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. 

Pediatric hospitals hit hard by ACA payment reductions

Anticipating a plunge in the number of uninsured patients, the framers of the Affordable Care Act reduced disproportionate-share (DSH) payments to hospitals serving outsized indigent and Medicaid populations. A recent crunch of the numbers shows the cuts are placing particular pains on children’s hospitals. 

January 5, 2016
Handshake ripped in half.

FTC plans on blocking proposed merger between two Chicago hospitals

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Dec. 18 that it planned on blocking the proposed merger of two major hospital systems in Chicago, the third time in six weeks that the FTC challenged a proposed hospital merger.

December 21, 2015

Why aren't patients taking advantage of zero cost colonoscopies?

By cutting patients’ out-of-pocket expenses for screening mammography, the Affordable Care Act succeeded in sending many more women for the exams. Now comes a review of Medicare claims revealing that the effect was nowhere to be found in the target population for screening colonoscopy.

December 18, 2015

$1.1T spending bill suspends device and insurance taxes

The House of Representatives released specifics on a $1.1 trillion funding bill that includes a package of tax breaks, coming down to the wire on Tuesday, Dec. 15, to finalize the bill by the deadline.

December 16, 2015

CHIME to CMS: Hold off on Stage 3

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is urging the federal government to give healthcare providers more time to adjust to recent changes to the Meaningful Use program before mandating new and burdensome Stage 3 requirements.

December 14, 2015

AEI panel examines medical malpractice

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) held a panel discussion earlier this month, discussing medical malpractice reform along with a variety of other topics. 

December 9, 2015

Year in Review: ICD-10 finally happens

Maybe you’re familiar with a little effort called ICD-10 that has been the subject of delays, debate, regulations, contingencies and more for several years now.

December 8, 2015

Senate votes to appeal Obamacare Cadillac tax

The Senate voted 90-10 to repeal Obamacare’s “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health plans, a rare instance of bipartisanship around the contentious healthcare law. 

December 4, 2015

Around the web

Cardiovascular Associates of America, backed by Webster Equity Partners, currently includes practices in eight different states. Its partner cardiologists now have preferred access to multiple cloud-based services provided by Athenahealth. 

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) supports an AMA policy that condemns the use AI to make prior authorization decisions rather than a doctor or clinician.

The past five years have been boom times for AI startups courting venture investors in healthcare, and the good times just keep rolling.

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