Weekly StateVitals Update: Volume 48 (December 8, 2025)

*Programming Note: This update includes content from the weeks of both November 24th and December 1st. 

National 

• Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction on Recent Effort to Prohibit Medicaid Funding be Directed to Planned Parenthood. This past week, a federal district court issued a preliminary injunction which prohibits the federal administration from requiring states to identify which of their Medicaid-enrolled healthcare providers are subject to a statutory ban (passed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) prohibiting federal Medicaid funds from being distributed to health clinics which provide abortions. It specifically impacts and was intended to impact Planned Parenthood receiving federal dollars for services, including non-abortion services, rendered. As part of the injunction, the court interpreted the Constitution to require Congress to be clear when imposing requirements related to federal funding. The statutory language enacted was not clear given states have to do the administrative work to determine which clinics or providers would be subject to the ban. The court also offered an opinion that the ban was likely unconstitutional because it applies retroactively in requiring states to undo provider agreements they had already agreed to with Medicaid managed care companies and Planned Parenthood affiliates. Notably, the ruling is on hold until this Tuesday to see if the Justice Department wants to seek relief from a higher court and the ruling would only be applicable to the plaintiffs in the lawsuit (22 states and the District of Columbia). 

Florida

• Department of Health to Hold Meeting on School Immunization Requirements. The Department of Health’s Division of Disease Control is planning to hold a December 12 meeting in Panama City Beach on proposed revisions to state administrative rules that are specific to immunization requirements in public and nonpublic schools. While the proposed revisions have yet to be released, the meeting notice comes after the Florida Surgeon General in September had announced his intent to repeal any mandate on vaccines that were under the direction of the Department. From an administrative rulemaking perspective, this would include Hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), Haemophilus influenza type b, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. The Legislature would need to repeal vaccination requirements for any other vaccines. 

Idaho

• Managed Care Transition RFI Released. Recently, the Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) released a request for information (RFI) from stakeholders and interested applicants with regard to the state’s upcoming transition to Medicaid managed care. The RFI specifically asks stakeholders – including providers, Medicaid managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, and others – to provide input on their priorities for a smooth transition and implementation process. While this RFI process is playing out, DHW is drafting its new MCO contracts that will be leveraged for the state’s procurement process of Medicaid MCOs. Responses to the RFI are due December 31, 2025. 

Massachusetts

• Governor Signs FY2025 Supplemental Budget with Healthcare Implications. Recently, Governor Maura Healey (D) signed a supplemental budget that prioritizes healthcare priorities as the state closes out its 2025 FY. As part of the $2.3 billion supplemental budget, key healthcare provisions include: 

  • Authorizes the Department of Public Health to independently set immunization schedules and requirements specific, including for the Childhood Vaccine Program, if the federal government does not maintain a robust schedule of vaccine recommendation. 

  • $10 million appropriation to implement a Health Care for All information campaign on Medicaid work requirements and vaccine policy changes. 

  • $5 million for direct supports for reproductive health providers that may be at risk of losing federal Medicaid or other funding revenue.

The Legislature reconvenes in January 2026.

Nevada

• Governor Signs Special Session Healthcare Bill into Law. This past week, Governor Joe Lombardo (R) signed SB 5 from this past special session into law. The bill creates the Statewide Health Care Access and Recruitment Program. Among its core elements, the program requires the state to conduct a biennial statewide needs assessment to conduct continued gap analysis of where workforce shortages and specialties exist. The program also establishes a grant program intended to support projects which address shortages of providers of health care or clinical services or expertise in the state.  Beyond the recruitment program, the bill also requires hospitals licensed by the state to process at least 95 percent of complete requests from providers for privileges to perform services within 60 days. Finally, of note, the bill retains authorization for pharmacists to handle dangerous drugs if it is in alignment with recommendations and federal standards in effect on January 1, 2025, instead of evolving federal standards. 

New Mexico

• State Solicits Input to Improve Behavioral Health Services. This past week, the New Mexico Health Care Authority issued a notice that they are seeking stakeholder input on how the state can improve its support of individuals with serious mental illness, severe emotional disturbance, substance use disorder, or brain injuries. The ultimate intent is to have the public feedback inform the state’s Behavioral Health Assessment and Feasibility Study report which is to be published in January 2026 and is intended to provide recommendations in operational and policy lanes to enhance services and coverage. The Health Care Authority is holding three listening sessions between December 9 through 11. Listening sessions are dedicated to: providers and managed care plans; individuals, family members, and caregivers; and tribal partners. Written public comments are accepted through Thursday, December 11th.  

