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. 

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More patients going to the doctor in wake of Medicaid expansion

A new analysis from the ACAView project, the joint effort between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and athenahealth to track the impact of the Affordable Care Act, has found a big bounce in primary-care visits in states that expanded Medicaid.

Federal appeals court: Hospitals can be both ‘urban’ and ‘rural’

Earlier this month, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared that the HHS “reclassification rule” was invalid and hospitals could be considered “rural” in some circumstances and “urban” in others. 

Patients receiving big discounts for paying in cash

A recent story in the Wall Street Journal examined this trend, providing numerous examples of patients saving more than $500 on procedures by simply paying in cash up front instead of going through insurance. 

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What’s on TV? Ads for expensive drugs to fight rare conditions

Americans who watch at least a few hours of TV each week are used to getting urged to ask their doctors about all sorts of medications that, chances are, they really don’t need.  

Coalition outlines 6 steps to innovate U.S. healthcare system

The Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC), a coalition of executives representing health providers, insurers, manufacturers and patient advocacy groups, has issued six recommendations it believes can be implemented today to improve healthcare in the U.S.

Scalia's death will affect ACA-related Supreme Court case

A recent question-and-answer article prepared by the Associated Press and published by the Chicago Tribune (and others) examined the impact Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s death  could have on existing cases in 2016. 

CMS publishes final rule on overpayments for Medicare Parts A and B

CMS has published a final rule that requires healthcare providers and suppliers receiving funds from Medicare Part A and Part B to report and return overpayments within 60 days of first identifying them. 

Burwell has faith remaining states will embrace Medicaid expansion

HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell spoke to reporters last week about the Affordable Care Act’s 2016 open enrollment figures and the future of healthcare in the U.S. 

Around the web

The tirzepatide shortage that first began in 2022 has been resolved. Drug companies distributing compounded versions of the popular drug now have two to three more months to distribute their remaining supply.

The 24 members of the House Task Force on AI—12 reps from each party—have posted a 253-page report detailing their bipartisan vision for encouraging innovation while minimizing risks. 

Merck sent Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, an upfront payment of $112 million to license a new investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist. There could be many more payments to come if certain milestones are met.