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. 

Hip and knee bundles may receive 3-year extension

The Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model, which covers hip and knee joint replacement bundled payments, could see a three-year extension, CMS announced in a proposed rule.

February 21, 2020

Oscar Health introduces $3 monthly drug program

Oscar Health has introduced a new drug formulary that will limit the cost for patients to just $3 per month for a supply of commonly used medicines, including insulin.

February 21, 2020

Private equity continues to snap up physician groups

Private equity firms are continuing their investments in physician practices, scooping up 355 acquisitions from 2013 to 2016, according to a new study published in JAMA.

February 19, 2020

Hedge funds distance themselves from Purdue Pharma

The troubles of Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid OxyContin, have led two hedge funds to cut ties with the company as legal consequences from the national opioid abuse and overdose epidemic continue to play out.

February 19, 2020

HHS teams up with Janssen to treat coronavirus

HHS is extending its existing partnership with pharmaceutical company Janssen Research & Development, which is part of Johnson & Johnson, to develop treatments for the 2019 novel coronavirus, the agency announced.

 

February 18, 2020

Unregulated Craiglist drug market rising due to sky-high prices

More Americans afflicted with chronic disease are turning to unregulated markets such as Craigslist to find insulin and other necessary medications because they can’t afford to purchase them at the pharmacy­­.

 

February 18, 2020

Study: Universal healthcare system would save lives, improve healthcare

A Medicare for all healthcare system has the potential to improve the availability of services and efficiency of care in the United States, according to a recent study published in The Lancet.

February 18, 2020
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Healthcare spending closes in on $6K per privately insured person

HCCI analyzed more than 2.5 billion de-identified claims, including those for prescription drugs as well as medical visits, filed from 2014 to 2018 with Aetna, Humana, Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare.

February 14, 2020

Around the web

In addition, cardiologists average an additional $75,000 per year in incentive-based bonuses. That number is only higher for two other specialties. 

CMS has issued its proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system, suggesting a payment increase of 2.6%. According to the American Hospital Association, this update would not be enough at a time when hospitals are already struggling to stay open. 

The rumors, it seems, were true. Once the deal is finalized, Shockwave Medical will operate as a business unit within Johnson & Johnson MedTech.

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