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.

HHS criticized over ‘potentially illegal’ memo

Republicans in Congress were critical of a memo circulated to HHS employees instructing them not to speak to federal lawmakers or their staffs without first clearing it with department leadership, saying it may infringe on the rights of whistleblowers.

May 10, 2017

Blue Cross Blue Shield steps in as lone exchange insurer in some Tennessee markets

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee plans on selling individual market plans next year in the Knoxsville area, which had been in danger of having no participating insurer on the Affordable Care Act exchanges for 2018.

May 10, 2017

Q&A: Healthcare lobbyist predicts AHCA will die due to House-Senate disagreement

Major medical organizations appeared united in opposition to the American Health Care Act (AHCA), yet House Republicans passed the bill without making any changes those groups wanted. Julius Hobson Jr., former director of congressional affairs for the AMA who now works for law firm Polsinelli, told HealthExec there’s an obvious answer: campaign promises.

May 9, 2017

Texas Emergency Care Providers Rally at State Capitol for Increased Health Insurance Transparency, Oversight

Healthcare providers from across Texas gathered today for a press conference at the State Capitol to highlight current negative trends in health insurance and protest harmful business practices by insurers to pay less for emergency care and shift healthcare costs directly to consumers.

May 9, 2017

HHS Secretary makes questionable claims on AHCA

The Washington Post gave HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, its worst fact-check rating for his defense of the Republican-sponsored plan to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

May 8, 2017

ACA replacement plan likely to change in Senate

Assuming no Democrats defect this time around, Republicans can only afford two “no” votes among their members, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking a 50-50 tie. 

May 5, 2017

Healthcare industry ‘deeply disappointed’ by House passage of AHCA

Many major medical associations quickly spoke out against the American Health Care Act (AHCA), calling the Republican-sponsored plan to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “bad policy” that could “destabilize our healthcare system,” after it passed by a narrow margin in the House May 4. 

May 4, 2017

ACA replacement passes in House despite healthcare industry objections

The Republican majority in the House was successful in passing the American Health Care Act (AHCA), its plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), by a narrow margin of 217-213 over objections about how it could affect people with pre-existing conditions and resistance from major healthcare associations.

May 4, 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.