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.

Rural America lost 3,300 medical practices in five years, report shows
A data analysis from the Physicians Advocacy Institute and Avalere Health found corporate buyouts are leaving patients in low-population areas with fewer options, as doctors are opting to go elsewhere.
CMS proposes Medicare coverage for T-TEER
CMS has proposed covering tricuspid TEER for patients who present with symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation despite optimal medical therapy. The agency still has questions about the available data, however, and is seeking public comments as it makes its final decision.
Healthcare AI newswatch: Fail-fast AI skunk works, writerly doctors avoiding AI scribes, more
Is trial and error any way for a sprawling health system to roll out AI? Duke Health’s chief medical information officer believes so.
FTC halts case against PBMs, citing lack of commissioners
The FTC has back-burnered its price collusion case against CVS Caremark, Optum Rx and Express Scripts after significant staff departures at the agency left it uncertain how to proceed.
Dr. Oz confirmed by Senate to lead CMS in a 53-45 vote
The confirmation vote mostly fell on party lines. The Emmy-award-winning TV personality will replace Chiquita W. Brooks-LaSure, who has held the position since 2021.

FDA adds diabetes medicine to drug shortage list

A diabetes treatment drug, Mounjaro, has been added to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of drug shortages.

ACR recommendations result in 15-fold increase in breast MRI eligibility among cancer survivors

Prior to 2018, it was recommended that women at higher-than-average risk undergo supplemental breast MRI screening only if they had a personal history of breast cancer in addition to carrying a hereditary breast cancer gene mutation.

Chicago physician indicted in $9.5M healthcare fraud conspiracy

Benjamin T. Toh, of Chicago faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

World’s leading cardiology groups say it is time to rethink RCTs

The American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, European Society of Cardiology and World Heart Federation all collaborated on a joint statement aimed at updating the rules and regulations associated with randomized clinical trials

coronavirus COVID-19 vaccine vaccination

Biden’s winter preparedness plan includes more free COVID-19 tests

The Biden administration plans to make more free, at-home COVID-19 tests available to Americans as part of its newly announced winter preparedness plan.

Regulatory hurdles cleared by MedCognetics, Novartis

The Dallas-based company says its product incorporates bias-busting algorithms that overcome the lack of diverse populations available for model training.

On its own, MRI-targeted biopsy takes big bite out of prostate cancer overdiagnosis

The gain came with the delayed discovery of only a few clinically significant cancers.

AMA, state associations urge Congress to avoid Medicare payment cuts

The American Medical Association is asking Congress to step in before new Medicare payment cuts go into effect in 2023.

Policy & Regulations

Rural America lost 3,300 medical practices in five years, report shows

CMS proposes Medicare coverage for T-TEER

Healthcare AI newswatch: Fail-fast AI skunk works, writerly doctors avoiding AI scribes, more

FTC halts case against PBMs, citing lack of commissioners

Dr. Oz confirmed by Senate to lead CMS in a 53-45 vote