The Reading Room

Don't take our word for it.

We work carefully, we verify against primary sources, and we date everything — and we can still be wrong. Analysis is interpretation, and interpretation has an author. The documents in this room don't. When our reading and the enacted text disagree, the text wins, every time. That's not a disclaimer; it's the method.

Every system should answer two questions: how do we know, and who decides? Here, "how we know" is linked below — the actual text, not our version of it. And who decides is not us: the enacted text decides, and it belongs to you. The law that governs your clinic, your claim, your care doesn't require a law degree to read. It requires knowing where to look. That's what this room is for.

If you find an error

If this site says something a primary source doesn't support, tell us: contact@5qhealth.ai. We'll check it against the text, and if you're right, we'll correct it — dated, noted, and never quietly. Catching our errors is not an attack on this work. It's participation in it. That's the whole point.

How this room works

Each entry is one primary source: what it is, where it officially lives, and where to look inside it. Every link points to the source's own home — the Federal Register, the Illinois General Assembly, CMS — never a mirror, never a summary. Our analyses interpret; these documents decide. When the two disagree, the document wins, and we correct the analysis, dated and noted.

Links verified working: July 15, 2026. Entries marked “added September 26, 2026” were verified on that date.

Federal rulemaking — AI & health IT

Proposed rule · Comment period closed · Final rule pending
HTI-5 — Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: ASTP/ONC Deregulatory Actions to Unleash Prosperity

90 FR 60970, published December 29, 2025; comments closed February 27, 2026. The AI "model card" removal is in the discussion of 45 CFR § 170.315(b)(11); the privacy/security criterion at § 170.315(d)(1) and the information-blocking exception changes each have their own sections. Read it on federalregister.gov →

Companions: the ASTP/ONC fact sheet, the HHS press release, and the Unified Agenda entry (RIN 0955-AA09), where a final-rule date would first appear. · Our analysis

Current regulation
45 CFR Part 170 — the ONC Health IT Certification criteria as they stand today

The certification criteria HTI-5 proposes to change, in force now. Section 170.315 holds the full list — (b)(11) is decision support, (d) is privacy and security. Read it on ecfr.gov →

Medicare payment & suppliers

Final rule · In force since January 1, 2026
CMS-1828-F — CY 2026 Home Health PPS Final Rule (DMEPOS provisions)

Published December 2, 2025. The annual accreditation requirement, unannounced surveys, and supplier enrollment changes are in the DMEPOS provisions — search the document for "accreditation" to land in the right sections. Read it on federalregister.gov →

Companion: CMS DMEPOS accreditation guidance (PDF) · Our analysis

CMS Innovation Center model
WISeR — Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model

The model bringing algorithm-assisted prior authorization review to Original Medicare. CMS's own model page carries the participation details, timelines, and FAQs. Read it on cms.gov →

Our analysis: WISeR at six months

Illinois enacted law

Enacted · Signed July 6, 2026 · Core obligations effective January 1, 2027
SB 315 — Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act

The first state law requiring annual independent audits of the largest AI developers. The bill status page links the full enacted text; the covered-developer definitions and the audit mandate are the heart of the act. Read it on ilga.gov →

Our analysis: what it means for healthcare deployers

Enacted · Public Act 104-0054 · In force since August 2025
HB 1806 — Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act (the "WOPR Act")

Restricts AI in therapy and psychotherapy services to clients in Illinois. The permitted-use definitions (administrative vs. supplementary support) and the licensed-professional requirement are the operative core. Read the Public Act on ilga.gov →

Our analysis: WOPR is a privacy law

Enacted · Public Act 103-0804 · In force since January 1, 2026
HB 3773 — AI in employment decisions (Illinois Human Rights Act amendments)

Prohibits discriminatory use of AI in recruitment, hiring, promotion, discipline, and discharge — and specifically bans zip codes as a proxy for protected classes. Short act; the amendments to Section 2-102 carry the substance. Read the Public Act on ilga.gov →

Covered in our Illinois deployer analysis

Frameworks & standards

Federal framework · Voluntary · Free
NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)

The vocabulary behind "GOVERN, MAP, MEASURE, MANAGE" wherever it appears on this site. The framework document and its playbook are free at NIST. Read it at nist.gov →

International standard · Voluntary · Sold by ISO
ISO/IEC 42001:2023 — Artificial intelligence management system

The certifiable AI management-system standard. Honest note: unlike everything else in this room, ISO sells the full text; the official page carries the free overview and scope. See it at iso.org →

Certification program · Voluntary · Joint Commission
Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare (RUAIH)

The Joint Commission's voluntary certification for healthcare AI governance, developed with the Coalition for Health AI. The certification page carries the program requirements and guidance documents. Read it at jointcommission.org →

Self-assess against it with our free RUAIH Readiness Scorecard

Industry framework · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
CHAI — Coalition for Health AI governance framework

The health-AI governance playbooks referenced in 5Q engagements, used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 and cited explicitly wherever they appear. Read it at governance.chai.org →

Medicaid, SNAP & North Carolina law (added September 26, 2026)

Enacted federal law · Signed July 4, 2025
P.L. 119-21 — including § 71119 (Medicaid community engagement) and § 71107 (six-month renewals)

Section 71119 adds subsection (xx) to Section 1902 of the Social Security Act: who must show 80 hours of community engagement, and who is excused — including the medically frail. Read the enrolled text at govinfo.gov →

Interim final rule · Issued June 1, 2026 · Effective January 1, 2027
CMS-2454-IFC — Medicaid Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals

How states must verify compliance and exemptions: ex parte data checks first, medical-frailty documentation, and self-attestation limits. Read the CMS fact sheet → · Our analysis

Enacted · Session Law 2026-41 · Approved July 7, 2026
SB 257 — Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2026 (North Carolina)

The budget that funds GDAC analytics for SNAP, Medicaid, tax, child welfare, and statewide identity; extends the DME rate floor to June 30, 2029 (§ 9E.23); and resets PHP contracts for December 1, 2029 (§ 9E.21). Read it at ncleg.gov → · GDAC Watch

Enacted · Session Law 2026-1 · Signed April 30, 2026
HB 696 — G.S. 108A-55.6 (self-attestation limit) and G.S. 108A-55.7 (community engagement lookbacks)

North Carolina’s layer on top of the federal rule: no self-attestation as the only evidence of eligibility (October 1, 2026), and 3-month and 3-of-6-month lookbacks (January 1, 2027). Read it at ncleg.gov →

State agency guidance · Updated August 31, 2026
NC Medicaid — The Work and Community Engagement Requirement

The rules as NC Medicaid explains them to members: hours, income, exemptions, lookbacks, and appeals. Read it at medicaid.ncdhhs.gov → · Coverage Keeper

Foundational resources

Research resource · University of Pennsylvania
AISP — Four Questions to Guide Decision-Making for Data Sharing and Integration

The four questions this firm is built on: Is it legal? Is it ethical? Is it a good idea? How do we know — and who decides? The fifth question is ours. Read it at aisp.upenn.edu →