Transparency

• The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) released its March 2026 Report to Congress on March 12, 2026, with primary recommendations focused on home and community-based services (HCBS) workforce challenges. • The report recommends that states be required to report hourly wages paid to HCBS workers to better align payment rates with frontline compensation and enable cross-state wage comparisons. • The report also examines behavioral health in Medicaid, the Medicaid Expansion Children's Health Insurance Program, Medicaid's role for justice-involved youth, and coverage for children in foster care.

• American Oversight marked Sunshine Week 2026 with three victories forcing Trump administration and local governments to preserve records over the past year. • Wins advanced government accountability through legal actions ensuring compliance with transparency laws. • Identified three major threats to openness, emphasizing ongoing risks to public access amid political developments.

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced a full committee markup on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 10:00am ET, to consider multiple bills aimed at protecting taxpayer dollars and improving government accountability. The legislation includes reforms to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) requiring annual reporting on unreported funds, including national security spending, and mandates federal agencies to publish settlement agreement details like dates, payments, and attorney fees in public databases. These measures address long-standing concerns over inefficient federal spending and lack of transparency, potentially saving billions by ensuring accurate data on USAspending.gov. The Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act would also define special districts in law and require OMB guidance for their eligibility for federal grants.