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.

Massive spending bill passes final vote in Congress with Medicaid cuts intact
The 940-page document passed the House of Representatives in a 218 to 214 vote, and now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk. It contains a 20% cut to federal Medicaid funding, something Trump said he opposes.
Radiation in the cath lab: Tracking state-level regulations for cardiologists
Researchers hope these policies can be standardized in the future to help avoid confusion and improve clinician safety.
Doc groups say payer promises not enough to address care denials
MGMA and others who are part of the “Regulatory Relief Coalition” are urging Congress to continue pushing forward with the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act.
Russian researcher strategizes on collaboration with China over healthcare AI
Have you ever wondered what China and Russia would talk about if they were to discuss AI in healthcare? It turns out they do just that—and a newly published academic paper straight out of the Russian Federation offers a glimpse into the dialogue.
10-second brain MRI scans possible with newly FDA-cleared deep learning reconstruction software
The artificial intelligence-enabled software offers accelerated acquisition times, improved image resolution and one-click workflows for technologists.

Johnson & Johnson pauses use of FDA-approved PFA system to investigate patient complications

Johnson & Johnson MedTech's Varipulse PFA system has been linked to multiple reports of "neurovascular events" in patients. The company hopes to share more information in the days ahead.

Experts update AUC for amyloid, tau PET imaging for first time in more than a decade

The new appropriate use criteria define 17 specific clinical scenarios, guiding providers on situations when amyloid or tau imaging are and are not appropriate.

$49B in medical debt to be erased from credit reports

A new final rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau bans reporting agencies from including medical debts on credit reports or factoring them into credit scores.

$3.3B merger of UnitedHealth and Amedisys delayed by DOJ lawsuit

The new deadline for the deal to be finalized is Dec. 31, 2025. However, the ultimate fate of UnitedHealth's acquisition of Amedisys will be decided in a federal court.

Alleviant Medical, a Texas-based medical device company, has received the FDA’s breakthrough device designation and an investigational device exemption (IDE) for its new atrial shunt that treats heart failure without leaving a permanent implant in the body.

FDA sees value in no-implant heart failure device

The new atrial shunt from Alleviant Medical was designed to treat heart failure without leaving a permanent implant behind. The FDA granted the technology its breakthrough device designation and approved additional research.

CDC considers letting nurse practitioners, physician assistants read X-rays under federal program

The agency's “B Reader Program” trains and certifies physicians to classify chest radiographs of workers participating in federal health surveillance programs.

artificial intelligence AI infrastructure

Industry Watcher’s Digest

New Year’s Day brought the go-live for California’s new law forbidding the use of AI to deny health insurance claims.

FDA AI enabled medical devices approval clearance

FDA to hopeful marketers of AI-equipped medical devices: Think beyond your initial approval

Some FDA-approved medical devices age more safely than others. That’s no less true of AI-enabled technologies than of any others. The agency spells out the ramifications in draft guidance issued this week.

Policy & Regulations

Massive spending bill passes final vote in Congress with Medicaid cuts intact

Radiation in the cath lab: Tracking state-level regulations for cardiologists

Doc groups say payer promises not enough to address care denials

Russian researcher strategizes on collaboration with China over healthcare AI

10-second brain MRI scans possible with newly FDA-cleared deep learning reconstruction software