The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in conjunction with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the HHS Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and the Food and Drug Administration, have developed a new web-based interactive tool to assist developers of health-related mobile apps identify …
FTC Wants to be a Champion for Telemedicine Providers
March 30, 2016 Leave a Comment
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 …
FTC Recommends Giving APRNs Full Access to the Prescription Pad
February 15, 2016 Leave a Comment
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 …
FTC Supports Easing Dental Hygienist Restrictions, Increasing Access to Underserved
February 4, 2016 Leave a Comment
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 …
DOJ Antitrust Head Remains Focused on Health Care in Era of Consolidation
November 16, 2015 Leave a Comment
Speaking at an industry conference on November 13, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer reiterated the government’s focus on competition concerns in the health care industry. According to Baer, head of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, while the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “promotes …
Words Hurt: FTC Challenges Proposed Hospital Merger Using Parties’ Own Statements
November 9, 2015 Leave a Comment
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) authorized action on November 6 to block the proposed merger of two hospitals located in Huntington, West Virginia. The FTC issued an administrative complaint alleging that the transaction would create a near monopoly for general acute care inpatient hospital …