Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) has called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to eliminate or ease a variety of federal regulations, arguing that excessive administrative rules drive up costs, reduce patient access, and hinder innovation, Modern Healthcare reported May 13. According to the article,…

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Editor's Note Amid a lack of focus and lack of resources on perioperative mental health, alleviating patient anxiety and preventing poor surgical outcomes requires creative solutions. This is the central argument of a May 12 commentary in The Conversation by Renée El-Gabalawy, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at the…

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Editor's Note Prostate cancer surgeries for low-risk patients have plummeted since 2010, signaling major progress in reducing overtreatment, according to an April 29 announcement from the University of Michigan. University researchers reportedly found that the proportion of men undergoing prostatectomy for Grade Group 1 prostate cancer—the lowest-risk category—dropped more than…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have launched a public Request for Information (RFI) to identify and eliminate outdated healthcare regulations, according to a May 13 press release from the FDA. The move supports a broader federal deregulatory…

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Editor's Note The NIH’s $500 million investment in developing whole killed virus vaccines has drawn criticism from vaccine experts who argue the platform is outdated and lacks transparency, according to a May 3 report in STAT. As detailed in the article, scientists expressed concern that the project—led by NIH insiders…

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Editor's Note State attorneys general from 20 states filed suit to block major restructuring and layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), alleging the actions bypass Congress, violate federal law, and endanger public health. As detailed in a May 5 report from Fierce Healthcare, the lawsuit seeks…

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Editor's Note At the 2025 Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) conference, discussion of legislative priorities extended beyond educational sessions. Thanks to a visit from the ranking lawmaker of the congressional subcommittee responsible for most healthcare policymaking, attendees also got first-hand insight into the latest negotiations on Capitol Hill. US Representative…

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Editor's Note Gender bias in surgery goes far beyond barriers for individuals, according to a study published April 8 in The American Journal of Surgery. Ethnographic data reveals women surgeons face entrenched structural inequities that influence their daily work lives, limit their professional standing, and shape perceptions of surgical competence,…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will no longer approve federal matching funds for designated state health programs (DSHPs) and designated state investment programs (DSIPs) that are not directly related to Medicaid services. According to the April 10 announcement, the decision aims to preserve the core…

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Editor's Note Although a recent executive order from President Donald Trump aims to make hospitals and insurers reveal negotiated prices, data inconsistencies and a lack of consumer usability continue to hinder progress, according to a March 31 article from NPR. As detailed in the report, the executive order builds on…

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