On May 14, 2026, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act No. 26-13, “An Act Concerning Various Revisions to the Public Health Statutes” (the “Act”) into law. The Act contains numerous revisions to State public health and health care laws, and several provisions deserve close attention from health care organizations, including hospitals and health
Legislation
Connecticut Establishes New Process for Hospitals Seeking to Pause or Terminate Service Lines
On May 26, 2026, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill overhauling the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) program which, among other things, eliminates the current CON approval requirement for a hospital to terminate services. A new process for hospitals to provide notice of service suspensions and terminations is part of the State’s budget bill…
Everything Old is New Again: Connecticut Revamps Certificate of Need (CON) Program under Department of Public Health
On May 2, 2026, the Connecticut Legislature approved the overhaul of the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) program as part of its appropriations bill for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, Public Act No. 26-68 (“the Act”).
The Act significantly revises all aspects of the CON program and process, including most notably by eliminating…
Massachusetts HPC Proposes to Update Material Change Reporting Requirements to Align with Newly Expanded Oversight Authority
By Conor Duffy, Ivy Miller & Robinson+Cole's Health Law Group on
On February 5, 2026, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) published proposed amendments to its Material Change regulations at 958 CMR 7.00 (the Proposed Amendments). Among other things, the Proposed Amendments broaden the HPC’s market review authority by subjecting more transactions to the HPC’s Material Change Notice (MCN) process and provide the HPC greater latitude…
Hospitals Face New Attestation and NPI Requirements for Off-Campus Outpatient Locations by January 1, 2028
By Conor Duffy & Robinson+Cole's Health Law Group on
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, HR 7148 (the Act), just signed into law on February 3, 2026, ended a brief government shutdown and includes multiple provisions with a critical impact on health care organizations. We have previously covered the Act’s renewal and extension through 2027 of COVID-era Medicare telehealth flexibilities and its revisions to…
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026: Another Lifeline for Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities
By Danielle Tangorre, Conor Duffy & Guest Contributor on
This post was co-authored by Paul Palma, legal intern at Robinson+Cole. Paul is not admitted to practice law.
On February 3, 2026, President Trump signed HR 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (“the Act”) ending the 4-day partial government shutdown. The Act, part of a broader fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending package, includes a…
Two Weeks Notice for Covered Entities: February 16 Deadline Approaches to Update HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
By Conor Duffy on
Posted in Academic Medical Centers, Government Enforcement, Health Information Exchanges and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), Health Information Technology, Health Policy, HIPAA, Hospitals and Health Systems, Legislation, Licensure, Physicians and Allied Health Professionals, Tax Exemption/Charitable Organizations
February 16, 2026, is the deadline for each HIPAA covered entity to update its Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) to incorporate new regulatory requirements enacted in 2024. Specifically, HIPAA-covered entities (including health care providers and health plans) are required to review and revise their NPPs as necessary to ensure compliance with a 2024 federal rulemaking…
Song Remains the Same – Medicare Telehealth Services At Risk of Expiring Again on January 30, 2026
Healthcare providers are currently facing yet another termination of Medicare telehealth flexibilities at the end of the day on January 30, 2026, unless Congress acts on proposals to further extend the COVID-era flexibilities for telehealth. If no legislative action is taken before January 30, 2026, the providers and Medicare patients who have depended on expanded…
Massachusetts Governor Healey Announces New Department of Insurance Regulations Intended to Streamline Prior Authorization Practices
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…
DEA Extends Tele-Prescribing Flexibilities Yet Again – Now Through December 31, 2026 – to Avoid Telemedicine Cliff
On December 31, 2025, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) extended current regulatory flexibilities related to tele-prescribing of controlled substances for another year. The DEA issued a fourth temporary extension (2026 Extension) of its pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities, which are now scheduled to end on December 31, 2026. The DEA explained that another extension…