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. 

Medicare coverage for weight loss drug semaglutide could cost up to $145B per year

Medications that target obesity are not typically covered by Medicare. When the FDA approved semaglutide as a way to treat certain cardiovascular risks, however, CMS said Medicare coverage was on the table. 

Immigration attorney Kathleen Campbell Walker explains how can immigration help solve the healthcare staffing shortages.

Immigration barriers prevent solution to healthcare staffing shortages

Kathleen Campbell Walker, JD, immigration practice attorney, and past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), explains the barriers to global physician mobility amid growing shortages.

SCAI calls on interventional cardiologists to tell Washington to reverse physician pay cuts

Congress is considering two bills that would prevent or mitigate the Medicare physician payment cuts that went into effect in January 2024, and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions is urging members write their Congressmen.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Defibtech, a Nihon Kohden company, is recalling its RMU-2000 ARM XR Chest Compression Device due to significant safety concerns. This is a Class I recall, which means the FDA believes using the device “may cause serious injury or death.”

Automated chest compression device recalled after patient death

Regulators emphasized that these devices should not be used due to significant safety risks. 

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CMS has received 12,000 complaints over No Surprises Act noncompliance—most were valid

In total, 10,300 complaints were made against providers and air ambulance services. The rest were for surprise bills from insurance plans.

Dana Smetherman, MD, explains the ACR take on the growing radiology staffing shortage.

Radiology workforce shortage a major concern for the American College of Radiology

Dana H. Smetherman, MD, MBA, CEO of the ACR, discusses the reasons behind the worsening shortage of radiologists, along with possible solutions. 

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Federal court strikes down FTC ban on noncompete contracts

On Tuesday, a federal court in Texas ruled the Federal Trade Commission overstepped its statutory authority in issuing the ban. It’s been officially halted, pending appeal.

cleveland clinic settles for failing to disclose research funding

Humana settles allegations of Medicare fraud for $90M

The lawsuit was brought by a whistleblower accusing the insurer of lying to earn Medicare Part D contracts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Around the web

If passed, this bill would help clinician-led clinical registries explore Medicare data for research purposes. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and American College of Cardiology both shared public support for the bipartisan legislation. 

Cardiologists and other physicians may soon need to provide much more information when ordering remote patient monitoring for Medicare patients.

Why are so many cardiovascular devices involved in Class I recalls? One possible reason could be the large number of devices hitting the market without undergoing much premarket clinical testing. 

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