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.

Experts update AUC for amyloid, tau PET imaging for first time in more than a decade
The new appropriate use criteria define 17 specific clinical scenarios, guiding providers on situations when amyloid or tau imaging are and are not appropriate.
$49B in medical debt to be erased from credit reports
A new final rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau bans reporting agencies from including medical debts on credit reports or factoring them into credit scores.
$3.3B merger of UnitedHealth and Amedisys delayed by DOJ lawsuit
The new deadline for the deal to be finalized is Dec. 31, 2025. However, the ultimate fate of UnitedHealth's acquisition of Amedisys will be decided in a federal court.
FDA sees value in no-implant heart failure device
The new atrial shunt from Alleviant Medical was designed to treat heart failure without leaving a permanent implant behind. The FDA granted the technology its breakthrough device designation and approved additional research.
CDC considers letting nurse practitioners, physician assistants read X-rays under federal program
The agency's “B Reader Program” trains and certifies physicians to classify chest radiographs of workers participating in federal health surveillance programs.

A 'clear lack of adherence' in imaging guidelines is impacting lung cancer survival rates

A study published in the January issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine reveals that nearly half of Medicare patients with NSCLC in the United States do not complete recommended FDG PET/CT scans prior to treatment.

January 19, 2023

Uninsured rate dropped during COVID-19 pandemic

The uninsured rate in the United States saw a drop from 11.1% in 2019 to 10.5% in 2021, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

January 17, 2023

Abbott has gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Navitor transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system, the company’s new self-expanding valve for high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis.

Abbott receives FDA approval for new self-expanding TAVR system

The device, which gained CE mark approval in Europe in May 2021, features a new-look fabric cuff designed to keep the risk of paravalvular leak (PVL) at a minimum.

January 17, 2023

Groups clash with CMS over independent dispute resolution

The heads of RBMA and three other medical management associations are locking arms and pointing their voices in the general direction of Washington.

January 13, 2023

Animal testing no longer required for all new drugs approved by FDA

The bill was first introduced by Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) in the Senate, and it was approved unanimously.

January 13, 2023

Medicare update designed to help heart failure patients may have the opposite effect

When Medicare made it easier for heart failure patients to receive a LVAD at a hospital that does not perform heart transplants, the change was intended to improve patient access. It turns out, however, that the policy shift could be linked to an unintended consequence.

January 12, 2023

'Reflexive management' of incidental findings causes more harm than good

While there are numerous formulas to help guide providers in managing incidental findings, there is limited data available on the outcomes and cost-effectiveness of the subsequent evaluations that follow.

January 12, 2023

COVID-19 PHE extended to mid-April

The renewal comes as the country is facing another wave of COVID-19 infections, this time from a new variant identified as XBB.1.5.

January 12, 2023

Policy & Regulations

Experts update AUC for amyloid, tau PET imaging for first time in more than a decade

$49B in medical debt to be erased from credit reports

$3.3B merger of UnitedHealth and Amedisys delayed by DOJ lawsuit

FDA sees value in no-implant heart failure device

CDC considers letting nurse practitioners, physician assistants read X-rays under federal program