Update: What We’re Watching, Dec. 1, 2025

Federal policymakers are considering extending the expiring enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. Questions remain about changes in the food assistance program. New federal restrictions may impact the hemp industry in Kansas, and potential federal action may affect state regulation of artificial intelligence. Here is some of the health-related news we are watching that could have an impact on Kansas.

The views expressed in the following news stories, news releases or documents are not necessarily those of the Kansas Health Institute (KHI). They are being shared with the intent of keeping Kansans informed of the latest developments related to federal health policy. 

1. President’s Proposed Health Care Plan

As a part of the agreement to end the federal government shutdown, Senate Republican leadership agreed to hold a mid-December vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, which are available to eligible individuals and families who purchase health insurance coverage through the ACA marketplaces based on their household income and other requirements. Most recently, President Trump said he would prefer not to extend the subsidies, though he acknowledged that some form of an extension may be necessary. In his comments, he noted that he was most interested in a plan that would provide funding directly to individuals – potentially through health savings accounts (HSAs). While this plan would allow for individuals to apply the additional HSA funds to deductible and co-pay costs, under current law, HSA funds cannot be used to pay insurance premiums in most circumstances, raising questions about how this proposal would address the projected 114 percent increase in out-of-pocket premium costs.

🔗Read more from Politico: ‘Time is not our friend’: Health care scramble begins amid mixed signals from Trump

🔗Read more from CNN: White House postpones expected unveiling of new health care cost proposal

🔗Read more from PBS: White House circulates a plan to extend Obamacare subsidies as Trump pledges health care fix

2. SNAP Update: Shutdown Impacts and Policy Changes

Ongoing policy changes at the federal level have contributed to uncertainty for some participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A major SNAP overhaul passed by congressional Republicans in July in H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) will reduce program spending by $186.7 billion over the next decade, expand work requirements, and shift some benefit costs to states, changes expected to affect thousands of Kansans.  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins recently said millions of people would need to reapply for SNAP as part of fraud-prevention efforts, but USDA later clarified that it would rely on existing six-month recertification processes rather than requiring a new round of reapplications.

In the Kansas City region, delayed benefits, inflation and higher living costs have contributed to increased demand for charitable food assistance, with food pantries reporting higher turnout and more households seeking support. These recent disruptions and policy changes have placed added pressure on local food assistance networks and contributed to uncertainty among some Kansas households participating in SNAP.

🔗Read more from Politico: Trump admin backs off idea to force SNAP users to reapply

🔗Read more from the Kansas City Star: Food lines grow as SNAP delay, rising costs stretch KC families in holiday season

🔗Read more from AP: What to know about expanded work requirements about to kick in for SNAP

3. Hemp Provisions in Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5371)

In the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act (H.R. 5371), enacted on Nov. 12, which ended the federal shutdown, Congress included new provisions regarding hemp products, including products containing cannabidiol (CBD), a natural compound found in hemp. The new provisions are set to go into effect in November 2026. Federal law, as stated in the 2018 Farm Bill, removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and authorized states to regulate and limit the production and sale of hemp and hemp products within their borders. H.R. 5371 revises the federal definition of hemp and creates new categories and exclusions that would directly affect and outlaw some hemp-derived cannabinoid products. The law also requires the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance on or before Feb. 10, 2026, to give companies time to make changes in their product offerings and distribution by the November 2026 effective date. Kansas law currently defines hemp as all parts of the Cannabis sativa L. plant that contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol on a dry weight basis, which aligns with the standards in the 2018 Farm Bill, and permits the sale and use of certain CBD products. It is unclear at this time how the implementation of the new hemp provisions in H.R. 5371 may impact the hemp industry in Kansas and the availability of CBD products.

🔗Read text of H.R. 5371: Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026

🔗 Read more from Healthline: CBD: Federal Ban on Hemp-Derived THC May Restrict Access to Products

4. Regulation of Artificial Intelligence

On Thursday, Nov. 20, a draft executive order was leaked regarding the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). The draft order would direct federal agencies to identify existing and proposed state AI laws and regulations that may be viewed as burdensome and legally challenge or preempt those laws. The order also would initiate a process for developing a federal regulatory framework for the entire country, which would override existing state AI laws. However, on Friday, Nov. 21, unofficial sources said the order was being placed on hold. The President has indicated that he believes having different laws all over the country is interfering with the innovation and economic growth of AI technology.  A coalition of 36 attorneys general from both political parties have opposed a moratorium on state laws addressing artificial intelligence.

Recent legislative attempts to bar states from regulating AI have been unsuccessful. Four states — Colorado, California, Utah and Texas — have already passed laws that set out rules for AI in the private sector related to collection of personal information and transparency from companies. Other states have enacted laws regulating certain parts of AI, such as barring the use of deepfakes in elections and the creation of nonconsensual pornography and creating rules for the government’s use of AI.

Subsequently, on Nov. 24, the White House released a separate executive order launching the “Genesis Mission,” a national effort to use AI to accelerate scientific discovery. This order directs the U.S. Department of Energy and other federal research entities to work with universities and private-sector partners to create a shared digital platform to facilitate the use of AI systems to assist the federal government in solving complex challenges around engineering, energy and national security issues. The goal of the “Genesis Mission” is to speed up the research process by analyzing large data sets in science, engineering, energy and health care from the federal government, universities and the private sector using supercomputing technology. Unlike the order leaked on Nov. 20, this order does not address regulatory authority.

🔗 Read the Attorneys General Coalition Letter: Letter to Congress – AI Moratorium

🔗 Read the “Genesis Mission” Executive Order: Launching the Genesis Mission

🔗Read more from AP: Trump signs executive order for AI project called Genesis Mission to boost scientific discoveries

🔗Read more from U.S. News: Trump eyes an order to preempt state AI regulations

🔗Read more from Reuters: White House pauses executive order that would seek to preempt state laws on AI, sources say