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 things to know from Hillary Clinton’s NEJM article

The New England Journal of Medicine invited both major presidential candidates to write articles about their healthcare policies, but only one took the editors up on the offer.

Zika funding fight resolved as Congress OKs $1.1 billion for vaccine, testing

The months-long battle in Congress over funding to help combat the Zika virus has ended, as both the House and Senate approved a $1.1 billion package Sept. 28 as part of a larger government spending bill.

Calif. will require doctors to check prescription drug databases

Before prescribing potentially addictive drugs, California physicians will be required to check whether patients have gotten the same drugs from other doctors in the state.

House passes individual mandate exemption for co-op enrollees

Legislation shielding customers of failed Affordable Care Act (ACA) co-ops from penalties for not buying health coverage has passed the House, offering a slim exemption from one of the law’s signature components, the individual mandate.

FDA drug reviewers often end up at pharma companies

More than a quarter (27 percent) of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) workers responsible for approving cancer and hematology drugs went on to work for the companies making those drugs, according to a new study published in The BMJ.

GAO: HHS oversight flaws leave EHR data vulnerable

A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) harshly criticized HHS’s guidance on privacy and security for health information, saying it fails to meet cybersecurity standards of other federal agencies and provides advice to covered entities that doesn’t help prevent future data breaches.

New campaign to enroll more young people on ACA exchanges

Following up on plans HHS announced in June, CMS has outlined additional recruitment efforts to attract younger, healthier enrollees on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges to improve the risk pool.

FTC loss on blocking Hershey-Pinnacle hospital merger reversed on appeal

The merger of Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Pinnacle Health System in Pennsylvania can be blocked by the Federal Trade Commission, according to a ruling by a federal appeals court judge, reversing a decision in May that went against the FTC.

Around the web

The tirzepatide shortage that first began in 2022 has been resolved. Drug companies distributing compounded versions of the popular drug now have two to three more months to distribute their remaining supply.

The 24 members of the House Task Force on AI—12 reps from each party—have posted a 253-page report detailing their bipartisan vision for encouraging innovation while minimizing risks. 

Merck sent Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, an upfront payment of $112 million to license a new investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist. There could be many more payments to come if certain milestones are met.