Sebelius Presses Health Care - POLITICO.com

Sebelius Presses Health Care-POLITICO.com: "As the administration presses forward on many fronts, Kathleen Sebelius reasserts, in her prepared testimony today, that health care reform remains a priority:"

Doctors Call For Rebasing Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) - WSJ Health Blog

Doctors Call For Rebasing Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) - WSJ Health Blog: "Every year or so, we hear that some big Medicare pay cuts for doctors are on the way. Almost every time, Congress swoops in at the last minute to block the cuts. Leaders of the AMA and other big doctor groups have been in Congress lately asking for a change to the underlying system that keeps creating these near misses."

Hoyer sets health care reform 'target' - POLITICO.com

Hoyer sets health care reform 'target' - POLITICO.com: "With all signs suggesting that health care will be the next major legislation out of the gate for President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies on Capitol Hill, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) is setting an August target for the House to approve its version of the measure."

Sting Operation Exposes Gaps in Oversight of Human Experiments - WSJ.com

Sting Operation Exposes Gaps in Oversight of Human Experiments - WSJ.com: "Thousands of medical research groups that monitor clinical trials on behalf of the drug industry may face tougher regulations in the wake of a congressional sting operation that found gaps in the nation's oversight of experiments on humans."

Baucus, Pelosi clash on health care - POLITICO.com

Baucus, Pelosi clash on health care - POLITICO.com: "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she's still committed to using a procedural trick to fast-track health care reforms this year — despite opposition from Sen. Max Baucus, the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee."

Many Concerns About Health Insurance for All - NYTimes.com

Many Concerns About Health Insurance for All - NYTimes.com: "It is one of the most contentious health care proposals President Obama has floated: offer a federal, Medicare-like insurance plan to anyone, at any age. And let commercial insurers offer their private health plans alongside it."

Glaxo Expands List of Public Payments to Doctors - WSJ Health Blog

Glaxo Expands List of Public Payments to Doctors - WSJHealth Blog: "GlaxoSmithKline last year promised to publish payments to U.S. docs for consulting and other services starting in 2010, and to cap those payments at $150,000 per doctor a year. Now, the company is expanding on its promise."

Who are the big health care players? - POLITICO.com

Who are the big health care players? - POLITICO.com: "House and Senate leaders have given themselves less than five months to do something that politicians since Theodore Roosevelt have promised to do but never could: craft a health care system that covers every American and reduces overall spending. Nobody is quite sure exactly how — or even whether — it will happen, but the deadline on Capitol Hill is August."

Health-Care Battle Set to Focus on Public Plan - WSJ.com

Health-Care Battle Set to Focus on Public Plan - WSJ.com: "Congress is poised for a battle over whether an ambitious health-care overhaul should include a new government-run health plan to compete with private companies in the effort to cover the uninsured."

Ruling on Patent Measures Deals Setback to Drug Firms - WSJ.com

Ruling on Patent Measures Deals Setback to Drug Firms - WSJ.com: "In a potential setback for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, a federal appeals court Friday revived certain measures aimed at curbing abuse of the U.S. patent system and reducing the backlog of patent applications."

Harvard prof will head health technology effort - Boston.com

Harvard prof will head health technology effort - Boston.com: "The Obama administration today is announcing that David Blumenthal, a Harvard Medical professor who is director of the Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital, will be national coordinator for health information technology."

Democrats Angle for Health-Care Edge - WSJ.com

Democrats Angle for Health-Care Edge - WSJ.com: "Congressional Democratic leaders and the Obama White House are likely to use a parliamentary procedure to win passage this year of a national health-insurance program, people familiar with the discussions said Thursday."

Medicare Rules on Equipment Worry Patients - WSJ.com

Medicare Rules on Equipment Worry Patients - WSJ.com: "Millions of older and disabled people could face stiff new restrictions on where they can go for medical equipment under a Medicare plan to overhaul how the federal insurer pays for such devices."

