Policy & Regulations

This channel includes news coverage of healthcare policy and regulations set by Congress, the states, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and medical associations and societies. 

CVS seeks to relieve overworked pharmacists with new policy

Pharmacists have also been affected by the pandemic, with higher than previously reported rates of burnout affecting the profession.

February 11, 2022
pain pills opioids

CDC updates clinical practice guideline for prescribing opioids

The new guideline suggests prescribing opioid-naïve patients with acute, subacute, or chronic pain the "lowest dosage to achieve expected effects."

February 11, 2022

HHS warns hospitals to safeguard against LockBit 2.0 ransomware

While the cybercrime organization claims to not attack healthcare organizations it remains a threat to the entire U.S. healthcare and public health sector, according to a recent alert.

February 9, 2022
Money

More states considering legislation to help low-income patients pay high medical debt

The United States Census Bureau reports that 19% of U.S. households could not afford to pay for medical care right away.

February 8, 2022

Kaiser Permanente's 'secret' Medicaid deal with California raises eyebrows

The five-year agreement would make Kaiser Permanente the only insurer with a statewide Medi-Cal contract in California.

February 7, 2022

Oracle’s $28.3B deal to buy Cerner facing antitrust scrutiny, additional lawsuits

A filing submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission listed seven civil actions brought forth by Cerner stockholders that suggest disclosure documents contain "insufficient or incorrect" information.

February 7, 2022
Cybersecurity

UnitedHealthcare subpoenaed over data breach impacting 22,000 people

The Rhode Island Attorney General's office said "one or more" entities may have diverted from standard information safeguards.

February 3, 2022
Hypertension patients measured their blood pressure less frequently during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research published in Hypertension. In addition, when those patients did measure their blood pressure, the readings were less healthy than they had been before the pandemic.

Medicare patients will have access to free at-home COVID tests starting this spring

Under the Biden administration's new mandate, Medicare and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will be eligible for eight free tests each month.

February 3, 2022

Around the web

Five of the largest U.S. medical societies focused on cardiovascular health are one step closer to seeing their paradigm-shifting proposal become a reality.

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions and Society of Thoracic Surgeons have both shared statements in support of the ban, which is already being challenged in court. The American Hospital Association, meanwhile, opposes the policy shift, saying it “errs by seeking to create a one-size-fits-all rule”

Alison Bailey, MD, co-chair of the business of cardiology sessions at ACC.24, emphasized that reimbursement cuts can have a long-term negative impact on patient. 

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