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. 

Healthcare policy should focus on socioeconomic, lifestyle factors, not just care

By some estimates, healthcare is only responsible for 10 percent of the factors related to longevity; the rest is dependent on genetics, socioeconomic circumstances and healthy habits. That means care alone is inadequate, and public policy should change to reflect that reality, a health policy expert contends.

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ICD-10 mapping portal helps mitigate coding ambiguities

A web portal to map ICD-10 codes back to ICD-9 helps ease the transition to the new coding system by simplifying searches of databases containing both types of codes, creators of the site are reporting in a newly published JAMIA article.

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Bill seeks to repeal taxes on health insurers

Members of the House of Representatives have introduced a bill that would repeal a tax on health insurance companies, The Hill reports.

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President Obama: Affordable Care Act is working better than anticipated

More than 11 million people have purchased coverage on the health insurance exchanges for 2015, according to preliminary figures released in a video the White House posted on Facebook on Tuesday.

Supreme Court case could lead to a large decrease in hospital revenue

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiff in the upcoming King v. Burwell case, hospital spending would decrease by at least an estimated $6.3 billion, according to an Urban Institute report.

Deadline extended for health insurance exchanges

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced an extension for people who had trouble purchasing insurance through the federal HealthCare.gov website, reports Politico.

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AHIMA: Healthcare industry is ready for ICD-10

Despite complaints from the American Medical Association and a few other provider organizations, healthcare organizations are in fact ready to switch to ICD-10 coding by Oct. 1, an official from the American Health Information Management Association testified before Congress this week.

HITPC workgroups on strategic plan: More focus on people, outcomes

The Federal Strategic Health Plan requires a more person-centered framework with stronger linkages to achieving the triple aim. Moreover, some realignment is necessary so activities more clearly reflect its stated visions and principles, according to suggestions from two workgroups at the Health IT Policy Committee meeting on Feb. 10.

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.