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.

HHS ‘dramatic restructuring’ begins as employees turned away by security
Mass firings on Tuesday led to thousands of workers at the CDC, FDA and NIH losing their jobs, including those working on public health initiatives and vaccine approvals.
Radiology-supported law change would tighten screws on prior authorization requests
The Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act of 2025 is endorsed by 30 trade groups including the Society of Interventional Radiology and MGMA.
Healthcare AI newswatch: Apple’s AI Doctor, AI’s expectant medical specialties, AI-watching teens, more
Apple’s AI Doctor had better be one good virtual physician.
California ballot measure named after Luigi Mangione lands on AG’s desk
The proposed “Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act,” named after the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, would make it illegal for insurance companies to deny necessary care to patients. The lawyer who proposed the measure said the controversial name was chosen to garner public attention.
Society of Interventional Radiology seeks to bolster research funding for the specialty
During their annual meeting being held this week in Nashville, the society announced the launch of the SIR Foundation Endowment.

DEA proposes restricting some telemedicine prescriptions

The proposed rules specifically narrow the prescribing of controlled substances via telemedicine for patients who have not been seen in person.

Abbott and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are warning healthcare providers about the potential risk of early structural valve deterioration (SVD) with Abbott’s line of Trifecta bioprosthetic heart valves. This includes the original Trifecta valve and the Trifecta GT, which are both designed to treat disease, damaged or malfunctioning aortic heart valves.

FDA warns that early deterioration is possible with Abbott’s Trifecta heart valves

Early SVD has been reported in these devices, particularly three to four years after implantation. According to the FDA, this has resulted in surgical replacement procedures and transcatheter valve-in-valve interventions. In some cases, the patient died.

FDA authorizes first at-home flu and COVID-19 test

The test specifically can detect and differentiate between influenza A and B and the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

New ransomware threat with ties to Russia targets healthcare providers

The "prolific" ransomware group Clop is associated with Russia and has managed to breach some major healthcare systems.

Proposed bills in several states would bolster coverage for breast imaging services

The Susan G. Komen organization has lobbied for the proposals and recently touted them in a series of separate announcements.

ACR, other doc groups call for quick end to latest surprise-billing suit in new court filing

Some physicians believe recent guidance from the federal government will make the mechanism for settling payment disputes with insurers “economically infeasible."

Regional One hit by data breach

Reventics, a revenue cycle management company and a business associate of Regional One Health, detected a cyber-intruder who accessed the company’s servers in December 2022.

CMS not changing ALZ drug restrictions

The announcement comes as more Alzheimer’s drugs are being evaluated with hopes that some new treatments could be breakthroughs.

Policy & Regulations

HHS ‘dramatic restructuring’ begins as employees turned away by security

Radiology-supported law change would tighten screws on prior authorization requests

Healthcare AI newswatch: Apple’s AI Doctor, AI’s expectant medical specialties, AI-watching teens, more

California ballot measure named after Luigi Mangione lands on AG’s desk

Society of Interventional Radiology seeks to bolster research funding for the specialty