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.

House Republicans propose reviving shelved imaging appropriate-use criteria program
Reps. Diana Harshbarger and Blake Moore recently introduced the Radiology Outpatient Ordering Transmission (ROOT) Act after bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate did the same in May.
Certificate-of-need law forcing referrers to send patients across state border for radiology services
Massachusetts primary care providers are reportedly sending patients to imaging centers in New Hampshire, which lacks a CON law and offers more affordable options.
600 CDC employees laid off as 700 others mistakenly receive termination notices
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the additional notices were sent in error. A union representing federal workers is challenging the firings, arguing that President Donald Trump lacks the authority to permanently eliminate jobs during a government shutdown.
HHS permanently cuts 1,200 jobs in response to government shutdown
President Donald Trump said the shutdown was an opportunity to cut more federal jobs, and it appears he’s made good on that threat. HHS confirmed that reduction-in-force notices were sent to “nonessential” workers as the agency moves to bare-bones operations.
Common methods for attributing cardiac care in ACOs may be falling short
As the United States continues to move toward quality-based care, ACOs need to rethink the way they attribute care to cardiologists and other members of the heart team.

FDA announces recall of biopsy device after 14 injuries and 1 death

The voluntary recall pertains to the ViziShot 2 FLEX from Olympus, which is used with ultrasound-guidance to help diagnose and stage lung cancer.

Cigna will cover CT imaging artificial intelligence software nationwide

The Bloomfield, Connecticut-based payer has committed to covering plaque analysis software offered by several competing vendors including Heartflow.

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Medical marijuana company sued after 1M records leaked online

Ohio Medical Alliance, which operates in six states to help individuals obtain medical marijuana cards, is facing a class action lawsuit after a cybersecurity researcher discovered a 323 GB trove of patient data online.

Anders Gilberg, MGA, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs at Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), said the rapid fire changes in healthcare policy under the Trump administration has been a whirlwind with a mix of reactions by stakeholders to policies based on reality and and also perception of possible impacts. #MGMA

MGMA weighs in on Washington’s political turmoil, Medicaid cuts and healthcare policy uncertainty

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Anders Gilberg, senior vice president of government affairs at MGMA, told HealthExec. “Rarely do we have an administration come in and do so much in such a short period of time.”

Healthcare AI today: major breast screening AI trial, AI’s appetite for data, AI prior auth: wise and WISeR, more

CMS is prepping to pilot AI for prior authorization of Medicare claims in six states. Critics say the Trump Administration is acting hypocritically.

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Controversial Medicare cost-cutting initiative may kill seniors, radiology society warns

The Society of Interventional Radiology on Monday formally announced its opposition to the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (or “WISeR”) Model.

Experts call for greater scrutiny around conflicts of interest between radiologists, AI developers

"Manufacturers of radiology devices may be less likely to disclose payments because many fall outside current reporting requirements," researchers write in JAMA.

CMS grants pass-through payment status for new prostate imaging agent Gozellix

This enables separate reimbursement for the radionuclide diagnostic agent under the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System, manufacturer Telix says.

Policy & Regulations

House Republicans propose reviving shelved imaging appropriate-use criteria program

Certificate-of-need law forcing referrers to send patients across state border for radiology services

600 CDC employees laid off as 700 others mistakenly receive termination notices

HHS permanently cuts 1,200 jobs in response to government shutdown

Common methods for attributing cardiac care in ACOs may be falling short