White House Directive on Medicaid Waste, Fraud and Abuse
On June 6, the White House issued a Presidential memorandum directing the Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to take action to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid. The directive calls for ensuring Medicaid payment rates do not exceed Medicare rates, where allowed by law.

The Administration specifically raises concerns about the rapid expansion of State Directed Payment (SDP) programs, warning that disparities between Medicaid and Medicare rates could jeopardize access to care for seniors and threaten long-term program sustainability. This action comes amid ongoing congressional reconciliation discussions that also impact SDPs.

SDPs help hospitals offset low Medicaid reimbursement rates and support essential services like maternity care, behavioral health, and cancer treatment. The American Hospital Association (AHA) said that in 2023, Medicaid payments—including supplemental payments—still fell $27.5 billion short of hospital costs for Medicaid patients. AHA said in 2023 Medicaid fee-for-service payments nationally paid 58 cents for every dollar hospitals spent caring for Medicaid patients, while Medicaid managed care organizations paid 65 cents. 

CDC, FDA Investigate Salmonella Outbreak in Nine States, Including IL
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to at least 1.7 million eggs, according to an FDA announcement. The communication said brown cage free and brown certified organic eggs were distributed from Feb. 3, 2025, through May 6, 2025, with sell by dates from March 4, 2025, to June 19, 2025, to Walmart locations in Illinois, as well as California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Indiana. According to the CDC, 79 people have been sickened in the outbreak; at this time, no illnesses have been reported in Illinois. 

New AHRQ Toolkit Tackles MRSA and Surgical Site Infections
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most invasive and deadly multidrug-resistant organisms. Preventing MRSA and surgical site infections is a complex patient safety issue that requires a multifaceted effort. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) new MRSA Prevention Toolkit: Targeting SSI provides extensive resources, including PowerPoint presentations, facilitator guides, one-page summary documents, and staff and patient training materials to help your facility get started or supplement your existing MRSA reduction efforts for cardiac, hip and knee replacement, and spinal fusion surgeries.

CISA Publishes Internet Exposure Reduction Guidance
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published the Internet Exposure Reduction Guidance to help organizations identify and reduce vulnerabilities stemming from internet-exposed assets. CISA said organizations unknowingly leave systems—such as industrial control systems, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and IoT devices—accessible online due to misconfigurations, default credentials, or outdated software. These exposures significantly increase the risk of cyberattacks and operational disruptions. The guidance outlines key steps to mitigate these risks, including assessing which assets are publicly accessible, determining the necessity of their exposure and implementing strong security controls for those that must remain online. CISA also stresses the importance of evaluating each exposed service based on operational necessity, business justification and existing security measures.