North Dakota

• State Supreme Court Decision Renders Abortion Care Illegal. Recently, the North Dakota Supreme Court failed to clear a threshold necessary to affirm a lower state court’s opinion that a state law banning abortion care is unconstitutional. The law in question was signed by then Governor Doug Burgum (R) in April 2023 and makes it a felony crime for anyone to perform an abortion in all stages of pregnancy. However, in September 2024, a lower court found that the law was unconstitutionally vague and that women have a right to abortion care up to the point of fetal viability. In the Supreme Court’s ruling, only three justices agreed with the lower court’s decision. In North Dakota, the state constitution requires that at least four of the five justices must agree that something is unconstitutional for it to be ruled as such. In failing to do so, the court’s order reinstates the 2023 law. Moving forward, abortion care is accessible in the state only in cases of rape or incest within the first six weeks and to prevent the mother’s death or a serious health risk to the mother. 

Washington

• State Insurance Commissioner Releases 2026 Legislative Priorities. Recently, Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer (D) released her office’s legislative priorities for the 2026 legislative session. As expected, the priorities all focus on consumer protection, inclusive of some specific proposals related to healthcare. This includes: 

  • Increasing Insurer Accountability: A bill that would authorize the insurance commissioner to order restitution, including interest, for any consumer harmed by an insurance company’s violation of Washington state insurance laws. The bill would codify existing practice of an interest rate of 8 percent. It also would cap fines at $10,000 per violation or offence for entities the insurance commissioner regulates. 

  • Preventative Services Bill: A bill that would establish that many preventative services provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act are to be codified in Washington state law. However, the bill will also amend existing state law’s reference to the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendations for immunization coverage and instead refer to the state Department of Health’s recommendations for immunization of coverage. It will also set the preventative services coverage standard to federal standards as of June 30, 2025. 

  The first issue has been a priority that the Insurance Commissioner raised last year. Bills can be prefiled beginning this past December 1st for the next session. 

• AI Task Force Releases New Interim Report. This past week, the Washington state AI Task Force released an interim report which seeks to establish the state’s own regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI) in the absence of federal oversight and requirements. While the interim report proposes recommendations to state legislators for regulating education, policing, workplaces and others, healthcare is of significant focus in the report. Notably, the healthcare recommendations include: 

  • Require that any decision to deny, delay or modify health services based on medical necessity be made only by qualified clinicians. 

  • Require that any AI systems used to facilitate processing of prior authorization requests apply the same clinical criteria as licensed health care professionals and require that such AI systems be subject to assessments and audits. 

  • Require AI systems used by a payor to provide clear, understandable explanations for its decision accessible to both patients and providers. 

  • Requires AI systems to be developed and evaluated with a specific focus on mitigating risks, such as algorithmic bias, and promoting health equity. 

  Notably, the interim report includes the Task Force’s vote on each policy recommendation included in the report. The healthcare recommendations were nearly unanimously voted for in support with one member abstaining. These recommendations now go to the Legislature for consideration. 

West Virginia

• Board of Education Reinstates School Vaccination Mandate. Following a West Virginia Supreme Court order this past week which issued an injunction on a lower court ruling, the West Virginia Board of Education has reinstated its school vaccination and prohibits parents to cite religious beliefs to opt out of vaccinations. Last week, a lower court had issued a ruling authorizing parents to cite religious beliefs in opting out of vaccinations to attend schools. With the Supreme Court’s recent injunction, the Court said the stay is in place pending resolution of appeals in the current matter which will come before the Supreme Court. West Virginia is currently only one of a few states that grants medical-only exemptions from school vaccinations in statute. However, Governor Patrick Morrisey (R) had issued an executive order in January that authorized religious exemptions. Stakeholders sued, arguing that only the Legislature, not the Governor by himself, had authority to change the law as it relates to vaccine mandates. 

Wisconsin

• Governor Evers Vetoes Bill Prohibiting State Funds for Healthcare of Undocumented Immigrants. This past week, Governor Tony Evers (D) vetoed A. 308. The measure was intended to prohibit the use of any state funds for paying for any healthcare-related services that immigrants lacking documentation may benefit from. Albeit, there was exception language for required funding of programs or payments made that are a result of existing federal law. The measure was  intended to prevent the Governor’s office from initiating any rulemaking that may authorize additional state dollars be spent on healthcare for undocumented immigrants. However, the Governor in his veto message iterated that the bill was attempting to fix problems that do not exist. 

For additional information and updates on state activity this past week relative to state COVID-19 vaccine guidance, StateVitals Subscribers can check out our guidance tracker.