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.

Healthcare M&A slows 38% in third quarter

Mergers and acquisition activity among hospitals and health systems is showing signs of a slowdown, according to the latest findings from financial consulting firm Kaufman, Hall & Associates.

October 17, 2018

Bloomberg: Athenahealth has five potential bidders

Athenahealth, a network-enabled services company for hospitals and ambulatory clients, has bids from at least five entities, according to a report from Bloomberg.

October 17, 2018

Walmart considering selling marijuana as medicine in Canada

As Canada is set to legalize marijuana use on Oct. 17, Walmart—the world’s largest employer—is seriously considering adding cannabis products alongside other medications in its aisles in the country, according to Hemp Industry Daily.

October 16, 2018

Drug pricing transparency rule has no teeth

HHS proposed a new rule to require drug manufacturers to publish prices of medicines in television ads. However, the rule has no enforcement mechanism by the agency and relies on self-policing.

October 16, 2018

Drug companies will publish prices as Trump administration takes aim at industry

On Monday, CMS proposed a new rule that would require manufacturers to disclose drug prices in television ads. The rule was expected, as the Trump administration and HHS Secretary Alex Azar have ramped up rhetoric to put more pressure on rising drug prices.

October 15, 2018

Politico: High cost of healthcare travels over party lines

As the country's strong partisan divides become more apparent with an approaching midterm election, struggles related to the cost and accessibility of healthcare services are one top issue that both Republicans and Democrats currently agree on.

October 15, 2018

KKR completes $9.9B purchase of Envision

Private equity firm KKR has completed its acquisition of Envision Healthcare Corporation for a deal valued at $9.9 billion. The deal was previously announced in June.

October 12, 2018

National uninsured rate climbs to 15.5%

The national uninsured rate in the U.S. has risen nearly 3 percent over the past two years, according to a WalletHub study comparing rates across 547 U.S. cities. Honolulu saw the lowest uninsured rate for large cities, while Dallas took the cake for the country’s highest uninsured rate.

October 12, 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.