Medicare Advantage (MA), also known as Part C, has become the dominant path through which older adults receive Medicare coverage. More than half of all beneficiaries — roughly 33–34 million people — are enrolled in plans operated by private insurers. These plans promise convenience and financial protection, including caps on out‑of‑pocket spending and some extra benefits not found in Original Medicare. At the same time, MA brings challenges that stem directly from how the program is designed, and these structural incentives can affect access to timely care, especially for people with complex health needs or limited provider options.

On September 15, 2025, CMS released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural Health Transformation Program outlining key requirements, deadlines, and criteria that states will need to apply for this funding, which is intended to support improvements to rural healthcare systems as well as health outcomes in rural areas. In this article, we share key takeaways from this announcement.

In December, 2024, CMS approved a new 1115 waiver renewing funding and expansion opportunities for several programs, including the successful NC Healthy Opportunities Pilot, which uses Medicaid funds to provide social determinants of health interventions such as housing, food, transportation and other supports to Medicaid beneficiaries as a cost-savings measure to improve health outcomes and to prevent or manage chronic disease.