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.

Bipartisan lawmakers seek to increase funding for mobile CT lung cancer screening
The Mobile Cancer Screening Act would offer grants to help imaging providers purchase mobile CT screening units through the federal government.
Healthcare AI today: Pittsburgh’s bonanza, Bay area’s superstars, Dr. Google’s followers, more
The numbers from Pittsburgh are staggering. And they’re all about blasting American-made AI into the stratosphere, if not to Infinity and beyond.
Two insurers dominate most Medicare Advantage markets, report finds
Over 97% of all counties in the U.S. see high or very high levels of consolidation in Medicare Advantage markets, with UnitedHealthcare and Humana owning the most plans nationwide.
Steward sues former CEO over alleged pilfering that contributed to bankruptcy
Former Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre, MD, and other executives are accused in a $1.4 billion legal filing of paying themselves hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses, despite the health system being insolvent.
FDA recalls real-time glucose monitors after 56 injuries
Receivers on active glucose monitors manufactured by Dexcom are reportedly failing to send alerts when a patient’s blood sugar levels are dangerously high or low. There have been no deaths linked to the malfunction.

What radiology practices need to know about 2021 CPT coding changes

In particular, the code for low-dose lung cancer screening has been replaced, with financial implications for physicians.

Why it might be time to combine emergency radiology with emergency medicine

Vertically integrating emergency imaging into the ED could create a more efficient and collaborative environment, but it won't be an easy task, one expert recently explained in JACR.

CMS approves 5 new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System measures, relieving radiology’s quality crunch

The specialty has seen a decline in available MIPS metrics in recent years, as the feds have "topped out" those with extremely high national performance, experts said.

Mandating flu shot availability for healthcare workers saves patient lives

Hospitals required by state laws to offer healthcare workers flu shots can expect significantly reduced flu and pneumonia mortality compared with hospitals in states forgoing such mandates.

Lawmakers delay RO model again as reps. seek to scale back ‘intensity’ of payment cuts

CMS had originally planned to kick off the mandatory bundled-payment effort in July, but will now punt the go-live date to Jan. 1, 2022.

Hospital price transparency closing in

Is your organization ready to meet the new federal requirements on hospital price transparency? The policy is set to go live on New Year’s Day.

Medicaid solidifies value-based drug payments

The revised system gives states greater leeway than they’ve had to cut value-based purchasing deals with pharma companies on innovative but expensive drugs.

COVID-19 congress coronavirus Washington

Congress mitigates radiologist pay cuts, passing year-end spending bill with $3B cash infusion

Lawmakers also finalized a long-discussed ban on surprise medical bills and pushed back the radiation oncology payment model's go-live date.

Policy & Regulations

Bipartisan lawmakers seek to increase funding for mobile CT lung cancer screening

Healthcare AI today: Pittsburgh’s bonanza, Bay area’s superstars, Dr. Google’s followers, more

Two insurers dominate most Medicare Advantage markets, report finds

Steward sues former CEO over alleged pilfering that contributed to bankruptcy

FDA recalls real-time glucose monitors after 56 injuries