HHS Ends Longstanding Public Comment Requirement, Drawing Industry Concern

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has discontinued the use of the Richardson Waiver, a public notice and comment procedure that has been a bipartisan standard since 1971 for federal health-related rulemaking. This decision affects a broad range of HHS agencies and programs overseeing approximately $1.7 trillion in healthcare funding, including Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, NIH, FDA, and others. Advocacy groups led by Families USA have formally opposed the change, emphasizing the importance of transparent, evidence-based regulatory processes that incorporate stakeholder feedback to ensure policies reflect the needs of consumers and communities. The removal of this procedural safeguard raises concerns about reduced public influence in shaping health policy and impacts on the implementation and oversight of critical health programs.