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In the Federal Register notice titled "Ibrahim Al-Qawaqneh, D.D.S.; Decision and Order," the DEA sought to revoke Dr. Ibrahim Al-Qawaqneh's registration due to his exclusion from federal health care programs after pleading nolo contendere to a charge of offering unlawful Medi-Cal remuneration. Despite being given a chance to defend himself, the DEA found that Dr. Al-Qawaqneh failed to take full responsibility for his actions, which led to doubts about his trustworthiness. Consequently, his DEA Certificate of Registration was revoked to ensure compliance with laws regulating controlled substances.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is proposing updates to the rules governing operational contract support (OCS) outside the United States. These changes aim to broaden the scenarios where contracted support can be used, improve accountability and reporting of contractor personnel, and clarify the responsibilities of those involved. The updated rule seeks to enhance integration and oversight of contracted support as a vital defense capability, addressing areas identified as high-risk by the Government Accountability Office. Overall, these efforts intend to minimize wastage and improve the effectiveness of military operations supported by contractors.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule detailing changes to regulations associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for the year 2026. This rule covers various elements such as payment parameters, risk adjustment programs, and changes to user fee rates for health plans offered through Exchanges. It also introduces modifications to how quality improvement and medical loss ratio reporting are managed, aiming to enhance health equity, reduce health disparities, and minimize the administrative burden on healthcare providers. These updates are part of ongoing efforts to ensure consumers have access to quality and affordable health coverage.

The Department of State has updated the Exchange Visitors Skills List, which identifies countries that need people with certain specialized skills. This list is used to see if someone in the U.S. on a "J" nonimmigrant exchange visa must spend two years in their home country before applying for other U.S. visas. This updated list replaces the previous version from 2009 and incorporates factors like a country’s GDP and migration rates to decide which skills are necessary. This list helps with U.S. foreign policy and doesn't require the usual public comment process due to its relation to foreign affairs.

The Health and Human Services Department has issued a final rule updating the standards for electronic transactions in retail pharmacies under HIPAA. The rule adopts modifications to improve data exchange, enhance patient safety, and streamline processes, like replacing several free text fields with specific data fields. These changes include implementing the NCPDP Telecommunication Standard Implementation Guide, Version F6, and the NCPDP Batch Standard Subrogation Implementation Guide, Version 10, specifically for Medicaid agencies. The new standards are set to take effect beginning February 11, 2028, with compliance required 36 months after the final rule's publication, including an 8-month transition period to ease the changes.

President has issued an Executive Order to eliminate the Federal Executive Institute, which was established over 50 years ago to provide leadership training for government officials. The President believes that this institute contributes to a bureaucracy that doesn't benefit American families and wants to refocus the government on serving taxpayers. The order directs the Office of Personnel Management to take the necessary steps to close the institute and revokes earlier documents that mandated its existence. This order aims to shift government priorities towards direct benefit to citizens while ensuring it complies with existing laws and available funding.

The Department of Defense has issued a final rule to modernize how food benefits are provided under the WIC Overseas Program, a program for military personnel and their families stationed overseas. Previously, benefits were issued as paper vouchers, known as "drafts," which had to be used all at once. The new rule allows these drafts to also be in electronic forms, like benefit cards, which offer more flexibility and convenience for participants. The change is considered a minor update and was made without public notice or a comment period, due to its technical nature.

The General Services Administration (GSA) has finalized a rule that changes how relocation miscellaneous expenses allowances (MEA) are handled for federal employees. Previously, the lump sum amounts were listed in the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); now, they will be published in FTR Bulletins, making it easier to update the amounts based on the Consumer Price Index. This change aims to provide more flexibility and accurate compensation for employees, but it may lead to a small increase in costs for the federal government. The rule also clarifies which expenses may or may not be reimbursed under MEA and ensures that the rules are easy to follow.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in collaboration with the Department of the Treasury, issued an interim final rule implementing amendments from the Economic Aid Act to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The rule extends the PPP, a program designed to provide financial aid to small businesses impacted by COVID-19, allowing them to apply for loans through March 31, 2021. It also includes updated guidelines for loan forgiveness, borrower and lender eligibility, and how loans can be used, with new rules for calculating maximum loan amounts and requirements for loan forgiveness applications. The Economic Aid Act amendments aim to streamline the application process and ensure fair access to the program for all eligible borrowers.

The Department of Health and Human Services, through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has issued a final rule updating the regulations for the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research Endowment Programs. This rule expands eligibility for research endowment awards to include certain Health Resources and Services Administration and NIMHD centers of excellence, following the enactment of Public Law 117-104. It also changes the program's name to honor John Lewis and revises outdated regulatory references. The changes aim to improve research capacity in minority health and address health disparities while adhering to current laws and guidelines.