Lanton Law Blog

Learn about the latest trends and activities through our blog posts.

Posts in healthcare
Massachusetts Attorney General Agrees to Optum Atrius Health Merger

Massachusetts Attorney General Healey has agreed to Optum’s Atrius Health acquisition for a price of $236 million. With this Optum has taken another step in its acquisition of Massachusetts’ largest independent physician organization.

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Lanton Law Talks with Pharmacy Times about Pending Opioid Litigation

In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Ron Lanton, JD, principal at Lanton Law, discussed the recent Johnson & Johnson legal settlement in Texas to resolve opioid claims. Lanton said this decision could be significant but working with prescribers is an essential step to shifting the opioid epidemic.

To access the video and the entire text of the interview click here.

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Pharmacy Focus: Oncology Edition - A Conversation About Biden's Cancer Moonshot Program

In the first episode of Pharmacy Focus: Oncology Edition, the Times spoke with Ron Lanton, JD, principal at Lanton Law. Although it is still too early to know how the program differs from private-sector efforts to improve cancer treatments, Lanton said the program has some interesting goals and approaches.

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CMS is Proposing to Delay the Radiation Oncology (RO) Model

Last week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its proposal to delay the start of the Radiation Oncology Model. The announcement can be found here. No reason was given but the proposed reimbursement structure was undoubtedly the major reason behind this delay.

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U.S. Houses Passes the MORE Act Helping Cannabis Stakeholders

The U.S. House has passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act otherwise known as the MORE Act. The proposed bill removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana.

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What to Know about CURES 2.0

In November 2021, U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) today introduced their bipartisan Cures 2.0 legislation. The bill which is aimed at helping patients of innovative companies within healthcare and life sciences can be viewed here.

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FDA Proposes Rule Impacting Wholesale Drug Distributors & 3rd Party Logistics Providers

According to the Food and Drug Administration proposed rule, the (FDA) is “proposing national standards for the licensing of prescription drug wholesale distributors (“wholesale distributors” or “wholesale drug distributors”) and third-party logistics providers (“3PLs”), as directed under the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) (Title II of the Drug Quality and Security Act). Pursuant to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), as amended by the DSCSA, the proposed rule would establish standards for all State and Federal licenses issued.”

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Prescription Digital Therapeutics Presses Ahead for Behavioral Health

At Lanton Law we have been monitoring the both exciting and emerging field of prescription digital therapeutics. While the technologies we have been witnessing are promising, there does remain the challenge of reimbursement, since there has not yet been a statutory benefit category established for this new technology. However; behavioral health shows the most immediate promise.

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President Biden Signs the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 Impacting Telehealth and Health System Stakeholders

On March 15, 2022 President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 into law. The announcement can be viewed here. This $1.5 trillion omnibus appropriations bill is important as there are several provisions applicable to hospitals and health systems contained within; namely touching on issues such as 340B eligibility and telehealth.

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Massachusetts Discussing Data Privacy Protection

Senator Creem and Senator Lesser have introduced S.46 titled “An Act Establishing the Massachusetts Information Privacy Act.” The bill can be found here.

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Cancer Moonshot Initiative Returns

In 2017 we wrote an article that previewed the Cancer Moonshot Initiative (CMI). It was a widespread belief that with Joe Biden becoming President that the CMI would return in some capacity. Today, the White House issued a Fact Sheet that has reginited this policy effort.

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CMS Ends Most Favored Nation Drug Price Model Proposal

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency has published a final rule in the Federal Register on December 27, 2021, that rescinds the November 27, 2020, MFN Model interim final rule with comment period.​​ The final rule rescinding the Most Favored Nation Model interim final rule with comment period can be found here.

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Senator Wyden Requests FTC To Investigate Retail Pharmacy Market Consolidation

In a recent press release Senator Wyden (D-OR) has sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to according to “investigate recent consolidations in Oregon’s retail pharmacy market to assess whether large national pharmacy chains and health plans have acted to make this market less competitive.”

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