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.

HHS proposal tackles drug rebates

HHS has proposed lowering drug costs by targeting the rebate system, which has recently come under scrutiny as an opaque setup that keeps drug prices high.

FDA posts final guidance on 'least burdensome’ approach for medical device regulation

“Applying the least burdensome approach means gathering the minimum amount of information necessary to adequately address a relevant regulatory question or issue through the most efficient manner at the right time,” according to the agency.

Zuckerberg Hospital pauses balance billing practice after media reports

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital has temporarily halted its “aggressive” billing practices after media reports brought backlash against the trauma center named after Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

CHI and Dignity complete merger, renamed CommonSpirit

Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and Dignity Health have completed their merger, launching a new nonprofit Catholic health system, CommonSpirit Health. The deal brings together two of the nation’s largest Catholic healthcare systems.

HCA completes $1.5B acquisition of Mission Health

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare completed its purchase of Mission Health for approximately $1.5 billion.

ER doctors subpoenaed for incorrectly ordering imaging exams

Emergency room (ER) doctors at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence have been delivered subpoenas charging them with medical misconduct for incorrectly ordering imaging examinations, according to an article published Jan. 30 by Politico.

Human insulin therapy minimizes out-of-pocket costs for type 2 diabetics

Switching type 2 diabetics from analogue insulin therapies to human insulin products saves patients money without compromising health, according to new research published in JAMA.

Nearly half of adults haven’t heard of Medicare for all

Nearly half––46 percent––of adults reported they had not heard of a health policy known as Medicare for all, according to a recent AmeriSpeak Spotlight on Health survey from NORC at the University of Chicago.

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