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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Income support and assistance

Aug 5, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the re-establishment of a matching program between CMS and the Department of War titled "Verification of Eligibility for Minimum Essential Coverage Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act through a Department of War Health Benefits Plan." CMS will share data from the Department of War with state administering entities (AEs) to verify if an applicant is enrolled in Minimum Essential Coverage in a Veterans Health Administration Health Care Program. This information from the Department of War will be used to assist CMS and AEs in determining if an individual is eligible for financial assistance. Comments are due by September 4, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 31, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) amending the following to eliminate unnecessary or obsolete regulations: 1) Grants to States for Public Assistance Programs, 2) General Administration—State Plans and Grant Appeals, 3) General Administration—Public Assistance Programs, 4) Training and Use of Subprofessionals and Volunteers, 5) Coverage and Conditions of Eligibility in Financial Assistance Programs, 6) Financial Assistance to Individuals, 7) Administration of Financial Assistance Programs, 8) Fiscal Administration of Financial Assistance Programs, 9) General Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Provisions, 10) Ensuring That Recipients Work, 11) the Accountability Provisions—General, 12) Expenditures of State and Federal TANF Funds, 13) Other Accountability Provisions, 14) Data Collection and Reporting Requirements, 15) High Performance Bonus Awards, 16) the Implementation of Section 403(a)(2) of the Social Security Act Bonus to Reward Decrease in Illegitimacy Ratio, 17) Methodology for Determining Whether an Increase in a State or Territory's Child Poverty Rate Is the Result of the TANF Program, 18) Tribal TANF Provisions, and 19) The Native Employment Works (NEW) Program. This rule is effective September 29, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 7, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the re-establishment of a matching program between CMS and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) titled "Verification of Eligibility for Minimum Essential Coverage Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." CMS will share data with the VA to verify if an applicant is enrolled in Minimum Essential Coverage in a Veterans Health Administration Health Care Program. This information from the VA will be used to assist CMS in determining if an individual is eligible for Insurance Affordability Programs. Comments are due by August 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 6, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on a new matching program between CMS and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) titled "Verification of Eligibility for Insurance Affordability Programs Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." This matching program will provide CMS with information for determining individuals' eligibility for Insurance Affordability Programs (IAPs). Comments are due by August 5, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Jun 24, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking comments on a new information collection titled "Understanding Participant Experiences in SNAP E&T." The information collected will be used to assess the experiences of SNAP participants as they navigate work requirements, seek training opportunities through SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) programs, and find employment. The USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) will use the information to develop actionable recommendations that states can use to improve customer service and efficiently connect SNAP participants with training and services that reduce barriers to work. Comments are due by July 24, 2026.
Source: Federal Register