PAMED News

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The PAMED Board of Trustees met for its hybrid May 7 meeting and reviewed several key updates, appointments, and ongoing strategic initiatives.

PAMED is a plaintiff in the In re MultiPlan Health Insurance Provider Litigation, a federal antitrust case alleging that MultiPlan and major health insurers colluded to suppress out-of-network reimbursement rates paid to physicians and other providers and is seeking an immediate end to their anti-competitive conduct.

On May 2, 2026, the World Health Organization was notified of a cluster of severe acute respiratory illness among passengers and crew of a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. The cluster included two deaths and one critically ill passenger whose laboratory tests confirmed hantavirus.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) commends Governor Shapiro for the recent lawsuit filed against Character.AI, which marks a first of its kind action against artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has resumed processing visas and work permits for physicians after an update on its website, ending a months‑long pause that affected thousands of international clinicians.

PAMED has been informed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) that a provider has voluntarily surrendered their DEA License, which means the provider is currently unable to prescribe controlled substances.

The Pennsylvania Health Department (DOH) has identified three cases of measles in Lebanon County.

On April 30th, Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA) and Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ) introduced the “Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment System Act of 2026.” This bipartisan bill that makes key, targeted reforms to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) represents another cog in the AMA’s overarching, multi-pronged effort to improve the Medicare physician payment system.

Senate Bill 507, sponsored by Sen. Rosemary Brown, passed the Pennsylvania House on Wednesday, April 29, by a vote of 197-4 and now awaits Governor Josh Shapiro’s signature. The bill previously passed the Senate by a vote of 49-1.

PAMED recently received reports that people pretending to be from one of the health-related boards are contacting licensees by phone about their license.

The State Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine finalize regulations to implement 20 Pa.C.S. § 8628, which requires physicians to complete at least 2 credit hours of continuing medical education in organ and tissue donation and recovery process.

The State Board of Medicine is proposing an overall update to its regulations, including standards relating to issuing licenses, certifications, permits and registrations; graduate medical training (GMT); and continuing education requirements.

The Department of Human Services (Department) announces the availability of program payments for hospitals, health care providers and rural health facilities.

The Patient Safety Authority and Department of Health issued updated guidance to acute health care facilities with reporting duties under the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration has announced the immediate rescheduling of FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by a state medical license to Schedule III from Schedule I.

The American Lung Association has released their 2026 ”State of the Air” report.

Upcoming May Department of Health Meetings

Last week, a federal district court dismissed a lawsuit brought by Anthem Blue Cross that challenged numerous billing disputes adjudicated under the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process provided by the federal No Suprises Act (NSA).

On Monday, the Commonwealth Court struck down the provision of Pennsylvania’s Abortion Control Act that prohibited the use of Medical Assistance (Medicaid) funds to pay for an abortion, except in limited circumstances. The court found the provision violated the Pennsylvania Constitution and enjoined the Commonwealth from enforcing the restriction moving forward.