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.

UnitedHealth, Amedisys ask federal judge to dismiss DOJ lawsuit blocking $3.3B merger
The companies argue that the U.S. Department of Justice has failed to adequately demonstrate how, and in which regions of the country, the merger would harm competition. They are asking a federal court to throw out the case.
Healthcare private equity reporting act signed into law by Mass. governor
The new law will require private equity firms to make disclosures related to organizational structure and finances if they intend to operate a medical facility or provider organization in the state.
Reimbursement update: What hospitals need to know about new Medicare payments for cardiac CT
CMS finalized a significant policy change when it increased the Medicare payments hospitals receive for performing CCTA exams. What, exactly, does the update mean for cardiologists, billing specialists and other hospital employees?
Dental chain involved in ransomware coverup fined $350K
A regional chain of clinics that lied through its teeth about a data breach has agreed to pay a $350,000 settlement to resolve multiple allegations it violated HIPAA.
$49B in medical debt to be erased from credit reports
A new final rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau bans reporting agencies from including medical debts on credit reports or factoring them into credit scores.

CHIP deadline passes with no action from Congress

The Sept. 30 deadline to renew the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has come and gone, leaving funding for the 9 million children it covers in doubt if federal funding isn’t restored within the next few months.

October 2, 2017

HHS Secretary to pay back $52K of $1M in total travel costs

HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, has announced he’ll reimburse the federal government for using private charter flights after POLITICO investigations have found he racked up $1 million in publicly-funded travel costs. However, he’ll only pay back the cost of his seat on domestic charter flights, amounting to $52,000.

September 29, 2017

Trump preparing order on selling health insurance across state lines

After another effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was halted, President Donald Trump told reporters he’ll likely sign an executive order regarding another one of his campaign promises on healthcare: allowing insurance plans to be offered across state lines.

September 28, 2017

Healthcare groups tell Congress to move on ‘for good’ from ACA repeal

Major healthcare associations said they were relieved by Senate Republicans’ decision to table the Graham-Cassidy legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), bringing at least a temporary halt to the party’s efforts to replace the law with only Republican votes.

September 27, 2017

Graham-Cassidy ACA repeal bill tabled: ‘We’re coming back to this’

Senate Republicans have decided not to vote on the Graham-Cassidy legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), putting an end to months of efforts to pass a repeal bill before a Sept. 30 deadline for it to clear the Senate with a simple majority.

September 26, 2017

Graham-Cassidy bill gets a hearing, a CBO score—and another ‘no’ vote

Sept. 25 ended up being a rough day for supporters of the Graham-Cassidy legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), beginning with the bill’s only scheduled hearing being interrupted by protesters shouting, “No cuts to Medicaid, save our liberty.”

September 26, 2017

CNN debate goes beyond ACA repeal to single-payer, pharma prices

The namesakes of the Graham-Cassidy bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) argued the law is “broken” in a CNN healthcare debate, with Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, arguing members of Congress should be focusing on short-term fixes discussed by both parties and leave larger overhauls for later.  

September 26, 2017

What’s in the new version of Graham-Cassidy ACA repeal bill

Multiple risk pools and extra money aimed at states represented by Republican swing votes are among the changes made in a new version of the Graham-Cassidy bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to be released less than five days before a deadline to pass it with a simple majority in the U.S. Senate.

September 25, 2017

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business

Reimbursement update: What hospitals need to know about new Medicare payments for cardiac CT

CMS finalized a significant policy change when it increased the Medicare payments hospitals receive for performing CCTA exams. What, exactly, does the update mean for cardiologists, billing specialists and other hospital employees?

Cardiovascular Business

Stryker acquires Inari Medical for $4.9B

Stryker, a global medtech company based out of Michigan, has kicked off 2025 with a bit of excitement. The company says Inari’s peripheral vascular portfolio is highly complementary to its own neurovascular portfolio.

Radiology Business

The biggest obstacles facing radiology business managers in 2025

RBMA President Peter Moffatt discusses declining reimbursement rates, recruiting challenges and the role of artificial intelligence in transforming the industry.