a federal judge upheld Mississippi's contract-pharmacy law, the Fourth Circuit is rehearing the West Virginia and Maryland cases en banc, and Oregon's case is set for argument September 28. (as of )

ACA marketplace coverage and uninsured demand

Pennsylvania approved an average 15.97% increase for 2027 individual plans. The enhanced premium credits have expired and states are now approving 2027 rates: Washington approved an average 22.2% increase and Connecticut 11.3% for individual plans. In New York, nearly 192,000 of the roughly 450,000 people who lost expanded Essential Plan coverage had not enrolled in new coverage by July 31. (as of )

HRSA Health Center Program rules

HRSA extended funding for the 272 health centers in the FY2027 Service Area Competition through June 30 or July 31, 2027, while it makes new awards; each center must still compete. HRSA's New Access Points round is landing as $650,000 awards: two Texas look-alikes became Section 330 grantees, and Thrive Alabama plans a new Albertville site for mid-December. HRSA's 2025 UDS data is published by state. (as of )

News · KVPR / Central Valley Journalism Collaborative

California's share of HRSA's New Access Points round: 27 organizations and more than $17 million, with at least 16 look-alikes receiving new awards

Event:

At an August 13, 2026 announcement at Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater, HRSA Administrator Thomas Engels said 27 California clinic organizations are collectively receiving more than $17 million in New Access Point grants, the largest total of any state…

CABuddhist Tzu Chi Medical FoundationSource

CalAIM, Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports

California submitted its CalAIM 1115 renewal to CMS on May 11; no decision is posted. DHCS still lists its July Community Supports changes as proposed. Health Net is ending its Medi-Cal assisted living benefit for about 3,500 members at year-end. (as of )

California county safety-net budgets

Contra Costa Health projects a $730 million five-year deficit, with its county hospital and 11-clinic network hit hardest. Shasta County Public Health cut another $2 million. Santa Barbara County restored 15 clinic positions after the PPS delay delivered $6.6M. (as of )

Healthcare access, language, and civil-rights implementation

A final rule takes effect October 13 barring federal Medicaid and CHIP payment for certain gender-related services for minors, and Open Door Community Health Centers has stopped starting hormone therapy for patients under 19. Separately, HHS removed disparate-impact liability from its Title VI regulations on July 24. On September 11, North Carolina and the Justice Department asked a court to end oversight of the 2012 community-housing settlement early. (as of )

Healthcare labor and organizing

Open NLRB matters at health centers include two charges at El Rio Community Health with no finding yet, a new SEIU Local 1021 charge at Community Medical Centers in Manteca, and a decertification election directed at Seattle Roots Community Health. (as of )

Immigration enforcement, public charge and immigrant eligibility

Twenty-one states, Pennsylvania's governor and D.C. sued on September 14 to stop the new public charge rule. A separate federal change narrows which lawfully present immigrants qualify for Medicaid on October 1; Indiana, North Carolina and Michigan have each published how it will apply. The court has set an initial conference for October 9, and the rule remains in effect. In New Jersey, as many as 25,000 noncitizens could lose coverage on October 1. (as of )

Enforcement: privacy, fraud and audits

A breach at Aesto Health, a vendor that archives retired EHRs, affects at least seven health centers; Lone Star Family Health Center reported 250,130 Texans affected. OCR has now brought 55 HIPAA right-of-access actions. (as of )

Safety-net workforce and capacity shifts

Layoffs are reaching health centers directly: SAC Health laid off 49 people and closed two San Bernardino clinics, and Maine's largest FQHC cut its entire enrollment team after warning it needed $3 million within 60 days. A Skid Row nonprofit filed 134 layoffs effective November 3, 117 of them on a campus a health center co-operates. Georgia's loan-repayment window for clinicians in rural counties is open until October 12. (as of )

State health elections and ballot measures

California votes November 3. The official voter guide for Proposition 44 names nonprofit FQHCs and authorizes criminal charges; more than 100 health centers have joined the No campaign. South Dakota's ballot carries Amendment I, which puts a funding condition on its Medicaid expansion. In Georgia, the Republican nominee for governor pledges Medicaid expansion that keeps work requirements. (as of )

The next two weeks

Public dates in the 14 days after Sep 20, 2026.

Updated records

Records published earlier that changed this week: a correction, a new status or a replaced source.

Other records

6 records with no linked issue

Cookie notice

We use Google Analytics, Vercel Web Analytics, and Vercel Speed Insights to improve the site. Select Decline to turn them off in this browser. We honor GPC and Do Not Track.

Read our Privacy Policy.