HHS announces 21-member cybersecurity task force

The new task force will analyze how industries are storing data and keeping connected medical devices secure. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 24, 2016

AHIMA wants to overturn federal ban on unique patient identifiers

The association's petition needs 100,000 signatures by April 19 to be considered by the Obama Administration.

By Nina Flanagan • March 24, 2016

Successful unlocking of iPhone may change course of Apple v. FBI

A third-party method could unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters and eliminate assistance from Apple. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 24, 2016

Telemedicine and alternative payment models: An apt fit

Will new federal regulations help make APMs and telemedicine go together like peas and carrots?

By Meg Bryant • March 24, 2016

CMS just got more time to justify the two-midnight payment cut

CMS maintains the 0.2% inpatient payment reduction is needed to counter an expected increase in inpatient cases under the two-midnight policy.

By Meg Bryant • March 23, 2016

FTC Commissioner Julie Brill resigning at the end of March

During Brill’s six-year tenure, the FTC has stepped up its oversight of health data security protections.

By Meg Bryant • March 23, 2016

FDA proposes its second medical device ban. Its target: Powdered surgical gloves

The proposed ban comes 18 years after the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen petitioned the agency to ban the devices.

By Meg Bryant • March 23, 2016

Behold the long-awaited Phase 2 of HHS' HIPAA audit program

The audits enable HHS' Office for Civil Rights to identify best practices and address risks to protected health information. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 22, 2016

Rural hospitals keep closing. What can be done?

“The tragedy is that we’re losing the hospitals in the places we need them the most."

By Meg Bryant • March 22, 2016

GAO: CMS isn't analyzing data services hub for public exchanges

The hub serves HealthCare.gov to determine applicant eligibility for exchange plan subsidies. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 22, 2016

Feinstein Institute for Medical Research to pay $3.9 million in HIPAA settlement

Four years after the organization had filed a breach report about a missing laptop, HHS found Northwell Health's nonprofit arm had lacked proper ePHI policies and procedures. 

By Ana Mulero • March 21, 2016

Proposed Aetna-Humana merger under antitrust regulatory fire

The megamerger will be "very, very carefully" scrutinized by federal regulators.

By Ana Mulero • March 21, 2016

Johnson & Johnson goes on settling spree, ordered to pay $502M for faulty hip devices

In addition, the company is settling a series of cases tied to morcellator use.

By Jeff Byers • March 20, 2016

CMS unveils interactive tool to map disparities in care

The Mapping Medicare Disparities tool can be used to pinpoint disparities in health outcomes and spending by race, ethnicity, and geographic location.

By Meg Bryant • March 18, 2016

MedPAC releases latest advice on Medicare payment policy

The report addresses issues with county benchmarks and payment rates to 340B hospitals.

By Heather Caspi • March 17, 2016

Text In: One question with JMU Professor of Political Science Dr. Robert Roberts

"Do you think Garland's Supreme Court nomination will be pushed through? Why or why not?"

By Jeff Byers • March 17, 2016

At E&C hearing, CMS' Conway gives vague timeline for alternative payment models criteria

CMS' Patrick Conway commented on how CMS is changing the PQRS and alternative payment models.

By Ana Mulero • March 17, 2016

Healthcare providers urge CMS adoption of 90-day MU reporting period

Healthcare providers are pushing CMS to adopt a 90-day reporting period rather than the full-year period CMS has proposed. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 17, 2016

HIE growth limited to a few states, report says

Only a few states are increasing health information exchange adoption (HIE), a new report says. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 17, 2016

Trump, Sanders health plans come under fire

Under Trump’s plan, Medicaid would be transformed to a block-grant program and leave an estimated 21 million individuals uninsured.

By Meg Bryant • March 16, 2016

Lawmakers seek implant IDs on Medicare claims forms

CMS has cited technological challenges in opposing inclusion of unique device identifiers on Medicare claims forms.

By Meg Bryant • March 16, 2016

OIG report says HHS needs to improve data security

A recent Office of the Inspector General report shows ten areas where HHS needs to tighten data security measures. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 16, 2016

Chicago physician gets 9 months over drug kickbacks, excessive clozapine prescriptions

The psychiatrist, the highest-volume prescriber in the U.S. for clozapine, received almost $600,000 in kickbacks.

By Heather Caspi • March 15, 2016

CDC opioid guidelines presses for prescription limits

The agency released its anticipated opioid prescription recommendations yet reactions were not without criticism.

By Jeff Byers • March 15, 2016

Dissolving heart stent gets closer FDA review

Abbott Laboratories' Absorb heart stent will get a second look by an outside panel to discuss FDA approval. 

By Nina Flanagan • March 15, 2016