Policy

Co-Author: Nina Zhang, Stephenson Acquisto & Colman This article addresses the high-level challenges of tackling drug pricing policy related to prices that seniors and government programs pay, as well as the potential effects that the Trump administration’s policy efforts could have on those prices.1 Starting in January 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services…… Continue reading this entry

On January 9, 2019, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) issued a policy comment letter to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), advocating for provider-friendly changes to federal controlled substance prescribing rules. Note: the firm’s Telemedicine & Digital Health Industry Team participated in the ATA’s special workgroup to develop the recommendations. The letter offers recommendations for DEA’s…… Continue reading this entry

In a final rule published on January 19, 2017, HHS and several federal departments and agencies made revisions to the Common Rule, the federal policy for the protection of human subjects applicable to human subject research conducted or supported by participating federal departments and agencies.[1]  Compliance with the revised Common Rule is expected on January…… Continue reading this entry

President Trump just signed into law the “Special Registration for Telemedicine Act of 2018” (the Act), requiring the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to activate a special registration allowing physicians and nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine without an in-person exam. The DEA has no more than one year to complete the task. Until…… Continue reading this entry

On November 6, 2018, when Massachusetts voters go to the polls to select a new Governor and other key elected officers, they will also consider Ballot Question 1, which will mandate rigid registered nurse staffing ratios for hospitals across the Commonwealth effective as of January 1, 2019. This proposal would make Massachusetts the second state…… Continue reading this entry

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services just issued a proposed rule introducing monumental changes to the physician fee schedule, paving the way for asynchronous telemedicine and new technologies through a new set of virtual care codes.  CMS explained the impetus for the bold changes, declaring: “We now recognize that advances in communication technology have…… Continue reading this entry

Earlier this month, the Department of Labor (DOL) released its Final Rule seeking to expand the scope of participation in Association Health Plans. The Final Rule, titled “Definition of ‘Employer’ under Section 3(5) of ERISA – Association Health Plans”, with a few revisions, codified the Proposed Rule. At its heart is a change to the…… Continue reading this entry