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.

AMA says Change Healthcare breach is crippling independent practices
A survey of physicians by the American Medical Association reveals that many practices are still losing revenue and struggling to make payroll as a result of the Change Healthcare hack.
ACLU sues North Carolina over illegal detention of mental health patients
A lawsuit filed in federal court claims the state is detaining mentally ill and disabled patients without due process or proper access to treatment.
What happened to cardiology's private practices?
Hospital employment models, reimbursement policies and private equity have all led to a massive reduction in the number of cardiologists working for a private practice, ACC President Cathie Biga, MSN, told Cardiovascular Business.
Psychiatric hospital sued for $150M over ‘encouraging’ fight between juveniles
A new lawsuit claims a 15-year-old girl was used as an enforcer of bad behavior at a psychiatric facility in Michigan, resulting in her severely beating a 10-year-old boy.
Biden Administration itemizes AI accomplishments to date
Half a year after President Biden officially directed federal agencies in the executive branch’s bailiwick to “seize the promise and manage the risks” of AI, the White House has posted a status report.

Hospital price transparency closing in

Is your organization ready to meet the new federal requirements on hospital price transparency? The policy is set to go live on New Year’s Day.

December 22, 2020

Medicaid solidifies value-based drug payments

The revised system gives states greater leeway than they’ve had to cut value-based purchasing deals with pharma companies on innovative but expensive drugs.

December 22, 2020

EU trying to anticipate, head off threats AI may pose to human rights

Various scenarios within medical diagnostics are among the AI use cases that an official European watchdog has flagged as a potential source of hazards to fundamental human rights.

December 14, 2020

3 industry orgs suing HHS, FDA over Canadian drug imports

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is combining forces with two other groups to challenge the FDA final rule allowing broad, state-by-state importation of drugs from Canada.

November 24, 2020

4 forces favoring, 5 working against Biden’s wish to lower Medicare eligibility age

President-elect Joe Biden wants to drop Medicare’s eligibility age to 60. If he succeeds, the move might bring in well more than 20 million new enrollees. What are the odds he’ll plant that piece of a potentially sweeping healthcare agenda?

November 12, 2020

3 areas newly ripe for employer-driven change in healthcare policy

A healthcare research firm specializing in purchasing has considered the post-election landscape from the vantage point of large employers offering health benefits to their workers.

November 9, 2020

Health execs best consider now what a ‘Bidencare’ might look like later

As Joe Biden makes plans to intensify the federal response to the COVID crisis, he can expect support on that agenda item from 77% of Democrats, 62% of independents, 55% of Republicans and 50% of others.

November 9, 2020

AI with location data may fine-tune flu forecasting

The researchers say their AI technique produces an 11% boost in accuracy over that supplied by other contemporary flu forecasting systems.

November 2, 2020

Around the web

AI in Healthcare

Biden Administration itemizes AI accomplishments to date

Half a year after President Biden officially directed federal agencies in the executive branch’s bailiwick to “seize the promise and manage the risks” of AI, the White House has posted a status report.

Cardiovascular Business

‘Concerning’ data connect industry payments to cardiologists with medical device use

U.S. physicians often receive payments from medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. New research in JAMA found a connection between receiving such payments and using specific devices—should the industry be concerned?

Cardiovascular Business

Cardiology groups share key update: ABMS seeking feedback on proposed Board of Cardiovascular Medicine

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.