Update: What We’re Watching, March 20, 2026

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Update: What We're Watching, March 20, 2026

Hill to the Heartland: Federal Health Policy Briefing

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The Trump administration issued an executive order creating a national task force, led by Vice President JD Vance, to address fraud in federal benefits. A federal judge blocked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from implementing changes to the vaccine schedule and stayed advisory committee appointments. Federal agencies expanded nutrition education in medical schools. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced $69 million for mental health. Food and Drug Administration advisers met on flu strains, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services advanced drug pricing and transplant oversight.

Here is some of the health-related news we are watching that could have an impact on Kansas.

The views expressed in the following news stories, news releases or documents are not necessarily those of the Kansas Health Institute (KHI). They are being shared with the intent of keeping Kansans informed of the latest developments related to federal health policy.

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Updates

1. White House Establishes Task Force to Combat Fraud in Federal Programs

The Trump administration issued an executive order on March 16 creating a national task force, led by Vice President JD Vance, to investigate and address fraud in federal benefit programs, such as housing, food, medical care and cash assistance, administered with state partners. The task force will address measures to improve eligibility verification, implement pre-payment controls, detect high-risk fraud trends and address mechanisms used to commit fraud.

Read the White House factsheet: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud

Read more from Reuters: Trump launches anti-fraud task force to be led by Vance

Read more from National Association of Counties: White House announces task force to combat fraud

2. Federal Judge Blocks Changes to Vaccine Schedule and Advisory Panel

On March 16, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction in the case of the American Academy of Pediatrics et al. v. Kennedy et al., blocking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing changes to the childhood immunization schedule and staying appointments to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The injunction stays the revised vaccine schedule issued by HHS on Jan. 5, overturns the May 2025 Secretarial Directive on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, and reverses the downgraded Hepatitis B vaccine recommendations made at the December 2025 ACIP meeting. The court found the process used to restructure the committee and revise vaccine recommendations likely violated federal requirements and did not follow established, evidence-based procedures.

Read more from IDSA: Federal Judge Blocks Immunization Schedule Changes, Stays ACIP Member Appointments

Read more from the American Public Health Association: Federal Judge Blocks Immunization Schedule Changes, Stays ACIP Member Appointments

Read more from Politico: Federal judge puts RFK Jr.'s new vaccine schedule, advisers on ice

Read more from The Hill: Federal court blocks Kennedy's vaccine changes, invalidates vaccine advisory panel

Read more from NPR: Federal judge halts RFK Jr.'s changes to children's vaccine policies

3. Medical Schools Commit to Expanding Nutrition Training

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Education announced on March 5 that 54 medical schools, including the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine and the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, across 31 states have committed to expanding nutrition education for medical students. Participating schools agreed to include at least 40 hours of nutrition education, or an equivalent, beginning with students entering medical school in fall 2026. Federal officials said the initiative aims to better prepare physicians to prevent, treat and reverse chronic disease.

HHS also announced it is dedicating $5 million through a multi-phase National Institutes of Health nutrition education challenge to support medical schools, nursing residency, nutrition science and dietician programs that integrate nutrition education into their curricula. The funding is intended to help institutions develop coursework, clinical training opportunities and research initiatives focused on evidence-based nutrition science.

Read the HHS press release: Secretary Kennedy and Secretary McMahon Celebrate Medical School Commitments to Increase Nutrition Training for Future Doctors

Read the HHS fact sheet: Secretary Kennedy and Secretary McMahon Celebrate Medical School Commitments to Increase Nutrition Training for Future Doctors

Read more from HHS: Advancing Nutrition Education

Read more from MEDPAGE TODAY: Med Schools, HHS Announce Nutrition Education Initiative

4. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Announces $69 Million for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Programs

On March 6, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced $69.1 million in funding opportunities for three grant programs addressing serious mental illness and suicide: the Children's Mental Health Initiative (CMHI), Implementing Zero Suicide in Health Systems (Zero Suicide), and Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT).

The SAMHSA grants are:

• $43 million for CMHI, which provides comprehensive community mental health services to children, youth and young adults with serious emotional disturbances and their families.

• $16.1 million to implement Zero Suicide, a program that provides resources for health care systems to implement the Zero Suicide framework for adults at risk of suicide.

• $10 million for AOT, a program to facilitate the implementation of AOT for adults with serious mental illness that leverages civil commitment to ensure participation in community-based mental health treatment for people with serious mental illness who meet civil commitment criteria in their state.

Federal officials said the grants are intended to strengthen community partnerships, expand access to behavioral health services, and connect individuals with serious mental illness to treatment and recovery supports.

Read the news release from SAMHSA: SAMHSA Announces More Than $69 Million in Funding Opportunities for Serious Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention Grant Programs

Read more from the American Hospital Association: SAMHSA announces mental health, suicide prevention grants

Read more from the National Alliance on Mental Illness St. Louis: Programs Gain Powerful Boost with New SAMHSA Funding

5. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Announces Manufacturer Participation in Third Cycle of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation

On March 13, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that drug manufacturers of 15 drugs have agreed to participate in the third cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation. The list includes drugs for commonly treated conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, HIV, psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis, prostate and breast cancer, and Crohn's disease. The program allows the federal government to negotiate prices for certain high-cost, single-source drugs without generic or biosimilar competition that have significant Medicare spending. Any negotiated prices will be effective beginning in 2028.

Read the CMS press release: CMS Announces Manufacturer Participation in Third Cycle of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation

Read the CMS factsheet: CMS Announces Manufacturing Participation in Third Cycle of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation

Read more from KFF: Key Facts About Medicare Drug Price Negotiation

6. CMS Issues Guidance to Strengthen Safeguards in the Organ Donation System

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new guidance on March 11, 2026, clarifying responsibilities of hospitals and organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and donor hospitals in the organ donation and transplant process. The guidance reinforces existing federal regulations and aims to strengthen patient protections, transparency and accountability in the national organ donation system.

The guidance emphasizes that hospitals must provide full life-saving care regardless of a patient's potential donor status and that families must have adequate time to make informed decisions about organ donation without pressure. It also clarifies that OPOs cannot influence critical decisions about the timing of withdrawing life support or the declaration of death.

Read the CMS press release: CMS Strengthens Patient Protection and Accountability in Organ Donation System

Read more from MedPage: Organ Donation Guidance From CMS Warns Against Coercion, Rushed Decision-Making

Read more from the American Hospital Association: CMS guidance reinforces roles of organ procurement organizations and hospitals in organ procurement, transplantation

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

1. Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Advisory Committee Recommends Influenza Strains for Fall Flu Vaccines

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) on March 12 to recommend which influenza virus strains should be included in vaccines for the 2026-2027 flu season. At the meeting, the committee unanimously endorsed the World Health Organization's recommendations for fall flu shots. The committee also recommended including an H3N2 influenza strain from subclade K in next season's vaccines, which is the dominant flu variant in the Northern Hemisphere. The final decision will be made by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Martin Makary, M.D., M.P.H.

Read more from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP): FDA vaccine advisers to meet to recommend strains for fall flu shots

Read more from CIDRAP: FDA vaccine advisers recommend adding subclade K to fall shots

Read more from Politico: FDA panel Oks strains for fall's flu shot

Stay tuned for further updates on policy shifts that may affect health programs and services in Kansas. For related work on how federal policies could impact Kansans, please check out Hill to the Heartland.