Wal-Mart lends muscle to health reform - POLITICO.com

Wal-Mart lends muscle to health reform - - POLITICO.com: "Wal-Mart is ramping up its Washington activity to push for comprehensive health care reform, and the world’s largest retailer says it is ready to use its economic muscle to get out in front and influence the discussion."

Team Effort in the House to Overhaul Health Care - NYTimes.com

Team Effort in the House to Overhaul Health Care - NYTimes.com: "Three powerful House committee chairmen have agreed to work together on legislation to overhaul the health care system, starting with the view that most employers should help finance coverage and that the government should offer a public health insurance plan as an alternative to private insurance."

Medicare Adviser: Medicare Advantage’s Perks Cost Too Much -WSJ

Medicare Adviser: Medicare Advantage’s Perks Cost Too Much - WSJ: "Private Medicare Advantage plans, already targeted for cuts by the Obama administration, are under more pressure in Congress today."

Comparison Shopping for Medicine - washingtonpost.com

Comparison Shopping for Medicine - washingtonpost.com: "President Obama has dedicated $1.1 billion in the economic stimulus package for federal agencies to oversee studies on the merits of competing medical treatments."

Patient Group Seeks Increase in Heart-Research Funding - WSJ.com

Patient Group Seeks Increase in Heart-Research Funding - WSJ.com: "The American Heart Association on Monday said it supports efforts to compare medical treatments and give the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco, moves that many believe will reduce health-care costs over the long term."

Health care hinges on Senate insiders - POLITICO.com

Health care hinges on Senate insiders - POLITICO.com: "If you want to know whether President Barack Obama can get a health care overhaul done by year’s end, keep an eye on the Board of Directors."

Medtronic Links 13 Deaths to Faulty Heart Device - NYTimes.com

Medtronic Links 13 Deaths to Faulty Heart Device - NYTimes.com: "Medtronic said Friday that at least 13 people might have died in connection with a heart device that it recalled in 2007 but was still in widespread use, including four patients whose deaths were related to efforts by doctors to surgically remove the product."

Massachusetts Faces Costs of Big Health Care Plan - NYTimes.com

Massachusetts Faces Costs of Big Health Care Plan - NYTimes.com: "Three years ago, Massachusetts enacted perhaps the boldest state health care experiment in American history, bringing near-universal coverage to the commonwealth with Paul Revere speed."

Kent Conrad and Max Baucus Have Raised Questions About the Obama Health Plan - WSJ

Kent Conrad and Max Baucus Have Raised Questions About the Obama Health Plan - WSJ: "Another powerful Senate Democrat has issues with the Obama administration’s plans for funding health reform."

Margaret Hamburg Is Said to Be Chosen to Lead F.D.A. - NYTimes.com

Margaret Hamburg Is Said to Be Chosen to Lead F.D.A. - NYTimes.com: "President Obama intends to nominate Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, a former New York City health commissioner, to lead the Food and Drug Administration, sidestepping a battle between drug safety advocates and the drug industry, people briefed on the decision said."

Obama's health principles, translated - POLITICO.com

Obama's health principles, translated - Carrie Budoff Brown - POLITICO.com: "As written into the budget delivered to Congress last month, these delicately worded principles were crafted to appeal to the broadest possible audience, but behind each lies hints about Obama’s intentions — and the polarizing debates over taxes, mandates and government-run insurance plans on the horizon. Here’s a translation of the principles . . ."

Grassley Says Knee Device Maker Was ‘Calling the Shots’ at FDA - WSJ

Grassley Says Knee Device Maker Was ‘Calling the Shots’ at FDA - WSJ: "Sen. Chuck Grassley is busy again, asking for information about the FDA’s approval last fall of a knee implant made by ReGen Biologics."

Former New York Health Chief Is Top Candidate to Run FDA - WSJ.com

Former New York Health Chief Is Top Candidate to Run FDA - WSJ.com: "The Obama administration has settled on two public-health experts to fill top posts at the Food and Drug Administration, people familiar with the matter said."

