The Daily Roundup – Monday, August 3, 2026: Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and…

Amendment to 3,4-MDP-2-P Methyl Glycidic Acid, a List I ChemicalDepartment of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration

Proposed Rule  Comments due Sep 2, 2026

AI Summary: The DEA proposes expanding the controlled classification of a drug precursor chemical to include its esters, salts, and isomers under the Controlled Substances Act.View details →

Auction of Flexible-Use Licenses in the Upper C-Band for Next-Generation Wireless Services Scheduled for April 27, 2027; Comment Sought on Competitive Bidding Procedures for Auction 115Federal Communications Commission

Proposed Rule  Comments due Sep 8, 2026

AI Summary: The FCC announced an auction of over 3,000 wireless licenses in the 3.98–4.14 GHz band scheduled for April 2027 and seeks public comment on bidding procedures.View details →

Roof Control Plan Approval CriteriaDepartment of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration

Proposed Rule  Comments due Sep 30, 2026

AI Summary: MSHA is reopening the public comment record and holding a virtual hearing on its proposed Roof Control Plan Approval Criteria rule.View details →

Ventilation Plan Approval CriteriaDepartment of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration

Proposed Rule  Comments due Sep 30, 2026

AI Summary: MSHA is reopening the public comment record and holding a virtual hearing on its proposed ventilation plan approval criteria rule.View details →

High-Speed Train Noise Emission StandardsDepartment of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration

Proposed Rule  Comments due Oct 2, 2026

AI Summary: The Federal Railroad Administration proposes new noise emission standards for trains traveling between 160 and 220 mph, with a special approval process for trains exceeding 220 mph.View details →

Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program RequirementsDepartment of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Rule  ● Economically Significant

AI Summary: The federal government is updating Medicare hospice payment rates and quality reporting requirements for fiscal year 2027 while requiring hospices to provide election statement addendums to all Medicare beneficiaries.View details →

Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2027 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting ProgramDepartment of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Rule  ● Economically Significant

AI Summary: Medicare is updating payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities for 2027, finalizing new therapy and team meeting timing requirements, and eliminating the rural payment adjustment.View details →

Amendment of Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range Federal Airways V-108 in the Vicinity of Concord, CaliforniaDepartment of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration

Rule

AI Summary: Federal airway V-108 near Concord, California is being amended because a local navigation aid is being decommissioned under the FAA’s VOR Minimum Operational Network program.View details →

Establishment of United States Area Navigation Route T-581 in the Vicinity of Missoula, MontanaDepartment of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration

Rule

AI Summary: The FAA is creating a new air navigation route near Missoula, Montana to improve navigational flexibility, safety, and air traffic control capabilities.View details →

Permethrin; Pesticide TolerancesEnvironmental Protection Agency

Rule

AI Summary: EPA is setting a new legal limit for permethrin pesticide residues on black pepper at 0.1 parts per million, following a petition from the American Spice Trade Association.View details →

Reducing Bureaucracy and Burden in Family Violence and Prevention ServicesDepartment of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families

Rule

AI Summary: The government is removing redundant sections from Family Violence Prevention and Services Program rules to simplify regulations and make them easier for the public to understand.View details →

Reduction in ForceOffice of Personnel Management

Rule

AI Summary: OPM is updating layoff rules to prioritize employee performance over seniority when deciding who keeps their job during workforce reductions.View details →

Reduction in Force AppealsOffice of Personnel Management

Rule

AI Summary: OPM is replacing the Merit Systems Protection Board as the agency that handles employee appeals of layoffs, demotions, and long furloughs under federal workforce reduction rules.View details →

Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Commercial Warm Air FurnacesDepartment of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Final Rule

1904-AG06 · Received Jul 31, 2026

Employment in the Excepted ServiceOffice of Personnel Management

Proposed Rule

3206-AO92 · Received Jul 31, 2026

Reforms to 13 CFR 124.103 to Remove SBA’s 8(a) Program’s Rebuttable Presumption of Social Disadvantage for Individually Owned Firms Only. Reforms do not Impact Entity-owned FirmsSmall Business Administration

