The Pennsylvania-based health system reported drug diversion incidents to authorities involving a pharmacy technician who used employee passwords to steal pills from one of its hospitals.

Ballard Closed Suction Systems will need to be returned to the manufacturer for a refund due to the high risk of a potentially fatal infection stemming from their use.

CMS has finalized a new national coverage determination for T-TEER, sometimes known as transcatheter tricuspid valve repair. Abbott's TriClip is the only device approved by the FDA for T-TEER, but other treatment options are under development.

The pharmacy chain said it plans to appeal the ruling. The complaint was brought by a former employee turned whistleblower who alleged that Omnicare had billed the government for millions of unnecessary prescriptions.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the OIG and FBI are also involved in the DOJ's criminal probe into alleged incidents of upcoding by the Medicare Advantage insurer. UnitedHealth denied any wrongdoing. 

The faulty adapters must not be used. The devices, manufactured under the brand name AirLife, must be identified and quarantined because of the high risk of severe injury or death associated with the malfunction.

The American Medical Association had 180 scope of practice victories around the country, opposing incidents of groups practicing medicine without the proper background and training. However, its efforts to clamp down are being challenged. 

Veterans Affairs said plans to reduce its workforce by 85,000 have been called off. It has instead undertaken other efforts to improve efficiency. As for the 30,000 jobs it expects to lose by the end of 2025, those will come from early retirements.