HHS reports on progress reducing regulatory burdens

The Department of Health and Human Services on Jan. 31 issued a progress report on its efforts to reduce regulatory burdens, as ordered by the president a year ago. Noted changes include a proposed rule revising the Medicare Conditions of Participation for hospitals; and final rules implementing a new credentialing/privileging process for physicians who provide telemedicine services, and removing the new physician signature requirement for clinical laboratory tests.

According to the report, HHS plans to release four proposed rules easing regulatory burdens early this year. They include a rule that merges the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank into the National Practitioner Data Bank, Food and Drug Administration rules amending the performance standards for laser products and establishing preventive controls for food facilities, and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rule allowing the use of digital radiography in medical screening of coal miners for lung disease.