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. 

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5 pharma companies to lose $500M each under Trump’s drug pricing proposal

Five major pharmaceutical companies could each lose $500 million or more in revenue per year if a proposal from the Trump administration to reimburse Medicare Part B drugs based on an international pricing index (IPI) is finalized.

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NYT: Hospitals gauge their own patients for donations

Hospitals are now conducting wealth screenings with software that culls public data to see which patients are most likely to donate to the healthcare organization, The New York Times reported. The practice is increasingly common across hospitals, particularly large systems.

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PwC: Healthcare deals will chug along in 2019

Deal volumes broke records in 2018 across the health services sector, and deal activity is likely to remain high in 2019 thanks to a number of positive market factors, according to PwC’s latest health services deals insights.

Following media attention, $20K hospital bill lowered to $200

Media spotlighting of extraordinarily high hospital bills can pay off for patients on the hook for thousands of dollars after a hospital visit. Such is the case for one San Francisco resident who was stuck with a bill for more than $20,000—after her insurance paid its part—following a bicycle accident.

Trump meets with patients, doctors to discuss surprise medical bills

In an effort to curb “unexpected and outrageous bills,” President Trump invited patients and others to the White House to discuss their experiences with such pricing, Kaiser Health News reported. The discussion is part of Trump’s overall goal to impact drug prices and transparency in healthcare.

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Walgreens settles fraud cases for $269M

Walgreens Boots Alliance has settled two fraud cases with the Department of Justice, shelling out $269.2 million. In both cases, which arose from whistleblowers, Walgreens admitted and accepted responsibility for conduct alleged by the government in its complaint under the False Claims Act.

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Government shutdown poses risks to ACA, healthcare services

The U.S. government shutdown, which is now the longest-running in history, could potentially harm consumers and undermine the stability of the Affordable Care Act healthcare insurance market, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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Support for Medicare for all remains above 50%

As progressive Democrats increasingly push for universal healthcare, known as Medicare for all, support for such a plan is mixed when it comes to paying for it, according to a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Around the web

The FTC alleges that pharmacy benefit managers have set up a system where they get rich, while patients are forced to pay rising insulin costs. The agency also called out drug manufacturers such as Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk, saying their own actions have raised serious concerns.

In the post-COVID era, wages for permanent RNs are rising, and wages for travelers are decreasing. A new report tracked these trends and more. 

Two medical device companies have announced a transaction that could shake up the U.S. electrophysiology market. 

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