Healthcare — CMS Proposes Faster Drug Prior Authorization, 2.4% Inpatient Rate Increase, and Maryland Sets First State-Level Drug Price Cap

Healthcare · 2026-04-14

TODAY'S SIGNAL — A cluster of federal and state regulatory actions is reshaping the financial and operational landscape for healthcare organizations simultaneously. CMS is moving on multiple fronts: proposing electronic prior authorization mandates with compressed timelines for prescription drugs, offering a 2.4% inpatient payment bump, and greenlighting 150+ digital health companies for a…