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.

FDA highlights risks of evaluating blood pressure with unauthorized medical devices
The agency emphasized that many over-the-counter technologies marketed for this purpose have not been properly evaluated.
Healthcare AI today: Another angle on AI regulation, move fast but don’t break things, WISeR in the real world, more
Getting healthcare AI to fulfill its destiny—can we call it that now?—will require ‘scenario-based’ consideration of every use case.
Repeat imaging rates higher when scans are interpreted by nurse practitioners, physician assistants
The finding is based on an analysis of nearly 1.4 million office-based imaging claims, conducted by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute.
Members of Congress condemn Medicare model targeting ‘wasteful’ interventional radiology services
“It is not an exaggeration to say that the requirement of prior authorization for traditional Medicare services will kill seniors,” says Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis.
Referrers frequently failing to recommend patients for key interventional radiology procedure
An analysis of nearly 272,000 uterine fibroid healthcare encounters shows that only about 4% of women underwent uterine fibroid embolization, a minimally invasive IR treatment option.

Expanding Medicaid linked to better care for heart patients

New research, based on data from approximately 143 million patients, focused on prescriptions for heart failure, atrial fibrillation and other significant cardiac conditions.

AHA urges hospital stakeholders to wake up and smell the financial trouble that’s been brewing

The American Hospital Association is sounding the alarm over evidently widespread acceptance of 0% operating margins—or even negative margins—as a sort of “new normal” for U.S. hospitals and health systems.

FDA clears AI tool to boost quality of prenatal ultrasounds

Paris, France-based Sonio also recently raised $14 million in series A financing led by Cross Border Impact Ventures.

RBMA, ACR, RadNet and Rayus Radiology urge CMS to fix ‘burdensome’ reporting requirement

The groups are concerned that the rule could result in billing errors, inadvertent payment denials and slow claims processing.

artificial intelligence healthcare industry digest

Industry Watcher’s Digest

Buzzworthy developments of the past few days.

colorectal cancer colon CTC CRC colonoscopy

CT should not be used to screen for colorectal cancer, American College of Physicians charges

Its decision drew concern from the radiology community, which has fought to increase awareness around this alternative to colonoscopy.

Lawmakers propose ‘gold card’ program that exempts physicians from prior authorization requirements

Experts said that radiologists, along with others who order imaging, stand to benefit from the bipartisan proposal.

Medicare spent upward of $3.8B on low-value imaging and cancer screenings in 1 year: MedPAC

“Imaging for nonspecific low back pain” was listed as the most frequently occurring low-value service, impacting upward of 9.3% of beneficiaries.

Policy & Regulations

FDA highlights risks of evaluating blood pressure with unauthorized medical devices

Healthcare AI today: Another angle on AI regulation, move fast but don’t break things, WISeR in the real world, more

Repeat imaging rates higher when scans are interpreted by nurse practitioners, physician assistants

Members of Congress condemn Medicare model targeting ‘wasteful’ interventional radiology services

Referrers frequently failing to recommend patients for key interventional radiology procedure