Search Results for keywords:"program integrity"

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a proposed rule to establish new safeguards for research involving human fetal tissue from elective abortions. The rule includes requirements for informed consent from pregnant women, prohibits financial incentives related to tissue donation or abortion, and mandates how human fetal tissue should be sourced and disposed of. HHS aims to ensure the ethical conduct of such research by aligning its regulations with established ethical guidelines and federal laws, enhancing oversight, and stressing the importance of truly voluntary informed consent. The proposal invites public comments to help refine these regulations.

The Department of Labor has announced the ratification of a rule from 2010 regarding the employment of temporary agricultural workers, also known as H-2A workers, in the United States. This rule was initially developed to improve application procedures, protect workers, and ensure program integrity. There were concerns raised in court about the rule's approval process, but recent actions confirmed its validity, ensuring that U.S. workers' wages and working conditions are not negatively impacted. This ratification serves to clear any doubts and confirm the legal standing of the rule.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has announced a reestablished computer matching program with State agencies that manage the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program allows these agencies to access the Electronic Disqualified Recipient System (eDRS), which is a national database that keeps track of individuals disqualified from SNAP due to intentional program violations. By accessing this system, State agencies can verify an individual's SNAP eligibility and determine the appropriate length of disqualifications. The program aims to maintain program integrity and reduce errors in SNAP benefit distribution.

The Department of Education has issued final regulations aimed at improving program integrity and institutional quality for programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These regulations focus on two key areas: distance education and the return of Title IV funds. They introduce new requirements for institutions to report the enrollment status of students in distance and correspondence courses and streamline the process for returning unearned Title IV funds when a student withdraws. These changes, effective July 1, 2026, seek to enhance data collection and oversight while simplifying administrative procedures for educational institutions.

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided to withdraw a proposed rule aimed at improving the quality control system for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Initially published on September 19, 2023, this rule was designed to enhance SNAP's integrity and accuracy as part of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. FNS will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to explore new regulations and improve overall program oversight and state compliance. This withdrawal allows the FNS to consider additional strategies for enhancing SNAP's quality control efforts.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed new rules to revise health insurance standards under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. These changes focus on improving the integrity of insurance marketplaces, especially concerning eligibility and enrollment systems. Key revisions include stricter policies on past-due premium payments and a proposal to exclude Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from health coverage through marketplaces. Additionally, the proposal aims to strengthen oversight on agents and brokers to prevent improper enrollments, which are believed to have cost taxpayers billions of dollars in recent years.

The Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor has announced the final funding amounts for the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) Career Services and Training grants for Program Year 2024. This funding, totaling $90,134,000, is part of an ongoing effort outlined in previous Federal Register notices. The allotments are calculated using a method that adjusts based on the previous year's allocations and availability of funds. Some funds were redistributed to other states since not all states submitted competitive applications for the 2024 grants. Additionally, $6,591,000 is allocated for migrant and seasonal farmworker housing, promoting permanent housing development.

The Department of Agriculture has submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This involves feedback on the necessity and utility of the information collected, and suggestions for reducing the burden on respondents using technological solutions. Specifically, this revision relates to the Food Delivery Portal (FDP) Data Collection for the WIC Program, which gathers data from 89 WIC State agencies to ensure program integrity and compliance. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) uses this information for oversight and to report to Congress and other stakeholders. The total number of respondents to this data collection is 356, with an annual reporting requirement resulting in 3,576 total burden hours.