Newsletters

01.15.21

FDA Issues Final Guidance on the Safer Technologies Program (STeP) for Medical Devices

On January 6 of this year, the Food and Drug Administration released a final guidance on the Safer Technologies Program for Medical Devices.


01.14.21

HHS Finalizes Automatic SUNSET Dates and Mandatory Reassessment Requirements for Most Regulations

On January 8, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released a final rule that imposes a ten-year sunset date on most regulations that have ever been, or will ever be, issued by HHS and its component agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and ...


01.13.21

HHS Renews the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Through April 20, 2021

On Thursday, January 8, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced that the Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration for COVID‑19 will be renewed for another 90 days, beginning on January 21 (the date the PHE was previously scheduled to expire) and extending through ...


01.12.21

Congress Delays Medicaid DSH Cuts, Makes Targeted Medicaid Policy Changes

In late December, following several weeks of dynamic negotiations, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the Act).


01.11.21

Next-Generation Strategies for Pediatric Primary Care: Key Questions Answered

For years, leading pediatricians, families and advocates have called for transforming pediatric care to focus more on addressing the family, social, emotional and economic issues that affect child health outcomes.


01.07.21

Independent Dispute Resolution Under the No Surprises Act—Something for Everyone, When It Applies

The long-awaited and hard-fought No Surprises Act was signed into law on December 27, 2020, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Division BB, Title I, Sec. 101–118).


01.07.21

Congress Alters Provider Relief Fund Rules of the Road

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the Act), which became law on December 27, includes $900 billion in supplemental appropriations to help address economic hardships wrought by COVID-19.


01.07.21

Year-End Appropriations Bill Includes Myriad Medicare Policy Changes

Until late December, few if any Medicare policy changes were anticipated as part of a year-end healthcare package, barring extensions of funding for programs that otherwise would have expired.


01.07.21

Congress Requires Health Plans to Accelerate Mental Health Parity Compliance

Health insurance issuers and employment-based group health plans face new federal requirements to demonstrate their mental health parity compliance.


12.21.20

HHS Proposes New Prior Authorization Rules for Medicaid, CHIP and Certain Marketplace Plans

On December 10, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released a Proposed Rule with the goal of “making the prior authorization process less burdensome for payers and providers, and in turn, avoiding care delays for patients.”