HHS Moves to Streamline Operations by Revoking Public Comment Requirement

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to revoke the Richardson waiver, a policy established in 1971 that requires public notice and comment for certain agency management matters, including public loans and grants. This repeal is intended to streamline HHS's regulatory processes by aligning them with the Administrative Procedure Act and allowing the department to bypass public comment periods when necessary for "good cause." HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argues that the waiver imposes unnecessary costs and delays, thereby enhancing the department's operational flexibility to respond to legal and policy changes more effectively.

Opens on Becker's Hospital Review