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.

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.
Walmart workers sue over tobacco fees levied for health plan trust
The class action lawsuit argues employees cannot escape the fees even after they stop using tobacco, a violation of labor regulations.
HHS awards $75M for addiction and maternal health services in rural areas
The funds will be used to expand services and improve the financial stability of existing healthcare organizations located in underserved regions of the South.

Why MIPS should be replaced

In an article for Health Affairs, a group of fellows at the Brookings Institution made the case for replacing the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) with “stronger incentives” to move into alternative payment models (APMs).

February 27, 2018

20 states sue to end ACA after mandate repeal

In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s individual mandate. With the mandate’s penalty now eliminated under President Donald Trump, 20 states are using the earlier ruling as the basis for a new lawsuit seeking to “effectively repeal Obamacare.”

February 27, 2018

Warren Buffett: Healthcare venture with Amazon, JPMorgan not aimed at small savings

In an interview on CNBC, billionaire Warren Buffett said the healthcare-focused venture formed by his Berkshire Hathaway along with Amazon and JPMorgan has greater aims than trimmed some healthcare costs or cutting out middlemen.

February 26, 2018

InstaMed’s Deirdre Ruttle: ‘Very little tolerance’ for inefficiency as Apple, Amazon make waves

Patients are getting fed up with healthcare organizations who haven’t made their payment processes and communications as convenient as other industries. With Silicon Valley giants like Apple and Amazon eyeing the healthcare space, the time to ditch old, inefficient methods is now, according to Deirdre Ruttle, vice president of strategy at payment networks company InstaMed.

February 26, 2018

Expanding short-term insurance would increase premiums, uncompensated care

Premiums on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges could be in for another double-digit increase if HHS moves ahead with a proposed rule to expand the availability of short-term insurance plans which don’t comply with the ACA.

February 26, 2018

Non-ACA-compliant plans in spotlight in Idaho, Iowa

HHS Secretary Alex Azar is set to meet this week with Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and the state’s insurance director, Dean Cameron, over their recently announced plans to allow insurers to offer coverage that doesn’t follow the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while Iowa is considering a similar move through its state legislature.

February 26, 2018

What the AMA suggests Congress includes in opioid legislation

To help combat opioid addiction and abuse, the American Medical Association (AMA) suggested the Senate consider more than a dozen policies on everything from allowing Medicare to cover methadone in outpatient treatment programs to creating an addiction treatment-centered alternative payment model.

February 23, 2018

5 things to know about liberal group’s ‘Medicare Extra’ plan

The Center for American Progress (CAP), a liberal-leaning think tank, has added a proposal to the debate on how to achieve universal health coverage but without moving the U.S. to a single-payer healthcare system—though providers would be paid less than they currently are by private insurance and hospitals would need to adapt to a big expansion of bundled payments.

February 22, 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.