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Open Recommendations

Health Care Accessibility: Further Efforts Needed to Address Barriers for People with Disabilities
GAO-26-107120
Dec 19, 2025
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of HHS should establish detailed plans—that contain clear steps and timelines—to develop and pilot the collection of national-level data from people with disabilities on the accessibility of health care. The plans should be developed in consultation with stakeholders. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of HHS should ensure the consistent collection of data on disability status using its Data Standard for Disability Status (currently the ACS-6) in the following population health surveys: Health and Retirement Study, Health Information National Trends Survey, National Health and Aging Trends Study, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult Questionnaire, National Survey of Family Growth, and National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of HHS should establish plans for achieving its priorities related to accessible health care provided by health care organizations, through the survey and certification process or some other mechanism, to help ensure accessibility for people with disabilities and compliance with the recent Section 504 regulations. Such plans for achieving priorities should be developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders and should include sound planning practices, such as developing activities and timelines and assigning responsible parties. (Recommendation 3)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of HHS should ensure that OCR develop a mechanism to compile and publicly share on an annual basis summary data on resolved complaints and compliance reviews, to inform OCR and other efforts to enhance accessibility for people with disabilities. This mechanism could include additional functionality of the OCR case management system to automate the preparation of summary data, to the extent possible. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of HHS should ensure that OCR provides additional guidance to health care organizations regarding their responsibilities under Section 504, and make all guidance readily available to health care organizations. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Medical Device Recalls: HHS and FDA Should Address Limitations in Oversight of Recall Process
GAO-26-107619
Dec 12, 2025
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Health and Human Services As HHS undergoes its restructuring efforts, the Secretary should work with FDA to conduct strategic workforce planning to determine the staffing resources, skills, and capacity that FDA needs to effectively process and oversee medical device recalls—including being able to conduct recall audit checks and terminate recalls within agency goals—and develop strategies for addressing any identified workforce gaps. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services As a part of its restructuring efforts, HHS should work with FDA to assess if the agency would benefit from having additional legislative authority that would allow it to require manufacturers to implement agency recommendations for manufacturer-initiated recall strategies. HHS should seek additional authority, if needed. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Health Insurance: Enhanced Data Matching Could Help Prevent Duplicate Benefits and Yield Substantial Savings
GAO-25-106976
Nov 17, 2025
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services The Administrator for CMS, in coordination with the health insurance marketplaces, should design a process or modify its current one, including the development of policies and procedures, to help detect and prevent duplicate SSNs being used on multiple qualified health plan policies receiving APTC benefits within a marketplace or across the marketplaces simultaneously. (Recommendation 1)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services The Administrator for CMS should require that (1) all federally facilitated and state-based marketplaces submit qualified health plan enrollment data, including APTC information to PARIS, or another data-matching system, for interstate matching on a frequently recurring basis, such as quarterly, and (2) federally facilitated and state-based marketplaces resolve matches identified between APTC and CHIP or Medicaid to determine eligibility and terminate coverage, as appropriate. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services The Administrator for CMS should require that all state Medicaid and CHIP agencies (1) submit all enrollment data to PARIS, or another data-matching system, for interstate matching on a frequently recurring basis, such as quarterly, and (2) review matches to verify Medicaid or CHIP eligibility and terminate coverage, as appropriate. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Veterans Health Care: Better Communication Needed to Integrate Management of Medical Facility and Community-Based Care
GAO-25-107212
Sep 30, 2025
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Veterans Health Administration The Under Secretary for Health should ensure IVC develops and implements a strategy for conducting clear, direct, and continuous two-way communication with relevant employees—including those at regional networks and medical facilities—and stakeholders as the office continues to evolve and makes changes to its central office organizational structure. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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