KPSGILL Weekly · Issue of October 26, 2026 · records dated October 2–23 · each item carries its own date · SOURCE-VERIFIED · EDITORIALLY REVISED · HUMAN REVIEW PENDING

Health Policy Intelligence — October 26, 2026

A frozen, dated issue. It does not change after publication; corrections are added as dated notes. Previous issue: October 19, 2026. All issues: archive.

Five things that matter

1. Social Security’s 2027 adjustment is 3.6 percent, announced October 14. SSI rises with the December 31 payment; Social Security with January 2027 benefits. Guide
2. CMS-4214-P (October 16) proposes provider-directory accuracy and PBM-fee requirements for Medicare Advantage and Part D. It is a proposed rule; comments are due December 15. Record
3. CMS-9873-P (October 23) proposes pre-eligibility verification for Marketplace subsidies, with the first window on August 1, 2027 for plan year 2028. Proposed, not in effect.
4. Ebola (Bundibugyo): ECDC’s October 23 report records Kenya at 9 cases including 1 death and Nigeria at 1 case; DRC figures remain as of October 11. Outbreak state
5. California OHCA: the cost and market impact review emergency rules approved October 2 take effect November 2; informal comments on the draft enforcement rules close October 30.

What changed, by date

1. October 23, 2026 · EU/EEA. ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report: Ebola (Bundibugyo) — Kenya 9 cases including 1 death; Nigeria 1 case. DRC figures remain as of 11 October (WHO AFRO). ECDC’s risk wording is not a U.S. assessment. Record
2. October 23, 2026 · United States. CMS-9873-P proposed: Exchange pre-eligibility verification; first pre-open-enrollment window 1 August 2027 for plan year 2028. Proposed rule, not in effect. Record
3. October 22, 2026 · United States. Federal charges announced in Southern California health-care fraud matters. Charges are allegations, not findings; billed amounts are not established losses. Record
4. October 22, 2026 · United States. HHS publishes the 2026 National Alzheimer’s Plan (four goals). Record
5. October 22, 2026 · United States. CMS Medicare Learning Network article on the 1 October noncitizen Medicaid limits. Record
6. October 21, 2026 · Texas → Massachusetts. Geisler: jurisdictional challenge rejected, standing found, case transferred; Rule 12(b)(6) reserved for the receiving court. Not a merits ruling. Record
7. October 19, 2026 · United States. Executive order on women’s health (NIH division within 90 days). Record
8. October 16, 2026 · United States. CMS-4214-P proposed: Medicare Advantage provider directories and PBM fees; comments due 5 p.m. EST, 15 December 2026. Proposed rule. Record
9. October 16, 2026 · Indiana. Penelton: claims against Wellpath dismissed without prejudice to bankruptcy-related relief or substitution of the liquidating trust. Record
10. October 14, 2026 · United States. Social Security Administration announces the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment: 3.6 percent. Record
11. October 13, 2026 · California. Estate of Wright: recusal and reassignment to Judge Mendez (ECF 141); hearing outcome unverified. Record
12. October 6, 2026 · Washington. Okanogan County approves an agreement naming Zenova Telehealth, LLC and Zenova Physicians, PC. Approval only. Record
13. October 2, 2026 · California. OAL approves OHCA cost and market impact review (CMIR) emergency changes; effective 2 November 2026. Record

California

• OHCA: CMIR emergency rules effective November 2; informal comments on draft enforcement rules close October 30.
• CFMG–Wellpath: the national record update of October 25 adds county contract, court and bankruptcy records for September 15–October 25, with corrections logged.
• Legislature: the 116-measure final ledger is closed (95 signed or enacted, 21 vetoed). Two dossier measures outside that ledger, SB 1023 and SB 942, still have no verified final executive action. California
• Medical Board of California: quarterly meetings November 18–20 (dates only; no agenda inferred).

United States

• CMS-4214-P and CMS-9873-P, above. Both are proposals.
• October 19 executive order on women’s health (NIH division within 90 days); October 22 HHS National Alzheimer’s Plan; October 22 CMS Medicare Learning Network article on the October 1 noncitizen Medicaid limits.
• Enforcement: federal charges announced October 22 in Southern California health-care fraud matters are documented in the healthcare-enforcement investigation. Charges are allegations, not findings.

Global

• ECDC Ebola update of October 23, above. ECDC’s EU/EEA risk wording is not a U.S. assessment.

Dates ahead

• October 27, 2026 · CalRHT Rural Health Policy Council meets (10:00 a.m. PT) (California)
• October 28, 2026 · FDA rare-disease framework public meeting (United States)
• October 30, 2026 · OHCA draft enforcement rules: informal comments close (California)
• October 31, 2026 · Conrad 30 program window closes (United States)
• November 1, 2026 · Daylight saving time ends (United States)
• November 2, 2026 · OHCA CMIR emergency rules take effect (California)
• November 3, 2026 · California general election (California)
• November 4, 2026 · DHCS CalABLE webinar, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. PST (California)
• November 18, 2026 · Medical Board of California quarterly meetings, 18–20 November (dates only) (California)
• December 4, 2026 · NPDB One-Time and Continuous Query merge into NPDB Query (United States)
• December 15, 2026 · CMS-4214-P comments due, 5 p.m. EST (United States)

The October 30 rural-health milestone is reported but not confirmed by HCAI or CMS and is not listed.

Not in this issue

No new KPSGILL policy recommendation, model text or forecast is added in this issue; existing positions are unchanged. Items reported elsewhere but not yet verified at source are not included.