House-Senate GOP War of Words on Obamacare Bill

House-Senate GOP War of Words on Obamacare Bill-wallstreetjournal: House GOP leaders thought they’d found the ticket to party unity Wednesday when they announced  a bill to keep the government operating in the new fiscal year and strip funding from President Barack Obama’s health-care law. They hoped to rally the party behind the cause of tea party allies, who had made “defunding Obamacare” their litmus test issue.

Do defunding Obamacare efforts have GOP support?

Do defunding Obamacare efforts have GOP support?-washingtonpost: We know that those advocating a government shutdown to “defund” Obamacare haven’t convinced even a majority of their Senate colleagues. In the House, a senior House aide offered that most of the conference was “supportive” of the speaker’s approach. Another suggested the “tide” was in the direction, but that it wouldn’t be hard for hardliners to drive the House off course once again.

Boxer-Vitter feud draws blood

Boxer-Vitter feud draws blood-politico: Vitter has accused Boxer of “bribery,” while Boxer has shot back that Vitter is demeaning the Senate, part of a complex beef over Obamacare that has revived ghosts of Vitter’s prostitution scandal. The ramifications aren’t just about the senators’ hard feelings: The spat could have profound consequences for public policy, particularly when it comes to trying to strengthen the meager national infrastructure spending program.

Price, Van Hollen spar over Obamacare

Price, Van Hollen spar over Obamacare-politico: Reps. Tom Price and Chris Van Hollen tore into each other on “Fox News Sunday” when asked whether stopping Obamacare implementation was worth shutting down the government. Price, a Republican from Georgia, when asked whether he supported a shutdown to stop the implementation of Obamacare, demurred twice, changing course from an earlier Fox interview in which he said that he would. Instead, he pointed to a proposal to delay the law’s implementation for a year.

Industry Pushes CMS For Details On Centralized Coverage Review Of IDE Trials

Industry Pushes CMS For Details On Centralized Coverage Review Of IDE Trials-graysheet: Some device companies say they generally support CMS’ proposal to centralize coverage review of investigational device exemption studies, while others want to retain the current Medicare Administrative Contractor-based coverage process. But virtually all industry stakeholders providing feedback to CMS say that if the agency does switch to centralized review, it must first offer a lot more detail about how the process would work.

Companion Diagnostics For Breakthrough Drugs Also Getting Swift Attention, FDA Says

Companion Diagnostics For Breakthrough Drugs Also Getting Swift Attention, FDA Says-graysheet: CDRH is using its regulatory flexibility to ensure that development and evaluation of companion diagnostics for “breakthrough” therapies keep pace with the speedier timelines envisioned for such drugs under the FDA Safety and Innovation Act. Speaking at a Sept. 6 conference on drug/diagnostic co-development for breakthrough therapies, CDRH officials highlighted a number of formal and informal actions they are taking or potentially could take to prevent the slow development of companion diagnostics from impeding the speed at which breakthrough therapies can reach the market.

Possible thaw in Russian medical device regulations?

Possible thaw in Russian medical device regulations?-massdevice: Russian medical device market regulator Roszdravnadzor has begun providing updates that suggest greater alignment and harmonization with other countries’ rules and requirements. So far no concrete proposals have emerged, however.

MedPAC Floats Idea of ACO Medigap Plan

MedPAC Floats Idea of ACO Medigap Plan-medpage: WASHINGTON -- Medicare might want to create a supplemental coverage plan that encourages patients to seek care in a single accountable care organization (ACO), the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) was told Thursday. A "Medicare Select ACO supplemental plan" would provide lower cost-sharing for patients in an ACO in an attempt to increase loyalty to that ACO's providers, MedPAC staff told commissioners.

Nonprofit groups rush to hire, train ‘Obamacare’ experts with just 3 weeks to go

Nonprofit groups rush to hire, train ‘Obamacare’ experts with just 3 weeks to go-washingtonpost: CHICAGO — With the program known as “Obamacare” only weeks away from its key launch date, hectic preparations are in motion in communities across the country to deal with one of its major practical challenges: hiring and training a small army of instant experts who can explain the intricacies of health insurance to people who’ve never had it.

Republican U.S. senator warns of 'sticker shock' from Obamacare

Republican U.S. senator warns of 'sticker shock' from Obamacare-reuters: Senator John Barrasso said in the weekly Republican address released on Saturday that the Affordable Care Act is hurting middle-class Americans. "Many families are going to have real sticker shock when they see their new insurance rates - even families who get government subsidies," Barrasso, an orthopedic surgeon, said. A White House official disputed Barrasso's characterization, citing studies showing that repealing the healthcare law would lead to higher rate