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.

‘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.
FDA clears AI tool that flags signs of heart disease in chest CT scans
The newly cleared offering, AutoChamber, was designed with opportunistic screening in mind. It can evaluate many different kinds of CT images, including those originally gathered to screen patients for lung cancer.
Stewardship Health sale to private equity finalized for $245M
The physician group, once part of Steward Health Care, has been rebranded as Revere Medical.

Budget deal delays DSH cuts, repeals ACA panel, changes MIPS cost component

The second federal government shutdown of 2018 lasted only six hours, but the budget deal that ended it will have an impact on the healthcare industry for years to come through changes to Medicare payments, the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and repealing one of the most controversial parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

February 9, 2018

Humana will consolidate primary care clinics into new company

During the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, Humana CEO Bruce Broussard said several subsidiaries running primary care clinic will be merged into one as the insurer becomes more involved in clinical care.

February 8, 2018

Newly renamed Atrium Health to merge with Georgia’s Navicent

Just one day after announcing a name change from Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Atrium Health has signed a letter of intent to merge with another system, Navicent Health, based in Macon, Georgia.

February 8, 2018

What is—and isn’t—an Advanced APM in 2018

CMS has outlined which alternative payment models (APMs) qualify as Advanced APM under the Quality Payment Program (QPP) this year, thus giving participating providers a 5 percent payment bonus.

February 7, 2018

Georgia continues as a M&A hotspot with 4 combinations completed or near finished

2018 hasn’t seen a slowdown in mergers and acquisitions among hospitals and health systems in Georgia, with four major combinations now pending or recently completed across the state.

February 7, 2018

5 things healthcare should know about House spending bill

The legislation to keep the federal government running past Thursday, Feb. 8, includes many provisions related to healthcare, including adjustments to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and delaying Medicare cuts to hospitals while cutting billions from the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund.

February 7, 2018

How successes, failures of early CMMI models can inform a 'new direction'

While not all models developed and tested through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) were successful, each provided valuable lessons for future experiments in care delivery and payment from both government and private payers, according to an article published by Health Affairs.

February 6, 2018

Kindred asks stockholders to approve Humana merger

In a proxy statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Louisville, Kentucky-based Kindred Healthcare urged its shareholders to follow the recommendation of Kindred board members and vote yes on the proposed $4.1 billion sale of the company to insurer Humana and two private equity firms.

February 6, 2018

Around the web

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.

Cardiovascular Business

FDA’s tirzepatide decision creates uncertainty for patients—and leads to a lawsuit

When drugs are on the FDA’s shortage list, outsourcing facilities can produce their own compounded versions. When the FDA removed tirzepatide from that list with no warning, it created a considerable amount of chaos both behind the scenes and in pharmacies all over the country.

Policy & Regulations

‘A huge win’: CMS significantly increases Medicare payments for cardiac CT

Kentucky AG launches criminal probe after conscious man nearly has organs harvested

FDA announces Class I recall of ventilators after 3 patient injuries

FDA clears AI tool that flags signs of heart disease in chest CT scans

Stewardship Health sale to private equity finalized for $245M

Around the web