Articles

Ada-Nkem Emuwa, MD, MPH, a leader in community health and advocacy, has been named the 2025 recipient of PAMED’s Community Voluntary Service Award.

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

On May 12, 2023, the Department issued Bulletin OMHSAS-23-5, titled ''Confidentiality of Records Changes Due to Act 32 of 2022 and Aligning with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996'' to inform stakeholders of changes to the list of permissible disclosures and new definitions under the Act. The Department is issuing notice of proposed regulations to amend Chapter 5100 to align with Act 32 of 2022 and HIPAA requirements.

On December 5, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend individual-based decision-making for parents deciding whether to give the hepatitis B vaccine, including the birth dose, to infants born to women who test negative for the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating a multistate cluster of health care-associated, extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacter cloacae complex identified through whole genome sequencing (WGS).

The transfer of $200 million from the Pennsylvania Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) to the general fund of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was completed on August 13, 2025. The $200 million consisted entirely of unspent premiums collected from Pennsylvania physicians and appreciation from investment of those funds.

The State Board of Pharmacy (board) amends its regulations to include child abuse reporting and training requirements.

The Department of Human Services (Department) announces the addition of psychiatric rehabilitation services (PRS) to the Medical Assistance (MA) Program outpatient fee schedule, beginning on January 1, 2026 ...

The Patient Safety Authority (Authority) and Department of Health (Department) provide updated draft guidance to acute healthcare facilities with reporting duties under the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act to assist with determining whether specific occurrences meet the statutory definitions of serious events, incidents or infrastructure failures as set forth in section 302 of the MCARE Act.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) recently hosted its hybrid House of Delegates (HOD) meeting, welcoming participants both virtually and in person.

Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the 2025-2026 Commonwealth Budget. Unfortunately, as part of a last-minute budget agreement, there was a transfer from the Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) to the Pennsylvania General Fund of $100 million.

PAMED has signed a joint letter urging Anthem Blue Cross to rescind its recently introduced policy titled Facility Administrative Policy: Use of a Nonparticipating Care Provider.

The State Board of Medicine (Board) proposes to amend continuing education and volunteer services regulations.

The Department of Health (Department) is updating the residency criteria set forth in the Chronic Renal Disease Program. This program provides coverage for both children and adults who have end-stage renal disease.

The Patient Safety Authority (Authority) announces a meeting of the Authority's Board to be held virtually by means of the Authority's webinar platform Zoom on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 1 p.m. and is open to the general public.

Long before he wore a white coat, Matthew Simpson, MD understood the power of care, and he has spent his life making sure others feel it too. rowing up, he witnessed the impact of chronic illness on his family and neighbors, and how preventable conditions could worsen due to a lack of access to care, education, and resources.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is urging health care providers to remain alert for acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) as AFM season approaches.

Recently, PAMED submitted comments in response to requests for information issued by two different federal organizations, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Federal Trade Commission.

The State Board of Nursing has worked with the DOH, State Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine, organ procurement organizations, and other agencies to develop an approved curriculum for continuing education in organ donation which is now available for providers.

The Department of Human Services (Department) announces changes to the Medical Assistance (MA) Program Fee Schedule.