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.

Medtech startup co-founded by cardiologist seeks FDA clearance for new-look perfusion device
Tulyp Medical, a French medtech startup, has emerged from stealth focused on securing FDA clearance for a patented perfusion device.
FDA highlights new Class I recall for Dexcom CGM app
Dexcom recalled its G6 smartphone app after a software error was causing it to stop working with no warning. This is a Class I recall, which means failing to follow the company's instructions could result in a serious adverse event.
5 healthcare industry giants funnel over $333M in research payments to radiologists
Merck was the No. 1 funder for radiologists, contributing nearly $108 million in payments, followed by imaging manufacturer Siemens Healthineers ($64 million) and drugmaker Novartis ($57 million).
Report: CMS sent states lists of names for impromptu Medicaid eligibility check
President Donald Trump’s administration wants states to check to see if hundreds of thousands of residents are enrolled in Medicaid illegally. CMS provided a specific list of people it suspects are undocumented.
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts cardiologist pay because CMS says doctors should be more efficient
The new, negative 2.5% efficiency adjustment will be applied to the vast majority of Medicare payments for physician services. It was opposed by cardiology and most other medical societies.

Pfizer to raise prices on 41 drugs in 2019

Drug manufacturer Pfizer announced it would raise the prices of 41 drugs in January 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Have not-for-profit hospitals peaked financially?

Not-for-profit hospitals may have already reached their financial peak, according to an analysis from Fitch Ratings. Lower operating margins and lower reimbursement payments are causing many hospital systems to rethink care delivery, but not all providers are able to meet the challenges head on, particularly in a period of mass consolidation.

GE Capital sells healthcare equipment business for $1.5B

GE Capital, the financial services division of GE, has sold is Healthcare Equipment Finance business to TIAA Bank for $1.5 billion.

California approves CVS Health-Aetna deal

Another regulator has cleared the way for the $69 billion deal between CVS Health and Aetna, as California approved the deal—with conditions.

Is media coverage of breast cancer screening recommendations doing women a disservice?

Over the last several years, most media coverage of breast cancer screening recommendations has focused on conflict and controversy, according to a new study published in Women’s Health Issues.

NHS announces major overhaul of cancer screening programs amid recent issues

NHS England has announced plans to do a major overall of its national cancer screening programs as part of its Long Term Plan, an initiative aimed to improve patient care and outcomes, according to an NHS press release published Nov. 15.

Housing reimbursement may be on the way for Medicaid

Expanded benefits could include paying for housing among Medicaid beneficiaries, according to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, who spoke about the impact of social determinants of health during a speech with the Hatch Foundation for Civility and Solutions on Nov. 14.

NHS England announces ‘major overhaul’ to national cancer screening programs

The National Health Service (NHS) England announced a “major overhaul” to national cancer screening programs in an effort to curb cancer-related mortality.

Policy & Regulations

Medtech startup co-founded by cardiologist seeks FDA clearance for new-look perfusion device

FDA highlights new Class I recall for Dexcom CGM app

5 healthcare industry giants funnel over $333M in research payments to radiologists

Report: CMS sent states lists of names for impromptu Medicaid eligibility check

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts cardiologist pay because CMS says doctors should be more efficient