GOP to White House: What's your ObamaCare backup plan?

GOP to White House: What's your ObamaCare backup plan?-thehill: GOP lawmakers have a big question for President Obama about the upcoming Supreme Court case that could undo much of his signature healthcare law: What happens if we win? Republican leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter Wednesday to the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), demanding the administration show its hand in case the court rules against ObamaCare this summer.

21st Century Cures Draft Includes Changes To Medicare Coverage, Pay

21st Century Cures Draft Includes Changes To Medicare Coverage, Pay-insidehealthpolicy: The 21st Century Cures discussion draft released by House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-MI) Tuesday (Jan. 27) lays out plans to address Medicare reimbursement and coverage in a variety of areas, including changes to the coverage with evidence development policy to reform of the Medicare Local Coverage Determination (LCD) process.

21st Century Cures' Interoperability Efforts Still A Work In Progress

21st Century Cures' Interoperability Efforts Still A Work In Progress-insidehealthpolicy: Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) says his office will continue working on the interoperability section of the 21st Century Cures Initiative for the next several months, even though the discussion draft was released by House Energy & Commerce Chair Fred Upton (R-MI) Tuesday (Jan. 27). The legislative effort comes as HHS crafts an interoperability roadmap, and Burgess signaled he won't necessarily follow the administration's lead

Industry Groups Tag-Team To Attack Device Tax

Industry Groups Tag-Team To Attack Device Tax-thegraysheet: AdvaMed and MDMA simultaneously released survey results from their member companies arguing the tax has hurt jobs and investment in the industry and will continue to do so if it is not repealed.

Protecting Medical Innovation Strengthens Economy, Improves Lives

Protecting Medical Innovation Strengthens Economy, Improves Lives-rollcall: Just after the November elections, Gallup polled the American people and asked them what they need Congress to do. Here are the top priorities they shared: Listen to the people; represent the people; and work together to get things done, create jobs/employment and bring jobs home and improve health care. It’s a new year, with a new Congress in session and new opportunities for our elected leaders to work together on these priorities. And, fortunately, there’s one critical issue that can address all three of these priorities at once: the repeal of the Medical Device Excise Tax.

Draft Bill Shows Congress' Struggle To Define FDA's Role In Medical Software

Draft Bill Shows Congress' Struggle To Define FDA's Role In Medical Software-insidehealthpolicy: A discussion draft of Rep. Marsha Blackburn's (R-TN) planned bipartisan bill attempts to draw a sharp line between “medical” software that would fall under FDA's jurisdiction and “health” that would not, but lawmakers are still grappling with how to ensure that software intended to be regulated is not accidentally exempted

First Look: Can Democrats Win the Senate in 2016?

First Look: Can Democrats Win the Senate in 2016?-rollcall: For Republicans, the fight for control of the Senate in 2016 is all about playing defense. Unlike 2014 (and 2018), the Senate races of 2016 offer few, if any, opportunities for the GOP as the election cycle begins. The map strongly favors Democrats and suggests the possibility of considerable Democratic gains.

Obama Administration Enhances Consumer Privacy Protections on Healthcare.gov

Obama Administration Enhances Consumer Privacy Protections on Healthcare.gov-ap: The Obama administration appears to be making broader changes to protect consumer information on the government's health insurance website, after objections from lawmakers and privacy advocates. The Associated Press reported last week that details such as consumers' income and tobacco use were going to private companies with a commercial interest in such data.

House Ways & Means Likely To Take Up SGR, Medicare Reform At Committee Retreat

House Ways & Means Likely To Take Up SGR, Medicare Reform At Committee Retreat-insidehealthpolicy: House Ways & Means Committee members plan to discuss Medicare reforms that many believe Congress could use to pay for replacing the Sustainable Growth Rate formula during their upcoming retreat, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) said Thursday (Jan. 22).

