Unexamined Health Rules Would End After 10 Years Under Proposal

Health regulations that aren’t reviewed every 10 years to determine whether they are still needed would expire under a rule proposed Wednesday.

The provision would apply only to rules subject to review under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, which requires agencies to evaluate the impact of their actions on small businesses. Procedural, record-keeping, and other small rules that don’t require public comment don’t fall under that umbrella.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ proposal would apply only to regulations completely within its jurisdiction. Rules issued jointly with other departments or those that can’t legally be rescinded, among a few other ...