Legal & Regulatory Issues

Days after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments, the fate of the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccination mandate for healthcare workers and vaccinate-or-test rule for workers at larger businesses remained undecided as of the morning of Jan. 13.

Two healthcare organizations in Hartford, Conn., are battling in federal court. 

CMS intends for Medicare to cover Aduhelm, Biogen's Alzheimer's disease treatment, for patients taking part in clinical trials, the agency announced Jan. 11. 

Anthem filed a pair of motions Jan. 7 that aim to end a temporary court order requiring it keep Atlanta-based Northside Hospital System in its network.

UC San Diego Health has agreed to pay $2.98 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, the Justice Department announced Jan. 11. 

A coalition of medical organizations, including the Physicians Advocacy Institute and 16 state medical associations, filed an amicus brief supporting a legal challenge to the No Surprises Act dispute resolution process, according to a news release emailed to Becker's.

Private insurers must cover the cost of up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests per month effective Jan. 15, according to an HHS news release.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is ordering CMS to review its 2022 Medicare Part B premiums following the announcement that Biogen would be slashing the price of its Alzheimer's disease drug in half, according to a Jan. 10 news release. 

After about four hours of arguments Jan. 7, the Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared skeptical about vaccine-or-testing requirements for large businesses, while the court seemed more open to a vaccination mandate for certain healthcare workers, CNN and The New York Times…

A California court ruled against United Behavioral Health, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, ending a multiyear class-action lawsuit and requiring the provider pay out over $20 million, according to Bloomberg.