Oregon lawmakers are “taking another pass” at universal healthcare for the residents of state, according to a new report by The Register Guard. If SB 770 is passed, it will create a committee that would “design, implement and run a state health insurance plan.” 

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) will provide the list price of its prescription drugs in television advertisements starting in late March. The company will be the first manufacturer to take such a step, according to The New York Times.

As the rising drug price issue has taken hold of the healthcare debate in the U.S., Democrats in Congress have introduced a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. 

This exemption of certain unclassified medical devices from 510(k) requirements aims to achieve two goals: decrease regulatory burdens on the medical device industry and reduce costs required to comply with federal regulations, while allowing patients continued access to medical devices.

The price for a drug that treats Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS), a rare neuromuscular disorder that impacts strength and impairs walking, went from cost-free to the price of a house—$375,000 to be exact. 

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) has shown support for new licensure bills introduced in Missouri and Oklahoma.

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) has released a new white paper outlining the differences between servicing and remanufacturing activities for medical imaging devices, urging the FDA to clarify its own definitions of the two terms. 

Approximately two-thirds of U.S.-based hospitals and acute-care facility leaders believe diagnosis-related group (DRG) optimization is still a problem that needs to be solved in revenue cycle management, according to a recent survey conducted by BESLER and HIMSS Media.