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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Cardiologists explain why career flexibility is needed to thrive in today’s challenging work environment

A new policy statement from the American College of Cardiology highlights the importance of career flexibility—including the ability to change hours or work responsibilities when necessary—for cardiologists of all ages. 

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CMS extends bundled payments to 2025

Instead of concluding Dec. 31, 2023, the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI Advanced) Model is scheduled to end Dec. 31, 2025.

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FDA launches new pilot program to improve medical device development

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a new pilot program that aims to streamline medical device development, increase predictability and reduce the time from concept to commercialization.

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Most consumers are not shopping around for better healthcare prices

While the Biden administration and federal agencies have made price transparency a long-term goal for the U.S. healthcare industry, a recent study revealed Americans aren’t actually shopping around very often for better healthcare prices.

Example of the four types of breast tissue density. The density of fibroglandular tissue inside the breast impacts the ability to easily see cancers. Cancers are very easy to spot in fatty breasts, but are almost impossible to find in extremely dense breasts. These examples show craniocaudal mammogram findings characterized as almost entirely fatty (far left), scattered areas of fibroglandular density (second from left), heterogeneously dense (second from right), and extremely dense (far right). RSNA

Breast density notification laws blanket 90% of U.S. women, yet still no national reporting standard is at hand. Why is that?

Dense breast experts Wendie Berg, MD, and JoAnn Pushkin, executive director of DenseBreast-info Inc., explain the current status of breast density patient inform laws, reimbursement and new technologies to aid cancer detection. 

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CMS aims to create centralized directory

According to the agency, directories can serve as important resources for patients who need to locate providers or compare health plan networks.

Dhanunjaya "DJ" Lakkireddy, MD, executive medical director for the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health, professor of medicine at the University of Missouri, Columbia, deputy editor for the the Journal of Atrial Fibrillation, and serves on the HRS Board of Trustees and section steering committee chair for the ACC, explains the potentially devastating impact of Medicare cuts on electrophysiology (EP) and patient care.

VIDEO: Medicare cuts could devastate the field of electrophysiology

"By imposing a 35%-42% cut, [CMS] has essentially created a scenario where it is going to destroy electrophysiology as a field," explained Dhanunjaya "DJ" Lakkireddy, MD.

Industry insights: 4 healthcare executives discuss the biggest challenges in cardiology today

We spoke to executives from some of healthcare's most prominent vendors to find out what challenges are on their radar in 2022 and beyond. 

Around the web

The FTC alleges that pharmacy benefit managers have set up a system where they get rich, while patients are forced to pay rising insulin costs. The agency also called out drug manufacturers such as Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk, saying their own actions have raised serious concerns.

In the post-COVID era, wages for permanent RNs are rising, and wages for travelers are decreasing. A new report tracked these trends and more. 

Two medical device companies have announced a transaction that could shake up the U.S. electrophysiology market. 

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