PAMED News

In another attempt to change the childhood vaccine schedule, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to review the assessment issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) earlier this year.

PAMED has been informed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) that a provider has had their medical license revoked, which means the provider is currently not able to practice as a Doctor of Medicine in Psychiatry in the Commonwealth.

The Patient Safety Authority (Authority), established by the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act, announces a meeting of the Authority's Board to be held virtually by means of the Authority's webinar platform Zoom on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 1 p.m. and is open to the general public.

Through a new partnership between the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) and La Salle University, a new opportunity has been created for PAMED members, employees, and immediate family members to pursue a master’s degree from the School of Business, among other certificate programs.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has issued an update on the hantavirus outbreak and reports no notifications of any Pennsylvania residents who were on board the associated cruise ship.

PAMED Board of Trustee, Jill Owens, MD reflects on the closure of Bradford Regional Medical Center.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly met in session throughout most of April and the first week of May but is now out until coming back in June for the annual budget push. As expected, the legislative agenda thus far has been dominated by elections. The gubernatorial election will take place this November as will all 203 PA House seats and 25 of the 50 PA Senate seats.

The results of Pennsylvania’s May 19 primary election officially set the stage for several highly competitive congressional and statewide races heading into November 2026. While most incumbents in closely watched races successfully advanced through their primaries, the election solidified a number of matchups that are expected to draw significant national attention.

Clarification of information regarding the Prior Authorization Final Rule.

The PA Department of Health issued an alert on the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo's confirmed outbreak of the Ebola disease after laboratory analysis confirmed the cause as Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD).

The State Board of Nursing (Board) is proposing regulations to implement Act 137 of 2024 which authorizes licensed practical nurses (LPN) to pronounce death in the Commonwealth under certain circumstances.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an update to inform clinicians and health departments about testing available for patients with suspected hantavirus infection to include Andes virus.

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 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.

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.