The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering labeling fentanyl—a popular painkiller and powerful opioid—as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD), according to an internal memo obtained by military news outlet Task & Purpose.

In 49 BC, Julius Caesar led his soldiers across the river Rubicon, defying the Roman Senate and setting up the civil war that led to his becoming dictator for life. Today, many leaders of radiology practices stand on the banks of their own Rubicon.

A bill introduced to Congress on April 9 aims to close a Medicare “loophole” by preventing physician self-referrals for advanced imaging, radiation therapy, anatomic pathology and physical therapy. The legislation is a polarizing issue for medical societies.

AMGA, a trade association focused on improving healthcare throughout the United States, has issued a statement in opposition to legislation being considered by Congress that would limit self-referrals in numerous specialties, including imaging.

Aidoc, a Tel-Aviv, Israel-based medical imaging company, announced that it has raised $27 million in a Series B investment round led by Square Peg Capital.

From HMOs to ACOs to the several arms of CMS’s Quality Payment Program (QPP), policymakers have been pushing healthcare providers to achieve better outcomes for less dollars—i.e., to improve value—for generations now.

Several professional medical societies have now weighed in on a bill introduced to Congress on April 9 which seeks to prevent physicians from self-referring Medicare patients to in-office “ancillary services” including advanced imaging, anatomic pathology, radiation therapy and physical therapy.

The FDA’s decision to mandate labeling of added sugar content on packaged foods and beverages is estimated to prevent nearly 1 million cases of diabetes and cardiovascular disease over the next 20 years and save the U.S. $31 billion in net healthcare costs over that timeframe.