Legal & Regulatory Issues

The Catholic Health Association called HHS' compromises on mandatory contraception coverage for religious and religiously-affiliated institutions "substantial progress," a more satisfied tone than the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops took in their response last week when they said the changes…

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and other representatives of his party released a framework of their plan to permanently replace the sustainable growth rate that would make drastic cuts to Medicare payments to physicians, according…

A South Dakota bill would allow physicians to treat patients enrolled in any insurance plan in the state, as long as the providers are willing to meet the plans' terms and conditions, according to a Rapid City Journal report.

A bill making its way through Montana's legislature would require any organization wanting to build an ambulatory surgery center in a county with an existing critical access hospital to go through a stricter review process.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists questioned proposed changes to opioid labels proposed by the Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing at an FDA hearing.

The Vermont Senate advanced a bill yesterday that would give terminally ill patients with less than six months to live the right to receive lethal medication, according to a Vermont Public Radio report.

Michigan's ban on most-favored-nation contracts between health insurers and hospitals has gone into effect, according to a Crain's Detroit Business report.

Medicare dominated healthcare components of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address and was one of the largest targets in the Republican response delivered by Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

HHS issued two rules for final approval from the White House regarding essential health benefits for consumer health plans and protections for insurers from financial loss that would likely impact consumers.

HHS' Office of Inspector General issued 22 advisory opinions in 2012. Six of these contain guidance specific to hospitals, surgery centers and other providers. These are briefly described below.  The first three advisory opinions closely address issues that surgery centers…