September 1, 2023 Legislation

Healthcare

Hospitals

Physicians

Healthcare

CDC is supporting sepsis teams in hospitals.  They will act as a guide to the hospital managers.  

CMS has started the process to allow Medicare recipients to pay for prescription dugs over time.  This is a great idea if they can pull it off without screwing things up too bad.  The Biden administration has announced the first 10 drugs that will be subject to the new Medicare price negotiations.  They are the expensive ones and the most prescribed ones.  The drugs are Eliquis, Jardiace, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, imbruvica, Stelara, and Insulin aspart.  The drug makers must negotiate the price and take whatever is given  The word negotiate is a misnomer.  The drug companies are suing to stop this but it is authorized under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act which passed with VP Harris' vote.  No one will get a reduction in what they pay for the drugs but the savings, if any, will go to reduce the amount all pay under Part D.  It will not help anyone else who is not covered under Part D.        Top

Hospitals

CMS has fined Community first Medical Center of Chicago $847,740, Falls Community Hospital and Clinic of Marlin, Texas, $70,560 and Fulton County Hospital of Salem, Arkansas, $63,900 for price transparency violations.      Top  

Physicians

The California Medical Association is again going against the Medical Board of California.  This time it is over a law being discussed in the legislature to require a doubling of fees for medical licensure.  This would allow the Board to function again.  Not a problem except for the money involved and what the legislators attached to the bell.  They also want lowering of evidence to remove a physician's license, allow patients to confront the physicians, adding two more non-physician members to make it a consumer dominated Board.  In reality, the provision for more consumers on the board has been dropped,  The CMA will back a fee increase but not double.  The CMS will continue to fight the lowering of standards to remove a license.

Washington has fined Yakima Dr. Wilkinson $15,000 and has forbidden him from prescribing ivermectin for his five years of probation.  He is one of the three physicians who have sued the medical commission for freedom of speech violations.        Top

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DISCLAIMER: Although this article is updated periodically, it reflects the author's point of view at the time of publication. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel before acting on any of the information presented.