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.

Boston Medical Center installs solar panels to pay patients’ electric bills
A program dubbed the Clean Power Prescription sends half the energy generated by 519 solar panels on the hospital's roof back to patients, in the form of energy credits.
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.

$69B CVS-Aetna deal may get regulatory approval soon

CVS Health’s $69 billion takeover of Aetna may soon be greenlit by the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, according to Reuters, which cited a source familiar with the matter.

September 18, 2018

$67B Cigna-Express Scripts deal clears DOJ

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division has cleared the $67 billion acquisition of Express Scripts by Cigna.

September 17, 2018

CMS proposes cutting more regulations

As part of its Patients Over Paperwork initiative, CMS has proposed another round of “red tape” cuts for healthcare providers that could reduce some burdens and loosen regulations across healthcare settings.

September 17, 2018

Jefferson and Einstein Healthcare Network reach definitive merger agreement

Jefferson Health and Einstein Healthcare Network have reached a definitive agreement to merge after previously announcing their intentions in March.

September 17, 2018

Dartmouth finds article is plagiarized, but NEJM refuses to retract it

The New England Journal of Medicine continues to refuse to retract an article after its lead author was accused of plagiarism and resigned amid an internal investigation, according to STAT. On Sept. 13, H. Gilbert Welch, MD, MPH, stepped down as a professor with the Dartmouth Institute in Lebanon, New Hampshire, after the university found he plagiarized two colleagues in a paper published in NEJM in 2016.

September 17, 2018

Maryland files lawsuit to protect the ACA

With a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act in the hands of a federal judge in Texas, Maryland is taking the issue head on by filing a lawsuit that would keep the healthcare law intact.

September 14, 2018

Health insurance coverage rates were steady in 2017

During the first full year of President Trump’s term, healthcare insurance rates remained relatively steady, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

September 13, 2018

Hospitals sue HHS over 340B price transparency

Hospital associations have launched a lawsuit that would prompt a court order to require drug companies to disclose the ceiling price for 340B drugs.

September 13, 2018

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.