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. 

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DOJ asks court for final approval of CVS-Aetna deal

The Department of Justice has asked a judge to approve the $69 billion merger between CVS Health and Aetna, which was closed by the two companies at the end of 2018, Reuters reported. The deal has been hung up on court approval, though it has been approved by all other regulators and the DOJ.

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More employers integrating healthcare benefits

More employers are actively integrating or considering integrating their medical, pharmacy, dental, vision and/or disability benefits under their health and wellness programs in the next five years thanks to the positive impact on employees, a study from Anthem found. 

Crossover Health Acquires Sherpaa Health Virtual Primary Care Platform

Crossover Health, a leading provider of comprehensive health services for self-insured employers, announced today that it has acquired the exclusive rights to the technology platform developed by Sherpaa Health, the pioneer of virtual primary care.

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GE to sell biopharma biz for $21B, postpone healthcare IPO

General Electric Company (GE) is selling its biopharma business to Danaher for $21.4 billion, the company announced Feb. 25. With a definitive agreement signed between the two parties, GE’s previous plan to spin off its healthcare sector with its own initial public offering is likely put on hold, GE Chairman and CEO Larry Culp told CNBC.

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Report reveals drug middlemen snagged $124M in Kentucky

Drug middlemen gobbled up $123.5 million in hidden costs in Kentucky’s Medicaid program, according to a new report from the Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

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Cigna, Anthem dispute bills after failed merger

A proposed merger between two major health insurance providers ended in a messy breakup after antitrust issues prohibited the roughly $50 billion transaction in 2017. Now, the two companies, Anthem and Cigna, are still disputing which company will foot the costs of the failed deal, Bloomberg Quint reported.

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CivicaRx wants to change drug costs by working with pharma

CivicaRx, the not-for-profit entity created last year by a group of health systems and hospitals, is planning to achieve its goals of lowering drug prices and addressing shortages in hospitals by working directly with pharmaceutical companies and buying drugs, Bloomberg reported.

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Traveling and waiting for healthcare services costs $89B each year

Getting to and waiting for a doctor’s appointment will likely take longer than getting a car repair, according to a recent analysis of travel and wait times among professional services by Altarum. All that waiting and traveling adds up to a significant burden in the U.S.–– an average of $89 billion annually in economic costs from 2006 to 2017.

Around the web

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 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. 

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.

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