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While the official 2027 Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) announcement remains several months away, a nonpartisan group released its latest prediction this week suggesting seniors could be in line for a strong boost.

Donald Trump has suffered a legal setback after a U.S. judge struck down an agreement that granted him immunity from tax audits in exchange for dropping his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Sens. Bill Cassidy, MD, R-La., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced the Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026 on July 14, legislation that would require CMS to update ASC Medicare payments using the same inflation factor applied to hospital outpatient rates. 

The bill also would eliminate a budget-neutrality adjustment that ASC advocates say has suppressed reimbursement over time.

A federal judge on Monday voided a controversial settlement between President Trump and the Justice Department, accusing the administration of abusing the court system to establish a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” taxpayer fund.

Judge Kathleen Williams said the case was part of a pattern of Mr. Trump “misusing the courts to serve political purposes.”