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.

4 points crucial to the nimble regulation of GenAI
With generative AI coming into its own, AI regulators must avoid relying too much on principles of risk management—and not enough on those of uncertainty management.
FDA recalls infant incubators due to risk of door falling off
A loose screw on the Giraffe OmniBed is to blame. With updated use instructions and repairs, the incubators are safe to use.
‘A huge win’: CMS significantly increases Medicare payments for cardiac CT
CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.
Kentucky AG launches criminal probe after conscious man nearly has organs harvested
Three years ago Anthony Hoover was declared brain dead—until he woke up on the operating room table, moments before his organs were removed. His story has spurred a criminal investigation by Kentucky's attorney general.
FDA announces Class I recall of ventilators after 3 patient injuries
An unexpected nickel coating on the breathing circuits of Percussionaire Phasitron 5 ventilators is being blamed for the recall. The FDA is asking providers to stop using them immediately.

5 new payment models proposed for kidney care

HHS and CMS are following through on an executive order from President Trump to overhaul kidney care in the nation by proposing five new payment models.

July 11, 2019

ACOs are slow to adopt downside risk

Only 28% of ACOs formed in 2012 have taken on downside risk, while just 33% had at least one contract with downside risk in 2018, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

July 10, 2019

Trump preparing another exec order on drug prices

President Trump is preparing to issue an executive order that would declare a favored nations clause for drug prices, ensuring the U.S. would not pay higher prices than other countries for prescription medications, CNBC reported.

July 9, 2019

Obamacare lawsuit heads to appeals court

The biggest challenge to the Affordable Care Act to date heads to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans Tuesday, July 9, for scheduled oral arguments in the case.

July 9, 2019

Trump rule to disclose drug prices blocked by judge

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s rule requiring drugmakers to publish the list prices of prescription medications in direct-to-consumer television advertisements.

July 9, 2019

Cost of cancer deaths tops $94B annually

The economic cost of the of lost earnings due to cancer deaths in the U.S. was more than $94 billion in 2015, according to a new study published in JAMA Oncology.

July 8, 2019

Medicare for all could mean a big payment cut

While general support for a universal healthcare system remains at about 50% among the public, the impact to the healthcare industry is being weighed––and providers could see huge payment cuts under certain policies.

July 8, 2019

Doctors aren’t using tools to keep drug costs down

Patients are worried about the rising cost of prescription drugs, and the high rate of cost growth has led lawmakers and the Trump administration to review steps to reduce runaway price growth. However, there are some ways for doctors to help patients avoid sticker shock on their prescriptions––and not many are using these tools, according to a report from NPR.

July 8, 2019

Around the web

AI in Healthcare

4 points crucial to the nimble regulation of GenAI

With generative AI coming into its own, AI regulators must avoid relying too much on principles of risk management—and not enough on those of uncertainty management.

Cardiovascular Business

Q&A: Why are cardiovascular devices involved in so many recalls? FDA policies may be to blame

Cardiovascular devices are more likely to be in a Class I recall than any other device type. The FDA's approval process appears to be at least partially responsible, though the agency is working to make some serious changes. We spoke to a researcher who has been tracking these data for years to learn more.

Cardiovascular Business

Cardiologist compensation still rising, especially in invasive and interventional cardiology

Updated compensation data includes good news for multiple subspecialties. The new report also examines private equity's impact on employment models and how much male cardiologists earn compared to females.