State Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the probe on Monday, citing media reports that show the insurer could have engaged in “deceptive practices.” No formal lawsuit has been filed.

In an update to an early alert from May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said an investigation by the device manufacturer concluded the black spots were part of the PVC material used in manufacturing.

The states say they do not have enough time to enforce the rule, as CMS only issued an interim final rule this summer. The deadline for full compliance is Jan. 1.

The agency is warning hospitals that failing to publicly post the prices they charge for services will not only elicit the ire of HHS.

The COVID-19 public health crisis ended in May 2023, three and a half years after HHS declared the pandemic a national health emergency. However, public anger over U.S. healthcare’s response is still rearing its ugly head in 2026. 

The reason for the payouts is a bit fuzzy, but the White House said it has to do with user fees that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services charged to the states, which should have been passed on to enrollees as they sign up for insurance on HealthCare.gov

In an op-ed published by The Hill, a policy expert calls for a paradigm shift in which the U.S. addresses the shortage of doctors with supportive policy that alleviates the hefty price tag of medical school.

The agency said the move comes after a May 2026 audit of Medicaid outcomes found that states are motivated more by a desire to check boxes than to ensure patients are healthy. Once completed, the new framework will ideally align financial incentives with care outcomes. 

The payers in question, Humana and UnitedHealthcare, deny any wrongdoing and are not obligated to pay back any money. 

For 2027, CMS said it anticipates that 34 million seniors will be enrolled in a Medicare Part C plan, representing 47% of all Medicare-eligible seniors.