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On February 3, President Trump鈥�鈥�, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75) into law, enacting听fiscal year (FY)听2026 appropriations for the Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS), as well as extenders for key Medicare, Medicaid, and public health programs and several reforms focused on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The PBM changes, which had been under consideration by Congress for several years, will institute certain oversight and reporting measures for PBMs in Medicare Part D and the commercial health insurance market.听

Except for funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which was extended through February 13, Congress has completed the FY 2026 appropriations process, and will now look to begin work on FY 2027 appropriations. Congressional appropriations leaders have indicated that they are听working to schedule听key hearings with agency leadership, tentatively slated to begin as soon as this month with markups听anticipated听in the House in May. Additionally, in the coming weeks, President Trump is expected to听submit听the FY 2027 budget request to Congress. As hearing and markup schedules develop, stakeholders should听anticipate听that there will be deadlines announced for submission of FY 2027 funding and policy priorities to听appropriations听committees in the coming weeks.听

On February 5,听US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)听听a shift in approach to relax how it enforces manufacturers鈥� use of 鈥渘o artificial colors鈥� labeling on food products. In a听 sent to industry, FDA provided notice of its intent to exercise enforcement discretion in voluntary labeling claims. This will allow food and beverage companies to have the flexibility to label products with 鈥渘o artificial colors鈥� as long as petroleum-based colors are not present. Previously, companies were only able to make this claim if their products did not include any added colors, including those derived from natural sources. According to FDA, this decision will 鈥渕ake it easier for companies to move away from petroleumbased synthetic colors and adopt safer, naturally derived alternatives.鈥� The agency also noted that it approved two petitions: 听was added, expanding the palette of allowable natural colors, and the food categories where听听can be used听was听expanded.听

This work builds on听听actions听by the听Department of Health and Human Services听and FDA听encouraging听companies to phase out petroleum-based colors, as articulated in the听administration鈥檚听. FDA is also tracking voluntary commitments from food manufacturers that have agreed to limit the use of petroleum-based dyes.听

On February 5, the White House officially launched听, a website听听by the administration as 鈥済iv[ing] Americans direct access to dramatically lower prices on dozens of common, high-cost brand-name prescription drugs.鈥� According to a听听accompanying the launch, the initial rollout of the platform featured 鈥�40 of the most popular and expensive branded medicines in the nation,鈥� developed by the 鈥渇irst five manufacturers to reach [most-favored-nation (MFN)] pricing deals,鈥� although the document indicated that the website would add additional products 鈥渋n the coming months.鈥澨�听

As听听by听The Wall Street Journal,听rather than serve as a marketplace for direct sales in and of itself, the platform 鈥渁llows customers to search for specific medicines and purchase them through a manufacturer鈥檚 direct-to-consumer site, or in some cases gives users coupons that they can present at certain pharmacies.鈥� The site鈥檚 launch received praise from some Republican policymakers, such as听, although recent听听indicates听that President Trump鈥檚 broader MFN initiative has 鈥渂[een] met with a skeptical eye from Republicans.鈥� Congressional Democrats have broadly criticized the platform, which Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR)听听as a 鈥済lorified coupon book.鈥� At听a high level, while the website鈥檚 supporters have framed it as a source of savings and simplified access for uninsured and underinsured Americans, the platform鈥檚 skeptics have criticized its narrow scope, its potential incompatibility with insurance benefit designs, and its promotion of certain drugs with low-cost generic competitors.听

On February 3, HHS听听the appointment of Diana Diaz-Harrison as National Autism Coordinator in a series of posts on X. The National Autism Coordinator leads the coordination of autism-related research, services, and supports across the HHS agencies and other federal partners. Ms.听Diaz Harrison most recently worked as Principal Deputy Commissioner in the Administration on Disabilities, an agency under the Administration for Community Living (ACL), and previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Department of Education鈥檚 Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Prior to her federal service, Ms. Diaz-Harrison founded a network of autism-focused charter schools in Arizona, as well as an organization seeking听to expand such charter schools for听autistic children nationally. In听听to local Arizona press, Ms. Diaz-Harrison emphasized the sharp rise in autism prevalence over recent decades and听stated听the necessity of听identifying听the disorder鈥檚 causes鈥�generally aligning听with Secretary Kennedy鈥檚听 for autism policy and among several newly 听members of the reconstituted Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC).听

This month the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC)鈥�鈥痶he听2026听MACStats: Medicaid and CHIP Data Book, which includes Medicaid and Children鈥檚 Health Insurance Program (CHIP) data on eligibility and enrollment, benefits, service use, access to care, and state and federal spending. Total Medicaid spending grew 6.3 percent in fiscal 2024 to听$957.4 billion. Total CHIP spending was听$28.2 billion.听