DOJ & FTC Join Telemedicine Attack on Texas Medical Board

The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have sided with Teledoc, Inc., one of the country’s biggest telemedicine companies, in its legal battle with the Texas Medical Board.  The two agencies filed a joint amicus brief with a double-barrel argument against the Board’s appeal to the Fifth …

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Surgeon Leaps First Hurdle in Antitrust Suit

It could be the Mean Girls sequel we have been anxiously awaiting:  a Napa Valley surgeon alleges that his colleagues and area hospitals ruined his reputation and eliminated his practice in violation of federal antitrust laws.  A California federal district court ruled that his case was plausible enough to …

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FTC Wants to be a Champion for Telemedicine Providers

In a public comment supporting Alaska’s proposed telemedicine legislation, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) reiterated its broad support for telemedicine services, quoting its own 2004 analysis: “When used properly, telemedicine has considerable promise as a mechanism to broaden access, lower …

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FTC Recommends Giving APRNs Full Access to the Prescription Pad

Groups or providers hoping to ease state-mandated supervision requirements and other restraints on advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) received a boost from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) this week when it recommended a state legislature consider removing regulatory hurdles imposed on …

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FTC Supports Easing Dental Hygienist Restrictions, Increasing Access to Underserved

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) released a statement on January 29 in support of a Georgia state bill that would further relax supervision requirements for dental hygienists. The proposed bill would expand the safety-net settings where Georgia dental hygienists may work without the direct …

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Texas Telemedicine Provider Survives Another Round

Teledoc, a telehealth services provider looking to do business in Texas, continued its winning streak in Texas federal court: on Monday, a judge rejected the Texas Medical Board’s motion to dismiss Teledoc’s antitrust challenge to the Board’s new rule requiring a “face-to-face visit or in-person …

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