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.

Catholic hospital sued for refusing to perform emergency abortion on a hemorrhaging patient
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing Providence St. Joseph Hospital to discourage an incident like this from happening in the future.
Newsom vetoes bill to regulate private equity transactions in healthcare
Assembly Bill 3129 would have given the California Attorney General oversight of all private equity investments or purchases involving a healthcare entity. Gov. Gavin Newsom argued that a similar regulatory framework is already in place.
FDA announces recall of Pfizer's fast-tracked sickle cell drug
The drugmaker is voluntarily withdrawing Oxbryta from the market due to a higher-than-acceptable risk of death.
Public health coalition wins lawsuit against EPA for lack of fluoride oversight
A federal judge in California ruled existing evidence of the negative effects of fluoride in drinking water warrants an investigation and potential action from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Cardiology groups cheer new bill that would improve access to Medicare claims data
If passed, this bill would help clinician-led clinical registries explore Medicare data for research purposes. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American College of Cardiology both shared public support for the bipartisan legislation.

Medicare improper payments drop to lowest rate since 2010

Medicare fee-for-service improper payments dropped to their lowest level since 2010 this year, CMS Administrator Seema Verma announced on Nov. 16.

November 19, 2018

Pfizer to raise prices on 41 drugs in 2019

Drug manufacturer Pfizer announced it would raise the prices of 41 drugs in January 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported.

November 16, 2018

Have not-for-profit hospitals peaked financially?

Not-for-profit hospitals may have already reached their financial peak, according to an analysis from Fitch Ratings. Lower operating margins and lower reimbursement payments are causing many hospital systems to rethink care delivery, but not all providers are able to meet the challenges head on, particularly in a period of mass consolidation.

November 16, 2018

GE Capital sells healthcare equipment business for $1.5B

GE Capital, the financial services division of GE, has sold is Healthcare Equipment Finance business to TIAA Bank for $1.5 billion.

November 16, 2018

California approves CVS Health-Aetna deal

Another regulator has cleared the way for the $69 billion deal between CVS Health and Aetna, as California approved the deal—with conditions.

November 16, 2018

Housing reimbursement may be on the way for Medicaid

Expanded benefits could include paying for housing among Medicaid beneficiaries, according to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, who spoke about the impact of social determinants of health during a speech with the Hatch Foundation for Civility and Solutions on Nov. 14.

November 15, 2018

Where Medicare Advantage will cost the least in 2019

Healthcare costs around the country vary across settings and services, and the same is true for Medicare Advantage, which is expected to grow to 22.6 million members in 2019.

November 14, 2018

Mayo Clinic receives $200M gift

A philanthropist has given $200 million to Mayo Clinic in what is the largest-ever donation to the nonprofit hospital system.

November 14, 2018

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business

Cardiology groups cheer new bill that would improve access to Medicare claims data

If passed, this bill would help clinician-led clinical registries explore Medicare data for research purposes. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American College of Cardiology both shared public support for the bipartisan legislation.

Cardiovascular Business

Watchdog group, fearful of fraud, wants more oversight for remote patient monitoring

Cardiologists and other physicians may soon need to provide much more information when ordering remote patient monitoring for Medicare patients.

Cardiovascular Business

Most recalled cardiovascular devices gained FDA approval with little to no clinical evidence

Why are so many cardiovascular devices involved in Class I recalls? One possible reason could be the large number of devices hitting the market without undergoing much premarket clinical testing.