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.

Physicians sue Anthem over ER pay practices

A group of doctors filed suit against health insurance company Anthem for its pay practices over emergency room (ER) care.

July 20, 2018

Trump administration looks at importing drugs to control prices

The Trump administration is taking a wide approach in its efforts to lower drug prices—even considering importing drugs from abroad.

July 20, 2018

OMB review underway to unfreeze $10B in ACA payments

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is reviewing a rule to unlock roughly $10 billion in payments for Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance providers.

July 20, 2018

Medicare competitive bidding process hurts patients

The Medicare bidding process is hurting patients, according to a new study from the Pacific Research Institute.

July 19, 2018

Amid revenue growth, UnitedHealth considers acquiring $2B Tenet subsidiary

UnitedHealth Group is exploring an acquisition of Tenet Healthcare’s healthcare management subsidiary, Conifer Health Solutions, according to the The Wall Street Journal.

July 19, 2018

CMS opens comment period for Kentucky Medicaid work requirements

After a federal judge blocked work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries in Kentucky, CMS has opened a pathway for the policy.

July 19, 2018

Facing pressure from Trump, another drug manufacturer drops price hikes

Novartis, one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies, has paused any price hikes on its drugs for the remainder of 2018.

July 19, 2018

FDA unveils plan to lower prices, boost competition among drug-makers

The FDA unveiled a new plan to enable market competition for biologics and biosimilars Wednesday, July 18, as part of a larger shift to lower drug prices across the healthcare system.

July 18, 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.