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.

Radiology pushes for $45M to fund federal physician burnout program
ACR and numerous others recently wrote letters to both the U.S. House and Senate, urging them to support the Lorna Breen Mental Health Act.
With pro bono legal help, hospital workers ‘send union bosses packing’
Employees at a 130-bed hospital whose home state lacks right-to-work protections are now free to work without having to join a powerful union that had sought to represent them.
Insurance industry boasts 11% reduction in prior authorizations since 2025 reform rollout
That equates to eliminating 6.5 million prior authorization barriers. The results come from a survey of major health plans conducted by AHIP and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
FTC warns Tennessee of coming price hikes if it rushes to remove restrictions on hospital chain
The state legislature is mulling over the passage of two bills: one that would eliminate Ballad’s status as a protected monopoly, and another that would remove the Certificate of Need, a barrier that forces healthcare entities to submit expansion proposals to regulators for approval. The issue, the FTC says, is related to timing.
Healthcare agencies mellow on medical cannabis as CMS launches Medicare hemp pilot
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unveiled a new program for alternative payment model participants that would allow clinicians to use products containing CBD as part of patient care plans. In response, the Food and Drug Administration vowed not to further restrict the sale of oral hemp products.

Radiology pushes for $45M to fund federal physician burnout program

ACR and numerous others recently wrote letters to both the U.S. House and Senate, urging them to support the Lorna Breen Mental Health Act.

With pro bono legal help, hospital workers ‘send union bosses packing’

Employees at a 130-bed hospital whose home state lacks right-to-work protections are now free to work without having to join a powerful union that had sought to represent them.

Insurance industry boasts 11% reduction in prior authorizations since 2025 reform rollout

That equates to eliminating 6.5 million prior authorization barriers. The results come from a survey of major health plans conducted by AHIP and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

FTC warns Tennessee of coming price hikes if it rushes to remove restrictions on hospital chain

The state legislature is mulling over the passage of two bills: one that would eliminate Ballad’s status as a protected monopoly, and another that would remove the Certificate of Need, a barrier that forces healthcare entities to submit expansion proposals to regulators for approval. The issue, the FTC says, is related to timing.

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Healthcare agencies mellow on medical cannabis as CMS launches Medicare hemp pilot

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unveiled a new program for alternative payment model participants that would allow clinicians to use products containing CBD as part of patient care plans. In response, the Food and Drug Administration vowed not to further restrict the sale of oral hemp products.

Medicare delays prior authorization pilot program for key interventional radiology service

CMS officially announced the move on April 6, with it applying to the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model.

Anthem expands policy that punishes hospitals who use out-of-network radiologists into new state

The insurer (also known as Elevance) first launched its new “nonparticipating care providers” policy across 11 states beginning on Jan. 1, drawing widespread criticism.

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White House asks for $16B in cuts to HHS, more money for war

In its proposed budget for fiscal year 2027, President Donald Trump’s administration is floating a 10% cut to federal government spending across the board with one notable exception: The Department of War. For military and defense, the White House is seeking an additional 44%.