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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Illumina ordered to divest Grail

The agency, which is charged with preventing fraud, deception and unfair business practices, said Illumina’s acquisition of Grail would stifle competition and innovation in the U.S. market for life-saving cancer tests.

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CMS finalizes 2024 MA payment rule with rate bump

According to CMS, MA plans will see an average payment increase of 3.32% from 2023 to 2024, worth approximately $13.8 billion in increases for next year.

FDA turns up sterility issues at eye drop facility linked to deaths, vision loss

The FDA has found a drug-resistant bacteria at an eye drop manufacturing facility linked to severe infections and even a few deaths.

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Affordable Care Act dealt a blow in new judgment

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was dealt a major blow after a federal judge ruled that employers don’t have to cover certain preventive services, including PReP, which prevents HIV.

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UnitedHealthcare to cut back on prior authorization paperwork

UnitedHealthcare announced it would remove 20% of its current prior authorizations starting with the third quarter of this year. 

 

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FDA approves OTC Narcan for the first time

The medication can reverse an opioid overdose and is a critical, life-saving product now able to be sold directly to consumers in places like pharmacies, convenience stores, grocers, gas stations and online, the FDA said.

 

Congress aims to crack down on ‘zombie drug’

Xylazine is a sedative intended for animals such as horses and cattle, but it is increasingly being found mixed with strong opioids such as fentanyl.

A list of cardiovascular drugs a patient is taking in a graphical format in the Cardioviso atrial fibrillation patient management application GE Healthcare showed at ACC.23.#ACC23 #ACC

Lawsuit slams PBMs Cigna, Humana as price-fixing ‘modern gangsters’

“Medications shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, metaphorically or literally,” says Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost “Insulin is just a symptom of the problem; PBMs are the disease.”

 

Around the web

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals. 

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”