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. 

Physicians would have to report medical device problems under new bill

A new bill in Congress aimed at changing the Food and Drug Administration’s medical device approval process would require physicians and their practices to report defects or issues with devices, while protecting doctors from being sued over those reports.

HHS proposes 3-month limit on short-term plans to strengthen ACA risk pool

A proposed rule from HHS would limit short-term individual health plans to three months without a chance to renew in an effort to keep healthier enrollees from leaving the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces and limit the upward trend of exchange premiums.

House passes bill adjusting Medicare hospital policies despite $50M estimated cost

Legislation changing several Medicare policies most affecting hospitals, including exempting “mid-build” off-campus outpatient facilities from the site neutral payment provisions in last year’s budget, has advanced out of the House.

NIH to get $2B funding boost in spending bill

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) would receive an additional $2 billion in funding under a Senate appropriations bill, according to The Hill.

CMS to phase in regional benchmarks for ACOs in shared savings program

A finalized rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program released by CMS aims to offer stronger incentives for accountable care organizations (ACOs) by allowing an additional year in Track 1 participation and using regional spending data to adjust cost targets.

Zimmer Biomet to Acquire LDR to Enhance Innovation and Growth of Spine Business

WARSAW, Ind. and AUSTIN, Texas, June 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ZBH) (SIX:ZBH) (Zimmer Biomet or the Company), a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare, and LDR Holding Corporation (NASDAQ:LDRH) (LDR), a global medical device company focused on designing and commercializing novel and proprietary surgical technologies for the treatment of patients suffering from spine disorders, today announced that both Boards of Directors have approved a definitive agreement under which Zimmer Biomet will commence a tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of LDR for $37.00 per share in cash, which implies a transaction value of approximately $1.0 billion.  The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2016.

State news: 5,000 nurses may strike in Minn., managed care owed $571M in Ill.

Here’s a roundup of healthcare news from Minnesota, Illinois, California, Florida and Alaska.

Obama against privatizing the VA

Privatizing the Veterans Administration healthcare system “would be a mistake,” President Barack Obama said in an interview with the Colorado Springs Gazette.

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. 

Trimed Popup
Trimed Popup