The safety, effectiveness and data security of mobile healthcare applications were examined by a U.S. House subcommittee in a July 13 hearing, with lawmakers alternating between excitement over their potential and concern that consumers’ data isn’t being protected.

A 92-2 vote in the U.S. Senate will send a legislative package aimed at fighting opioid addiction and abuse to President Barack Obama, who has promised to sign it even though it doesn’t contain the $1.1 billion in extra funding he requested for treatment and prevention programs.

There are only about six months left in President Obama’s tenure at the White House, which means his administration is about to lose their jobs too. But some of them have a lot of work to do before they go. 

Testifying before the Senate Finance Committee, CMS Acting Administrator said it’s possible the agency will push back the Jan. 1, 2017, date for physicians to begin reporting under new standards set up by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).

Only seven of the original 23 health insurance co-ops set up by the Affordable Care Act will still be in operation, as Illinois’ Land of Lincoln Health (LLH) becomes the latest to close over risk adjustment payments.

It’s been more than a year since the House passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which aims to speed up regulatory approval for medical devices and drugs, but the Senate’s chief advocate for the legislation said it’ll be at least another seven weeks before its put up for a vote.

The American Medical Association’s initial reaction to the proposed physician fee schedule for 2017 called the rule “a mix of meritorious and flawed proposals.”

HHS’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has released its much-anticipated guidance on how healthcare organizations can better understand and respond to ransomware attacks, including defining such incidents as breaches that require affected individuals to be notified under HIPAA in most circumstances.