On January 14, 2026, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced that the Division of Insurance (DOI) will be promulgating updates to its regulations with the intent of streamlining prior authorization practices for health insurance claims. According to the Governor, the DOI regulations “will reduce unnecessary delays and cut administrative burdens to make it easier, cheaper and faster for people to get the medications and care
CMS Adds New Requirements to Hospital Price Transparency Reporting
On November 21, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the CY 2026 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Final Rule (the Rule), which includes several significant changes to hospital price transparency regulations. The changes follow from Executive Order 14221, entitled “Making America Healthy Again by Empowering Patients
Joint Commission Releases Guidance for AI in Health Care
This post is co-authored with Lauren Ludwig, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Lauren is not admitted to practice law.
The Joint Commission (TJC) and Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) recently published the Guidance on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (Guidance), which outlines strategies for health care organizations to optimize their integration of health
Connecticut Enacts Wide-Ranging Health Care Law Modifying Various Existing Rules and Laws
On June 25, 2025, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 25-97, “An Act Concerning Various Revisions to the Public Health Statutes” (the Act). The Act includes a wide range of provisions affecting patient confidentiality, hospital and provider licensure, scope of practice, civil penalties, and Connecticut’s statewide health information exchange. Significant
Connecticut Governor Signs Bill Adding Requirements for Hospitals and Expanding DPH’s Enforcement Scope
This post was co-authored with Ivy Miller, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Ivy is admitted to practice in Massachusetts.
On June 25, 2025, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 25-96, “An Act Concerning the Department of Public Health’s Recommendations Regarding Various Revisions to the Public Health Statutes” (the Act). The Act
Connecticut Governor Signs Bill Requiring Hospitals to Submit Reports on Policy Proposals Related to Emergency Department Crowding
On May 9, 2024, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 24-4, “An Act Concerning Emergency Department Crowding,” (The Act). The Act requires all Connecticut hospitals with an emergency department to, no later than January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter until January 1, 2029, analyze certain data with the goals of:
Connecticut Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Health Care Providers from Reporting Medical Debt to Credit Reporting Agencies
On May 9, 2024, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 24-6, “An Act Concerning the Reporting of Medical Debt,” (The Act). The Act prohibits health care providers from reporting medical debt to credit rating agencies and makes various updates to existing laws regarding the reporting of medical debt already applicable
OCR Updates Online Tracking Technologies HIPAA Guidance
On March 18, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) updated its guidance on the “Use of Online Tracking Technologies by HIPAA Covered Entities and Business Associates” (Guidance). OCR’s Guidance was first published on December 1, 2022, and is the subject of a lawsuit brought by
CMS Updates Guidance to Allow Texting of Patient Orders
On February 8, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a quality standard memorandum (QSO Memo) updating and revising a memorandum it issued on January 5, 2018, to now permit the texting of patient orders among members of the patient’s health care team. CMS’s 2018 memorandum clarified CMS’s then-current position that texting
ONC’s HTI-1 Final Rule Updates Information Blocking Regulations
On December 13, 2023, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued its final rule entitled “Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Certification Program Updates, Algorithm Transparency, and Information Sharing” and known as “HTI-1” (Final Rule). Among other issues addressed in the Final Rule, ONC revised the information blocking rules to add clarity and to create a new information blocking exception. We outline these changes in further detail below. The information blocking provisions of the Final Rule will be effective 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register.Continue Reading ONC’s HTI-1 Final Rule Updates Information Blocking Regulations