by Ripon Advance News Service Republican members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee this week expressed “significant concerns” that certain lawsuit marketing and advertising practices by trial lawyers pose a serious threat to Americans’ public health and safety. “Plaintiff lawyers intentionally continue to target and deceive vulnerable Americans into mistakenly… Read more »

by Marty Stempniak Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle introduced legislation Friday aimed at averting reimbursement reductions to radiologists and other specialists, drawing praise from the physician community. The “Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act” would do so by providing docs with temporary additional payments, covering the difference between 2020… Read more »

In response to the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 being signed into law, Ju’Riese Colón, Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, released the following statement: “The Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act substantially strengthens the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s independence and ability to… Read more »

by Sean Lyngaas A day after U.S. federal agencies warned of an “imminent” ransomware threat to hospitals, it’s an all-hands-on deck mentality for a health sector already strained by the coronavirus pandemic. Private threat briefings are being held for hospital executives, federal officials are appealing for more data on the cybercriminals and hospitals are hardening their computer… Read more »

by Ripon Advance News Service U.S. Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Michael Burgess (R-TX) joined other members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee to request a briefing from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on its management of the nation’s opioid supply. “This request is in support of a reactivated investigation from committee Republicans, started by the House… Read more »

by Ripon Advance News Service U.S. Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Michael Burgess (R-TX) recently called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a technology assessment of COVID-19 contact tracing applications. The lawmakers’ request would provide additional information to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee Republicans’ work in contact tracing and… Read more »

by Susan Morse COVID-19 has brought racial disparities in healthcare to the forefront as the pandemic has cast light on where there are failings. HIMSS this year evolved its annual National Health IT Week to Global Health Equity Week from October 19 to 23, to encourage a global week of action with policymakers and decision-makers, said Terri Ripley, chair of the HIMSS Public… Read more »

by Marty Stempniak Physician members of the U.S. House are intensifying pressure to avert tens of millions in Medicare pay cuts to radiology and other specialties. Reps. Ami Bera, Larry Bucshon, Raul Ruiz and Roger Marshall—all MDs—championed the letter to House leaders, addressed on Monday. In it, they called the matter “of great urgency,” highlighting substantial cuts set to hit the… Read more »

by Marty Stempniak  Radiology groups are continuing their full-court press on congressional leaders, seeking to avert tens of millions in Medicare cuts to the specialty arriving on Jan. 1. The latest plea came in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, imploring them to waive budget neutrality requirements. Their concerns stem from a… Read more »

by Valerie Dimond  Earlier this month, Rep. Michael Burgess, MD, R-Texas, and Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., proposed new legislation (H.R. 8505) that would waive the budget neutrality requirement for evaluation and management (E/M) CPT code increases mandated by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in mid-August, and… Read more »