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.

Another win for Wegovy: FDA approves higher semaglutide dose as part of new pilot program
Novo Nordisk will be selling the new 7.2-mg dose under the brand name Wegovy HD. The FDA's decision fell under a new pilot program intended to grant certain companies improved access and quicker approvals.
Radiologists, rad techs, physicists and nuclear medicine urge HHS to fix costly image-sharing processes
Imaging groups recently conveyed their concerns to Health and Human Services in a letter submitted March 16.
Former ACA Marketplace enrollee: ‘This is ridiculous—$1,200 and an $8,000 deductible for a healthy person. Really?’
A new KFF survey shows almost 10% of people who had an Obamacare Marketplace plan in 2025 decided to head into 2026 with no coverage at all. Another 28% re-enrolled but with a different—presumably lesser—plan.
FDA clears 2 new MR-guided breast biopsy tools
The products were developed with both patients and providers in mind and were designed to streamline the entire procedural process.
FDA clears MiniMed’s screenless, smartphone-controlled insulin pump
Just weeks after separating from Medtronic and going public, MiniMed secured FDA clearance for its next-generation insulin pump technology.

overweight patient seeking health advice

Another win for Wegovy: FDA approves higher semaglutide dose as part of new pilot program

Novo Nordisk will be selling the new 7.2-mg dose under the brand name Wegovy HD. The FDA's decision fell under a new pilot program intended to grant certain companies improved access and quicker approvals.

radiology report bubbles translate informatics imaging

Radiologists, rad techs, physicists and nuclear medicine urge HHS to fix costly image-sharing processes

Imaging groups recently conveyed their concerns to Health and Human Services in a letter submitted March 16.

Former ACA Marketplace enrollee: ‘This is ridiculous—$1,200 and an $8,000 deductible for a healthy person. Really?’

A new KFF survey shows almost 10% of people who had an Obamacare Marketplace plan in 2025 decided to head into 2026 with no coverage at all. Another 28% re-enrolled but with a different—presumably lesser—plan.

MR-guided breast biopsy tools from Mammotome nab FDA clearance.

FDA clears 2 new MR-guided breast biopsy tools

The products were developed with both patients and providers in mind and were designed to streamline the entire procedural process.

FDA clears MiniMed’s screenless, smartphone-controlled insulin pump

Just weeks after separating from Medtronic and going public, MiniMed secured FDA clearance for its next-generation insulin pump technology.

EP advocacy group details 6 key policy issues

The Heart Rhythm Society's advocacy arm is monitoring such issues as prior authorization, outpatient payment policies and cancelled research funding.

FDA issues emergency alert on surgical stapler reloads after 1 death, 4 injuries

The problem is limited to surgical stapler reloads used by the da Vinci robot, specifically those manufactured by Intuitive Surgical. The FDA said it’s currently investigating why the reloads are leaving incomplete line formations. For now, they need to be pulled from all patient care settings.

Video interview with Anders Gilberg, MGA, senior vice president, government affairs at Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), explains various value-based payment models the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is experimenting with, but notes out or more than 30 models, only two have actually saved Medicare money.

MGMA outlines path and pitfalls in CMS 2030 value-based care push

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has tested nearly 40 APMs, of which only two turned out to be successful, which does not bode well for meeting a 2030 deadline to transition to value-based payments.