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
The incident happened three years ago when Anthony Hoover was declared brain-dead on his medical record, only to wake up on the operating room table moments before his organs were harvested. The incident 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.

Trump to declare ‘national emergency’ on opioid crisis

Following up on recommendations by his own White House commission, President Donald Trump said he will declare a national public health emergency on the opioid addiction epidemic, which would have an impact on healthcare providers.

August 11, 2017

ACA insurers seeking premium hikes as high as 49% due to policy uncertainty

In an analysis of what Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange insurers are requesting to charge customers in 21 major cities in 2018, the Kaiser Family Foundation found the cost for the second-lowest silver-level plan will range from $244 to $631 per month, with most enrollees cushioned from the price hikes by federal subsidies.

August 10, 2017

Bringing Medicare into ACA markets could boost competition

With nearly 40 percent of counties nationwide being at risk of having no insurer on their Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange next year, a lack of competition for marketplace customers is a concern.

August 10, 2017

Part 2, Q&A with next HIMSS CEO Hal Wolf: Health IT industry shouldn’t fear AI

Embracing artificial intelligence (AI) technology is “a necessity” for the health IT industry, according to Harold “Hal” Wolf III, the next president and CEO of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

August 8, 2017

HITECH Act increases adoption of EHRs in hospitals

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 was introduced to increase the rate of integration of electronic health records (EHRs). In a recent study, published by Health Affairs, researchers analyze if the bill was able to increase EHR adoption.

August 7, 2017

It may be too late to stabilize ACA markets for 2018

The stalling of Republican efforts to repeal and/or replace the Affordable Care Act has led to renewed talks of short-term measures to keep premiums down and keep insurers from leaving ACA exchanges, but those measures may be coming too late.

August 7, 2017

Senate passes ‘right-to-try’ bill which critics call ‘deceptive’ to terminal patients

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill on Aug. 3 which would allow terminally ill patients the “right to try” experimental treatments that haven’t yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but critics say it gives patients false hope without allowing for federal oversight.

August 4, 2017

OCR pushes for employee education to improve cybersecurity

Having a strong first line of defense is key in any battle—and the same goes for the fight for cybersecurity. A recent newsletter released by HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) urges healthcare organizations to arm their employees with knowledge in order to prevent cyberattacks.

August 3, 2017

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

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