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.

American College of Radiology’s longtime head of advocacy to retire
Cynthia R. Moran joined the organization in 2003 after previously spending a decade as director of government relations with the American Academy of Ophthalmology
In brief: Dems and GOPers both wrong about healthcare | Physician trainees literally going hungry | Uplifting points of 2025 light
Democrats want to keep Obamacare going. Republicans want to replace it, ideally with health savings accounts. Regardless of which approach holds sway this week—or whenever—either one would be woefully shortsighted.
House GOP slaps down ACA subsidies as ‘Lower Health Care Premiums Act’ moves to Senate
A Hail Mary attempt by a bipartisan group to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits failed. The new bill contains some reforms, including new reporting requirements for PBMs and support for associated health plans. It now faces the Senate.
Leading nuclear medicine organizations collaborate to streamline PET accreditation
The groups have jointly endorsed a unified framework “to standardize and harmonize quantitative PET imaging worldwide.”
Radiology groups renew push for bill to reform prior authorization
Over 125 medical societies including several in radiology wrote to leaders in the House and Senate on Dec. 9, asking them to pass the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act.

American Medical Association AMA President Bruce A. Scott MD

Physicians ‘outraged’ after proposed spending package ditches doc fix

House Republicans on Saturday released a seven-month funding patch to avert a government shutdown, adding billions for deportations, veterans' healthcare and the military.

Lawmakers propose radiologist-supported bill to relieve shortages via foreign-born physicians

The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act is endorsed by the ACR, AMA and the American Hospital Association.

Newly proposed cybersecurity rule could cripple private radiology practices, RBMA says

This marks the first major update to the HIPAA Security Rule in over a decade, with HHS seeking to require multifactor authentication and written documentation of all policies.

More than 1,000 hospitals earn $700M opioid crisis judgment

Drug distributors AmerisourceBergen (Cencora), Cardinal Health, McKesson, Johnson & Johnson, Teva and Allergan do not admit to wrongdoing. However, they have agreed to a settlement which will compensate providers for opioid abuse treatments.

Radiology pushes for doc fix as government funding deadline looms

Momentum is building for the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, the AMA notes, with 99 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House.

congress money medicare washington DC senate house

Imaging industry urges Congress to oppose cuts to critical research overhead payments

Failing to fund these functions, advocates contend, will result in challenges that could potentially halt progress in imaging industry innovation.

UM Health Care's 7T MRI scanner receives ACR accreditation

University of Missouri Health Care's 7T scanner joins exclusive ACR accreditation club

There are fewer than 40 of these 7T MRI scanners in North America, and MU Health Care’s is one of less than 10 to achieve ACR accreditation.

VA planning 83,000 layoffs as part of restructuring

The reports are based on a leaked internal memo in which the agency said it’s working closely with Elon Musk’s DOGE to cut jobs.

Policy & Regulations

American College of Radiology’s longtime head of advocacy to retire

In brief: Dems and GOPers both wrong about healthcare | Physician trainees literally going hungry | Uplifting points of 2025 light

House GOP slaps down ACA subsidies as ‘Lower Health Care Premiums Act’ moves to Senate

Leading nuclear medicine organizations collaborate to streamline PET accreditation

Radiology groups renew push for bill to reform prior authorization