Law & Legislation

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October 2024
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GAO urges HHS to strengthen cybersecurity oversight

Editor's Note A November 13 report from The Government Accountability Office (GAO) identifies critical gaps in the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) ability to manage cybersecurity risks in the healthcare and public health sector. HHS, the lead federal agency for cybersecurity in this sector, faces challenges in monitoring…

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By: Matt Danford
November 19, 2024
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AHA's Congressional "wish list" calls for financial relief, patient access, workforce protections

Editor's Note   In a November 12 letter to Congress, the American Hospital Association (AHA) outlined its priorities for the lame-duck legislative session, focusing on measures to stabilize hospitals and health systems facing significant financial and operational pressures. If enacted, these recommendations would support the nation’s healthcare infrastructure amid rising…

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By: Matt Danford
November 14, 2024
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GOP-controlled Senate to prioritize drug pricing, health agency reform

Editor's Note Republicans secured a 51-seat majority in the US Senate after victories in Ohio and West Virginia, promising a power shift that will see GOP leaders shaping decisions on pressing issues like drug pricing, public health agency reform, and rural healthcare. On November 6, STAT published an overview of…

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By: Matt Danford
November 6, 2024
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Trump vs. Harris: Key differences in healthcare proposals for Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, abortion

Editor's Note When it comes to the 2024 presidential election, “Neither candidate addresses a return to the fundamental tenet of healthcare: the patient-physician relationship,” reads the closing line of an “election guide” from Richard Menger MD MPA. In the preceding paragraph, Menger also argues that both candidates also neglect issues…

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By: Matt Danford
November 4, 2024
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Session: Empowered nurses advocate for policy change, workplace safety

Editor's Note Real-world experience in Texas—where more than 650 nurses marched on the capitol in support of workplace violence legislation—informed much of yesterday’s OR Manager Conference presentation on nurse legislative and policy advocacy from Serena Bumpus, DNP, RN, NEA-BC. Although nurses make up the largest healthcare workforce—around 5.2 million across…

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By: Matt Danford
October 28, 2024
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Medicare Advantage insurers prioritize profits over patients, Senate reports

Editor's Note A Senate report reveals that Medicare Advantage insurers are increasingly prioritizing profits over patient care by ramping up the use of prior authorization to deny necessary services, particularly post-acute care, for older adults, Becker’s Hospital Review reported October 17. In May 2023, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations…

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By: Matt Danford
October 22, 2024
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Feds warn of increased healthcare cyber threats from Iranian actors

Editor's Note Iranian cyber actors employing techniques such as brute force, password spraying, and multifactor authentication (MFA) "push bombing" to compromise healthcare and other critical infrastructure sectors, the American Hospital Association (AHA) reported October 17. The report cites an October 16 joint advisory issued on October 16 by the FBI,…

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By: Matt Danford
October 21, 2024
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Feds take action on Hurricane-wracked medical supply chain with wartime powers, drug compounding guidance

Editor's Note The Biden administration has invoked wartime powers to speed rebuilding of intravenous fluid (IV) manufacturing capacity, CBS News reported October 15, four days after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took steps to combat drug shortages. Both efforts are in response to devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene,…

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By: Matt Danford
October 16, 2024
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Vice presidential debate highlights healthcare, abortion policy differences

Editor's Note The October 1 vice presidential debate showcased sharp divisions between the candidates on healthcare policy, focusing primarily on the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and reproductive rights. A summary published October 2 in Stat details how Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) proposed changes that could allow insurers…

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By: Matt Danford
October 2, 2024
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Bill aims to strengthen cybersecurity standards for healthcare providers

Editor's Note The Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act, introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), proposes new mandatory cybersecurity standards for the healthcare sector, with oversight from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Nextgov/FCW reported September 26. The bill, which amends the Health Insurance…

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By: Matt Danford
September 27, 2024
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