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.

DOJ accuses doctor of illegally prescribing opiates in exchange for sex
Ritesh Kalra, MD, allegedly wrote 31,000 opioid prescriptions between 2019 and 2025, many of which were illegitimate. He is accused of inappropriately touching patients in exchange for oxycodone scripts as part of a five-count criminal indictment.
Assembly issue spurs FDA recall on manual resuscitators
A problem with the B/V filters on SunMed adult resuscitators can cause the devices to malfunction. Due to the high safety risk this poses to patients, the FDA has assigned this recall its most serious designation.
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.

Due date arrives for Medicare cash advances as docs plead for extension: ‘Many practices will fail’

CMS first launched the offering back in March to help smooth over cash flow concerns for providers hobbled by the pandemic.

Standard operating procedures start chugging back to life at Medicare, Medicaid

As part of its Monday announcement, CMS released inspection guidance for state agencies and a toolkit for nursing homes.

FDA clearance news: Hyperfine’s portable MRI nod, RapidAI takes on LVOs, and more market moves

Also, Bayer receives the go-ahead for its MRI contrast bulk packaging option and United Imaging unveils a new PET noise-reduction platform.

$66M to hospitalize 38 patients over 3 weeks—would you take that deal?

Responding swiftly to the COVID crisis this past spring, the city of Chicago imagined, built and began operating a nicely outfitted, high-capacity hospital in just three weeks and five days. That was the impressive part.

New Jersey imaging provider sues Cigna over $400,000 in denied COVID-related claims

Open MRI Imaging said it submitted several invoices to the payer between February and July, but the insurer refused to pay, issuing “unelaborated denials” or contending that the bills were “duplicative.”

Search engines unequally inhospitable to antivaxxers

Privacy-first search engines brought back numerous sites when researchers entered the words vaccine and autism. Google turned up zero. Is that impressive—or glaring?

Quash ‘reckless’ Medicare cuts that could cost radiology billions, lawmakers urge Congress

Led by Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., the bipartisan group of 92 House members want leaders to waive budget neutrality requirements tied to E/M codes.

County could cut $116M in spending on imaging, other services by steering patients toward cheaper options

That’s according to a recently released analysis out of the Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based think tank.

Policy & Regulations

DOJ accuses doctor of illegally prescribing opiates in exchange for sex

Assembly issue spurs FDA recall on manual resuscitators

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