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.

Senators say they’ve reached deal on ACA insurer subsidies

Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, and Patty Murray, D-Washington, have told reporters they’ve reached an agreement to fund the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s cost-sharing reduction subsidies to insurers which had been halted by President Donald Trump.

October 17, 2017

Public insurance options included in new healthcare legislation

A bill to be introduced by Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, and Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, would create new options for Americans under the age of 65 to use Medicare provider networks, effectively serving as the public insurance option that was left out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

October 17, 2017

Joint Commission pulls proposed ambulatory telemedicine standards

The Joint Commission has announced it will not move forward in implementing any of its proposed changes to accreditation standards.

October 16, 2017

States sue over Trump cutting off ACA insurer subsidies

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have announced a lawsuit against the administration of President Donald Trump over his move to halt payment of cost-sharing reduction subsidies, or CSRs, to insurers on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges.

October 16, 2017

Industry groups blast Trump’s executive order on insurance regulations

Groups representing physicians, hospitals and patients came out largely in opposition to President Donald Trump’s executive order to encourage the use of insurance plans which don’t comply with Affordable Care Act (ACA) regulations on benefits and covering people with pre-existing conditions.

October 13, 2017

Trump to cut off ACA insurer subsidies ‘immediately’

Cost-sharing reduction subsidies, or CSRs, paid to insurers in exchange for keeping out-of-pocket costs low for lower-income Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange enrollees will end, HHS announced Thursday night, with the agency saying it couldn’t legally continue making the payments.

October 13, 2017

Trump signs executive order removing ACA regulations on small businesses

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the morning of Oct. 12 to ease rules on small businesses buying health insurance. With Congress failing to act on Republican promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Trump will make the unilateral move to reconfigure federal regulations.

October 12, 2017

AHIMA17: Former congressional leaders think ACA fixes, not repeal, now more likely

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, were brought to the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) conference in Los Angeles to have a political-style debate on healthcare policy, but ended up agreeing on where short-term efforts may go now that repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) failed to pass.

October 9, 2017

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.