Obama's health principles, translated - POLITICO.com

Obama's health principles, translated - POLITICO.com: "When it comes to health care reform, details are key, but it seems that President Barack Obama plans to avoid the minutiae and let eight vague principles speak for him. As written into the budget delivered to Congress last month, these delicately worded principles were crafted to appeal to the broadest possible audience, but behind each lies hints about Obama’s intentions — and the polarizing debates over taxes, mandates and government-run insurance plans on the horizon."

Obama's health principles, translated - POLITICO.com

Obama's health principles, translated - POLITICO.com: "When it comes to health care reform, details are key, but it seems that President Barack Obama plans to avoid the minutiae and let eight vague principles speak for him. As written into the budget delivered to Congress last month, these delicately worded principles were crafted to appeal to the broadest possible audience, but behind each lies hints about Obama’s intentions — and the polarizing debates over taxes, mandates and government-run insurance plans on the horizon."

Orszag under fire on health agenda - POLITICO.com

Orszag under fire on health agenda - POLITICO.com: "Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) banged his fist several times on the Senate hearing room table Tuesday morning as he grew irritated with White House Budget Director Peter Orszag"

Montana senator takes center stage on healthcare - The Boston Globe

Montana senator takes center stage on healthcare - The Boston Globe: "Two hours into a recent Finance Committee hearing, every other senator had wandered off, but Chairman Max Baucus was serving notice that he would find a way to make healthcare overhaul possible, even with an economy spinning out of control - and that he needed help."

Baucus, Known for Compromise, Is Health-Reform Force - WSJ Health Blog

Baucus, Known for Compromise, Is Health-Reform Force - WSJ Health Blog: "Sen. Max Baucus has jumped front on health-care reform, putting out his plan just a week after President Obama was elected and remaining vocal on the issue since then."

In Divide Over Health Care Overhaul, 2 Major Unions Withdraw From a Coalition - NYTimes.com

In Divide Over Health Care Overhaul, 2 Major Unions Withdraw From a Coalition - NYTimes.com: "Two labor unions have pulled out of a broad coalition seeking agreement on major changes in the health care system."

Less of an 'Advantage'? - WSJ.com

Less of an 'Advantage'? - WSJ.com: "The president's budget proposal would slash government payments to insurers offering the Medicare Advantage plans by an estimated $175 billion over 10 years to help pay for overhauling the nation's health-care system. The expected savings would come from having insurers bid competitively to cover a given geographic area, thus potentially lowering the per-beneficiary cost to the U.S. to the same as that of traditional Medicare."

Even Now, Health Care Adds Jobs -WSJ Health Blog

Even Now, Health Care Adds Jobs - WSJ Health Blog: "Employment figures for February are out today, and the numbers are a horror show: The economy lost some 651,000 jobs during the month. But health care added some 27,000 jobs."

Democrats Move to End Pre-Emption of Medical-Device Lawsuits - WSJ Health Blog

Democrats Move to End Pre-Emption of Medical-Device Lawsuits - WSJ Health Blog: "A day after the Supreme Court ruled that patients can sue drug makers in state courts, Congressional Democrats proposed making it easier to sue medical-device makers."

Political Lobbying Drove FDA Process - WSJ.com

Political Lobbying Drove FDA Process - WSJ.com: "The recent approval of a new device to treat knee injuries followed a lobbying campaign that overcame repeated rejections by scientists within the Food and Drug Administration, agency documents show."

At Health Care Summit, Obama Urges Fiscal, Moral Solutions - washingtonpost.com

At Health Care Summit, Obama Urges Fiscal, Moral Solutions - washingtonpost.com: "President Obama opened a White House summit on health reform today arguing that fixing the troubled system is 'no longer a moral imperative, it is a fiscal imperative.'"

