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.

Lawmakers propose allowing radiologists to own hospitals, drawing ire from hospital lobby
“Patients should have the freedom to choose the highest quality care available, and physicians should be allowed to provide it,” said Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas.
VA halts mass layoffs, still shedding 30,000 jobs by 2026
Veterans Affairs said plans to reduce its workforce by 85,000 have been called off. It has instead undertaken other efforts to improve efficiency. As for the 30,000 jobs it expects to lose by the end of 2025, those will come from early retirements
Doctor arrested for $5.2M fraud linked to using medical ozone gas on patients
Jawad Bhatti, MD is facing a 26-count indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice after he allegedly advertised the use of ozone gas as a treatment for pain, then billed Medicare and Medicaid for the unapproved procedures.
FDA grants breakthrough therapy designation to new drug candidate for FA cardiomyopathy
The new drug, LX2006, has already received the FDA's fast track designation. This latest distinction was based on early data from two separate clinical trials.
AMA trustee says the U.S. healthcare system is in a state of crisis
“We are in a crisis with healthcare research, administrative burdens, and with payment. Access for our patients is hurt," said American Medical Association (AMA) Board of Trustees member Scott Ferguson, MD, FACR.

CVS, Walgreens settle opioid lawsuits for $10B

CVS Health will pay $5 billion over the next 10 years, and Walgreens will pay $4.95 billion over the next 15 years.

Providers face ‘ominous reality’ of payment cuts as CMS finalizes 2023 Physician Fee Schedule

Physicians are now bracing for payment cuts after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published its final rule for the 2023 Physician Fee Schedule.

The fall and rise of trauma CT on the front and back of COVID-19

When COVID-19 social-distancing orders eased across a densely populated county in the southwest, trauma visits spiked 35% over the pre-pandemic normal. This was accompanied by a 17% increase in average daily trauma CT exams.

Experts question validation transparency of FDA approved AI devices

Many AI devices have already been integrated into clinical practice, but a new analysis questions whether certain validation processes could lead to algorithm biases.

14 House members—7 Democrat, 7 Republican—press CMS to step up its game on CCTA

A bipartisan group in the U.S. House is asking CMS to acknowledge the cost-effectiveness of coronary CT angiography by comprehensively covering the exam for patients who present with acute but stable chest pain or other early signs of arterial plaque buildup.

Two Florida women sentenced to prison for falsifying clinical records

Two women in Florida have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy to falsify clinical trial data.

The American Hospital Association (AMA) is warning healthcare systems the Russians may attempt cyber attacks amid rising tensions of the war in Ukraine and the international community's response. #Ukraine #warinukraine #ukrainewar

Class action follows data breach at multistate radiology practice

Patients whose private data may have been stolen by a cyberprowler last December have filed a class action lawsuit against the radiology practice whose IT systems may have been hacked.

Regulatory Roundup: FDA approves new heart failure therapy, clears an interventional device and much more

The FDA has been busy this month. Review some of the biggest FDA-related stories of October, including big news from scPharmaceuticals, Abiomed, Bristol Myers Squibb and MedAlliance, in our monthly roundup.

Policy & Regulations

Lawmakers propose allowing radiologists to own hospitals, drawing ire from hospital lobby

VA halts mass layoffs, still shedding 30,000 jobs by 2026

Doctor arrested for $5.2M fraud linked to using medical ozone gas on patients

FDA grants breakthrough therapy designation to new drug candidate for FA cardiomyopathy

AMA trustee says the U.S. healthcare system is in a state of crisis