Final Rule

3245-AI75 · Received Jul 31, 2026

Modernize the Head Start Program by Reducing Requirements and Enhancing Alignment with State and Local SystemsDepartment of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families

Proposed Rule  ● Economically Significant  ● Consistent with Change

0970-AD30 · Completed Jul 31, 2026

Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals; the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System; and FY 2027 Rates (CMS-1849)Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Final Rule  ● Economically Significant  ● Consistent with Change

0938-AV79 · Completed Jul 31, 2026

Substances Generally Recognized as SafeDepartment of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration

Proposed Rule  ● Economically Significant  ● Consistent with Change

0910-AJ02 · Completed Jul 31, 2026

Community Reinvestment Act RegulationsDepartment of the Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Proposed Rule  ● Economically Significant  ● Consistent with Change

1557-AF57 · Completed Jul 31, 2026

Community Reinvestment Act RegulationsFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Proposed Rule  ● Economically Significant  ● Consistent with Change

3064-AG31 · Completed Jul 31, 2026

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): WIC Online Ordering and Transactions and Food Delivery Revisions to Meet the Needs of a Modern, Data-Driven ProgramDepartment of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service

Final Rule Stage  ● Economically Significant

0584-AE85

Aug 6, 2026 — Walmart (Patrick Delaney)

Special Areas: Roadless Area Conservation RepealDepartment of Agriculture, Forest Service

Proposed Rule Stage

0596-AD66

Aug 4, 2026 — Firefighters United For Safety Ethics and Ecology (Autumn Lukens)
Aug 4, 2026 — Keep the Sespe Wild (Peter Deneen)
Aug 6, 2026 — Save Our Canyons (Doug Tolman)

Revision to Rules of Practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal BoardDepartment of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office

Final Rule Stage

0651-AD89

Aug 5, 2026 — Association for Competitive Technology (Amanda Guilardi)
Aug 6, 2026 — Lenovo (U.S.) Inc. (Anthony Del Monaco) – Client: Lenovo (U.S.) Inc.

Administrative Detention of Tobacco ProductsDepartment of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration

Proposed Rule Stage

0910-AI05

Aug 3, 2026 — Truth Initiative (Maham Akbar)
Aug 6, 2026 — Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (Andrew Tardiff)

Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model (CMS-5545)Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Final Rule Stage  ● Economically Significant

0938-AV66

Aug 3, 2026 — Prof. Thomas Hwang
Aug 4, 2026 — Sharon Pearce

Guarding U.S. Medicare Against Rising Drug Costs (GUARD) Model (CMS-5546)Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Final Rule Stage  ● Economically Significant

0938-AV74

Aug 4, 2026 — Barry Liden
Aug 4, 2026 — Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (Sharon Pearce)
Aug 6, 2026 — Biotechnology Innovation Organization (Crystal Kuntz)

Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance (CMS-9881)Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Proposed Rule Stage  ● Economically Significant

0938-AV92

Aug 5, 2026 — National Employers Association (Jonathan Rotman)

Cutting Administrative Requirements for Excellence in Patient Care (CMS-3484)Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Proposed Rule Stage  ● Economically Significant

0938-AW04

Aug 3, 2026 — American Society of Anesthesiologists (Miranda Franco) – Client: Manny Bonilla

Planning and Designation of Areas of Critical Environmental ConcernDepartment of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management

Proposed Rule Stage

1004-AF53

Aug 3, 2026 — Defenders of Wildlife (Maddy Munson)
Aug 5, 2026 — Wild Montana (Hilary Eisen)

Updated Definition of "Waters of the United States"Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water

Proposed Rule Stage

2040-AG44

Aug 3, 2026 — American Petroleum Institute (Kelley Raymond)
Aug 4, 2026 — American Chemistry Council (Carly Zaccaria)
Aug 5, 2026 — Natural Resources Defense Council (Jon Devine)

Updating the Water Quality Certification RuleEnvironmental Protection Agency, Office of Water

Final Rule Stage

2040-AG47

Aug 4, 2026 — League of Conservation Voters (Madeleine Foote)