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.

Senate bounces spending bill back to House with 2.5% Medicare rad fix
In addition, there are no restrictions on pass-through entity taxes (PTET), which “benefits independent physician practices,” one expert notes.
Medicare cost-cutting initiative targets ‘wasteful, inappropriate’ interventional radiology services
Interventional radiologists criticized the CMS proposal, believing it could lead to excess morbidity and mortality in Medicare.
103K Medicare beneficiaries issued new IDs after ‘data incident’ at CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said “malicious actors” created fake accounts for Medicare beneficiaries through the agency’s patient portal, using stolen data from an unknown source. The incident is being investigated.
FDA announces recall of Baxter infusion pumps with mismatched software
Spectrum V8 and V6 infusion pumps may have accidentally had their software switched, which could result in underinfusion or a fluid overload. While no injuries have been reported, for safety the affected pumps need to be removed from where they are used and sold.
Medtronic’s new ECMO system receives a key approval
According to Medtronic, its VitalFlow ECMO system was designed and developed with the user experience in mind.

Initiative aims to leverage technology in mitigating healthcare disparities

AI is a key part of the plan as two groups with little in common come together over health disparities that have only been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

New international coalition pushes patient advocacy agenda

More than 100 patient groups across 38 countries have banded together to form an international patient advocacy coalition to be known as the World Patients Alliance.

Former FDA chiefs want White House to cease ‘deeply troubling’ interference in scientific matters

In particular, the former Food and Drug Administration commissioners are concerned about political meddling in the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Liability for following AI treatment recommendations not so clear-cut, but emerging patterns suggest safe pathways

‘We find that two factors reduce lay judgment of liability: following standard care and following the recommendation of AI tools.’

CDC chief dismayed over radiologist’s influence on White House: ‘Everything he says is false’

Scott Atlas, MD, recently made the news after nearly 100 former Stanford colleagues questioned his views around the pandemic.

Primera Blue Cross hit with $6.85M penalty, corrective action plan for HIPAA violations

The resolution represents the second largest payment to resolve a HIPAA investigation in OCR history. It also includes a robust corrective action plan that calls for, among other things, two years of monitoring.

FDA yanks imaging facility’s mammography accreditation following quality issues

The agency said it pulled Allison Breast Center’s certificate after it failed to comply with regulations in the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992.

US residents may soon be buying drugs from Canada—legally

The Trump Administration’s main aim is widening consumer access to lower prices.

Policy & Regulations

Senate bounces spending bill back to House with 2.5% Medicare rad fix

Medicare cost-cutting initiative targets ‘wasteful, inappropriate’ interventional radiology services

103K Medicare beneficiaries issued new IDs after ‘data incident’ at CMS

FDA announces recall of Baxter infusion pumps with mismatched software

Medtronic’s new ECMO system receives a key approval