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.

Stewardship Health sale to private equity finalized for $245M
The physician group, once part of Steward Health Care, has been rebranded as Revere Medical.
Baxter producing IV solutions ahead of schedule at Asheville-area site
The company said its largest production line at its North Carolina plant is operational, accounting for 25% of total output. The site was damaged by flood waters from Hurricane Helene.
Hackers were inside an Iowa hospital’s network for two weeks
St. Anthony Regional Hospital confirmed patient data was taken by cybercriminals, but the August incident is still being investigated.
Bill introduced in Congress would raise physician reimbursement by 1.9%
The Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act aims to change the annual Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services physician fee schedule, which cut reimbursement by 2.8% for 2025.
Good AI governance can spell the difference between smashing success and mere learning experience
Discussions of AI governance may cause many an eye to glass over, but the discipline is as crucial to the ascent of AI in healthcare as big training datasets drawn from diverse patient populations.

Yale New Haven Hospital will perform HIV-positive organ transplants

Another U.S. hospital (and the first in the New England region), will be allowed to perform organ transplants on HIV-positive patients, according to the Yale Daily News. 

September 16, 2016

CMS’s Slavitt defends ACA markets, hints at risk corridor settlement

CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt faced tough questioning from Republican lawmakers about whether increased premiums for 2017 and the failure of ACA co-ops are signs the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges are failing.

September 15, 2016

Chantix maker defends drug's safety to FDA skeptics

A Sept. 14 statement from drug-maker Pfizer said the company believes the FDA should follow an advisory committee’s recommendation to remove a serious Black Box warning from its anti-smoking drug Chantix, which was released in 2006. But a report released by the FDA the same day outlines concerns about the advisory committee’s data accuracy when it comes to the psychological effects of the medicine. 

September 15, 2016

Exchange news: ConnectiCare staying, N.J. co-op to close for 2017

Customers on Connecticut’s health insurance exchange won’t be limited to a single insurer’s plan after ConnectiCare decided not to leave over a rate dispute, while another Affordable Care Act (ACA) co-op is closing in New Jersey.

September 14, 2016

CHIME announces new appointments to leadership positions

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has announced the newest appointments to its board of trustees, board of directors and elected officers for 2018.

September 14, 2016

Average Annual Workplace Family Health Premiums Rise Modest 3% to $18,142 in 2016; More Workers Enroll in High-Deductible Plans with Savings Option Over Past Two Years

Bethesda, MD – Annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose an average of 3 percent to $18,412 this year, a modest increase at a time when workers’ wages (2.5%) and inflation (1.1%) also grew modestly, according to the benchmark Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) 2016 Employer Health Benefits Survey released today. Workers on average contribute $5,277 annually toward their family premiums.

September 14, 2016

The debate over delicensing anti-vaccination physicians

Vaccination advocates and groups that claim immunizations can be harmful have found something new to fight over: an Orange County, California, pediatrician’s medical license.

September 13, 2016

Obama meets with exchange insurers ahead of open enrollment

President Barack Obama has asked for insurers to step up their efforts to enroll younger, healthier customers on the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges when open enrollment begins in November.

September 13, 2016

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

Stewardship Health sale to private equity finalized for $245M

Baxter producing IV solutions ahead of schedule at Asheville-area site

Hackers were inside an Iowa hospital’s network for two weeks

Bill introduced in Congress would raise physician reimbursement by 1.9%

Good AI governance can spell the difference between smashing success and mere learning experience

Around the web