Health Industry Voices Support for Obama Health Plan - washingtonpost.com

Health Industry Voices Support for Obama Health Plan - washingtonpost.com: "Just four months ago, the pharmaceutical industry was prepared for the worst. Drugmakers feared that Barack Obama would press for price controls on prescription drugs and readied plans for a multimillion-dollar ad campaign against the idea."

No Legal Shield in Drug Labeling, Justices Rule - NYTimes.com

No Legal Shield in Drug Labeling, Justices Rule - NYTimes.com: "In a major setback for business groups that had hoped to build a barrier against injury lawsuits seeking billions of dollars, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said state juries may award damages for harm from unsafe drugs even though their manufacturers had satisfied federal regulators."

Supremes Set Different Rules for Suing Device, Drug Makers - WSJ Health Blog

Supremes Set Different Rules for Suing Device, Drug Makers - WSJ Health Blog: "A year ago, the Supreme Court ruled that getting premarket approval from the FDA gives medical device makers a strong defense against lawsuits filed in state courts. Today, the court ruled that drug makers can be sued in state courts, even when they are following the rules laid out by the FDA."

Max Baucus Questioned Obama's Plan to Fund Health Reform - WSJ Health Blog

Max Baucus Questioned Obama's Plan to Fund Health Reform - WSJ Health Blog: "Max Baucus raised a flag today over the Obama administration’s plan to partly fund health reform by lowering tax deductions for the wealthiest Americans. This is worth paying attention to, given that Baucus chairs the Senate Finance Committee, which is going to be at the center of any health-reform plan that makes its way through Congress."

High Court Eases Way to Liability Lawsuits - WSJ.com

High Court Eases Way to Liability Lawsuits - WSJ.com: "The Supreme Court said drug makers can be sued in state court over alleged defects, even if the Food and Drug Administration has approved a medication's use."

Supreme Court Rejects Limits on Drug Lawsuits - washingtonpost.com

Supreme Court Rejects Limits on Drug Lawsuits - washingtonpost.com: "The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a $6.7 million jury award to a musician who lost her arm because of a botched injection of an anti-nausea medication. The court brushed away a plea for limiting lawsuits against drug makers."

Prosecutors Plan Crackdown on Doctors Who Accept Kickbacks - NYTimes.com

Prosecutors Plan Crackdown on Doctors Who Accept Kickbacks - NYTimes.com: "Federal health officials and prosecutors, frustrated that they have been unable to stop illegal kickbacks to doctors from drug and device companies, are investigating doctors who take money for using these products."

Grassley Asks Pfizer About Payments to Harvard Docs-WSJ Health Blog

Grassley Asks Pfizer About Payments to Harvard Docs-WSJ Health Blog: "The New York Times had a story yesterday on students questioning the school’s ties to the drug industry; in his letter, also sent yesterday, Grassley asks Pfizer for a “detailed account of payments and/or benefits of any kind that your company has given to the 149 Harvard faculty members mentioned in The New York Times article, and any other unreported Harvard doctors receiving payments.”"

Group launches health care offensive - POLITICO.com

Group launches health care offensive - POLITICO.com: "Firing some of the first shots in the coming showdown over health care, a conservative group led by the former owner of the Hospital Corporation of America is beginning a multimillion-dollar campaign Tuesday in opposition to government-run coverage."

Tallying Harvard Medical School's Drug-Industry Ties-WSJ Health Blog

Tallying Harvard Medical School's Drug-Industry Ties-WSJ Health Blog: "Amid Sen. Chuck Grassley’s probe into doctors’ financial ties to the drug industry, a group of Harvard Medical School students have joined forces to tighten the school’s conflict-of-interest policies. The New York Times takes a closer look Harvard’s industry ties this morning, revealing some colorful details."

Tough Questions Dog Health-Care Overhaul - WSJ.com

Tough Questions Dog Health-Care Overhaul - WSJ.com: "President Barack Obama launches his ambitious health-care effort with considerable agreement among diverse interests about the need for fundamental changes. But behind that broad consensus lie several tough questions that won't easily be resolved."