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. 

Budget deal adds $2 billion to NIH, going against Trump’s proposal

The federal spending deal Congress reached on April 30 includes $2 billion in additional funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the next five months of the fiscal year, going in the opposite direction of President Donald Trump’s proposed $5.8 million cut to the agency for 2018.

Reworked ACA replacement won't face House vote this week

While media debate the significance of President Donald Trump passing 100 days in office, one thing that won't be part of the discussion: reworked legislation for an Affordable Care Act (ACA) replacement.

5 things to know about Republicans’ amended ACA replacement plan

Republicans leaders in Congress have reportedly agreed on a new version of their Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal-and-replace plan, allowing states to opt out of ACA requirements such as essential health benefits and a ban on individually rating customers on the individual market. 

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Major medical groups, hospitals split on ending mandatory bundled payments

The move by CMS to delay mandatory bundled payments for cardiac and orthopedic care was widely supported by medical associations and health systems, judging by their comments to the agency, but some went further, calling for these initiatives from the prior administration be made into voluntary programs.

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Cutting off ACA insurer subsidies would raise—not lower—federal healthcare spending

If the Trump administration’s goal is to lower federal healthcare spending, discontinuing cost-sharing reduction subsidies, or CSRs, to insurers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could backfire, according to an analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Small practices hope for Tom Price tweaks to MACRA

Physicians at smaller practices want to see one of their fellow physicians offer some regulatory help to make it easier for them to participate in the new payment tracks under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).

American Medical Association Welcomes HHS Opioid Strategy

The American Medical Association (AMA) said today it looks forward to working with the Trump Administration as it implements a new strategy for combating the nation’s opioid epidemic. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price outlined the strategy Wednesday at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit. 

Waiving ACA provisions brings mixed signals on whether repeal vote is coming

Republicans in Congress are under pressure from President Donald Trump to quickly push forward on a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to multiple news sources, but for each comment saying the majority party is close to an agreement, there seems to be another denying it.

Around the web

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.

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. 

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