PAMED News

In Pennsylvania, Legionella infections increase each year during spring, summer, and fall months.

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 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.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) identified recent sustained increases in tick bite-related emergency department visits.

The Patient Safety Authority Board meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 1 p.m. and is open to the general public.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) celebrates its state-wide recognition of physicians for 2026 Doctors’ Day on Monday, March 30. PAMED received more than 100 nominations from the public, patients, and colleagues, recognizing physicians who have gone above and beyond in their care.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) strongly opposes the recent rescinding of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Endangerment Finding; an action that removes a critical federal safeguard designed to protect the public from pollution and threatens public health.

This announcement provides advance notice that the Department of Human Services (Department) intends to continue to make Medical Assistance Day One Incentive (MDOI) payments to qualified nonpublic nursing facilities for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026.