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.

5 healthcare industry giants funnel over $333M in research payments to radiologists
Merck was the No. 1 funder for radiologists, contributing nearly $108 million in payments, followed by imaging manufacturer Siemens Healthineers ($64 million) and drugmaker Novartis ($57 million).
Report: CMS sent states lists of names for impromptu Medicaid eligibility check
President Donald Trump’s administration wants states to check to see if hundreds of thousands of residents are enrolled in Medicaid illegally. CMS provided a specific list of people it suspects are undocumented.
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts cardiologist pay because CMS says doctors should be more efficient
The new, negative 2.5% efficiency adjustment will be applied to the vast majority of Medicare payments for physician services. It was opposed by cardiology and most other medical societies.
FDA grants De Novo marketing authorization for at-home prenatal ultrasound
Women's health experts are calling the approval a "long-awaited leap forward" for obstetrical care.
MRI recall update: New guidance on issue prompting FDA Class 1 safety warning
Concerns pertain to the systems’ venting paths, but certain functions within their operating suite, manufactured by IMRIS Imaging Inc., could trigger an adverse event within the scanner itself.

cardiologist patient heart compensation starting salary 2022 interventional cardiologist

The cardiologist shortage is here: 46% of all US counties have no heart doctors

Counties with no cardiologists tend to be “rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged,” researchers noted. The group called for policy reform and new technologies to help address the issue.

FDA issues update on MRI coil recall

In May, Philips alerted its customers to the safety concern, cautioning that its Sense XL Torso (1.5T and 3T) coils could overheat and cause patients to sustain serious burns.

Cybersecurity incident reporting rule would exclude insurers, vendors

Hospitals and provider groups have responded with confusion to a rule proposed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency requiring hospitals and providers to comply with stringent reporting requirements that overlap with HIPAA.

noncompete contract clause employment pen sign

Federal judge grants preliminary injunction against FTC ban on noncompete clauses

Judge Ada Brown’s decision sides with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others, who sued in April claiming the rule is an “unlawful power grab.”

Healthcare growth slows, but June adds 49,000 new jobs

For the last year, the average monthly growth has been 64,000 new jobs. However, healthcare continues to outpace most other sectors of the economy.

Optum settles improper opioid prescription accusations for $20M

The UnitedHealth Group subsidiary has not admitted any wrongdoing but said it has improved protocols for monitoring controlled substances.

Bipartisan senators urge CMS to bolster access to nuclear imaging in outpatient settings

Lawmakers led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., made their plea in a June letter to the head of the agency.

AMA: Examining a doctors’ health data can help detect burnout

More than 50% of physicians reported feeling burned out, leading to large numbers retiring or changing jobs The AMA now wants to look at healthcare worker medical records to help identify workplace stressors and how to improve well-being.

Policy & Regulations

5 healthcare industry giants funnel over $333M in research payments to radiologists

Report: CMS sent states lists of names for impromptu Medicaid eligibility check

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts cardiologist pay because CMS says doctors should be more efficient

FDA grants De Novo marketing authorization for at-home prenatal ultrasound

MRI recall update: New guidance on issue prompting FDA Class 1 safety warning