As change in health care moves forward—with or without
the imperative of federal legislation—certain outcomes
regarding the payment and delivery system seem inevitable:
Access to care will likely be expanded, even if not made
universal
Evidence-based medicine focused on outcomes and quality will be
a central organizing principle for delivery and payment
Cost management will ultimately become a practical imperative
defining a sustainable delivery system
Partisan politics notwithstanding, the proposed Senate and House
health reform bills have some common themes, including more active
provider involvement in furnishing care on a coordinated and cost
effective basis....
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Citing the growing complexities of collaborations between investigators and the private sector, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed new rules for Financial Conflicts of Interest (FCOI).
On July 9, 2010, the Court of Appeals of Texas issued a noteworthy opinion that may jeopardize the enforceability of certain "covenants not to compete" in the State of Texas, as applied specifically to physicians.
In an August 31, 2010 webinar, representatives from FDA's Center for Devices and Radiologic Health (CDRH) fielded questions concerning the reports with preliminary recommendations issued earlier this month by the 510(k) Working Group and the Task Force on the Utilization of Science in Regulatory Decision Making.
FDA on August 24 released two guidance documents relating to implementation of the menu labeling requirements contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), commonly known as the health care bill. Under the PPACA, certain chain restaurants with more than 20 locations are required to post calorie counts for all standard menu items on the menu boards.
As mentioned in a previous alert, group health plans will be subject to new claims and appeals requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), signed into law on March 23, 2010, as modified by the Health Care and Education Affordability Act of 2010 ("Reconciliation Bill" and combined, "Health Care Act").
In addition to extending health care coverage to millions, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is also focused on improving the national health care workforce.
Health care providers have long struggled with the issue of how to deal with the discovery that they have been involved in violations of the Stark law.
The 36 Month Rule again has taken center stage as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed new regulations governing ownership changes in the home health industry.