'We need to show up with evidence': Edwards Lifesciences CEO

'We need to show up with evidence': Edwards Lifesciences CEO-modernhealthcare: Worldwide sales in the first three quarters of 2014 were $1.7 billion, up 12.9% from the same period the previous year. In December, Edwards announced an agreement for the exclusive right to purchase CardioKinetix, which is developing an implantable device to treat heart failure. Before joining Edwards, Mussallem was a senior executive at Baxter International. He serves on the executive committee of the Advanced Medical Technology Association and the executive committee of the Healthcare Leadership Council. Modern Healthcare reporter Jaimy Lee spoke with Mussallem about Edwards' plans, how his firm demonstrates the value of its products to health systems, and the prospects for repeal of the medical-device tax.

Another hearing, same issues on paying for SGR repeal

Another hearing, same issues on paying for SGR repeal-politicopro: Congress is just two months away from yet another “doc fix” patch expiring, and the fast-approaching date is prompting a new round of conversations on permanently replacing the Medicare payment formula. The House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee held a two-day hearing this week on the policy to replace the Sustainable Growth Rate — which already has the general support of the House and Senate committees that oversee health care — and the thornier question of how to pay for it. Despite the hearing coming well before the March 31 deadline, lawmakers appear no closer to coming to agreement on the payment question.

Tax reform dead? Don’t tell the lobbyists

Tax reform dead? Don’t tell the lobbyists-politicopro: Tax reform is dead in Washington. Try telling that to lobbyists. Lobbying on tax issues hit a high last year — narrowly outpacing even the massive force of the health care industry. Taxes account for a huge portion of all federal spending, making the tax code a natural target for special interests from corporations to cities. And tax experts, lobbyists and staff attribute the recent boom to rampant fear among those interests that tax reform will happen whether they are ready or not.

Stakeholders Expect Obama's Precision Medicine Effort To Complement Cures Initiative

Stakeholders Expect Obama's Precision Medicine Effort To Complement Cures Initiative-insidehealthpolicy: President Barack Obama's newly announced Precision Medicine Initiative would double funding for antibiotic development while continuing investment in Alzheimer's and brain research, and while the details remain scant the personalized medicine initiative is viewed by key stakeholders as complementary to the House Energy and Commerce panel's emerging 21st Century Cures Initiative.

Lew says odds of corporate tax overhaul ‘greater than 50-50’

Lew says odds of corporate tax overhaul ‘greater than 50-50’-marketwatch: During an appearance at the Brookings Institution, the Treasury secretary expressed confidence that despite major disagreements over individual taxation, the administration and congressional Republicans are capable of reaching a deal on "a broad set of business tax reforms."

New Senate bill would overturn Obamacare's individual mandate

New Senate bill would overturn Obamacare's individual mandate-reuters: Leading Republican senators on Wednesday introduced a bill to repeal one of Obamacare's most unpopular provisions - the individual mandate that requires most Americans to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty. It was the first time that legislation to eliminate the mandate, a linchpin of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, has been introduced by a Senate majority party.

Upton Calls On Obama To Support Upcoming 21st Century Cures Bill

Upton Calls On Obama To Support Upcoming 21st Century Cures Bill-insidehealthpolicy: House Energy and Commerce Committee chair Fred Upton (R-MI) called on President Barack Obama ahead of Tuesday's (Jan. 20) State Of The Union address to come out in support of the panel's bipartisan 21st Century Cures Initiative. Upton and DeGette last week indicated their discussion draft will call for greater reliance on postmarket studies for new drugs and devices designed for “unmet medical needs,” but they offered no details. It is unclear how broadly the lawmakers hope to shift to postmarket studies and whether any potential limits on such a shift would be enough to garner FDA support.

Hatch Vows To Dismantle Health Law But Predicts Bipartisan Success On Other Issues

Hatch Vows To Dismantle Health Law But Predicts Bipartisan Success On Other Issues-kaiserhealthnews: Hatch said his committee would work on several measures to repeal elements of the health law—including its medical device tax and employer mandate—even though Obama would be likely to veto the measures. 'We can send them all to the president's desk and have him try to explain to the American people why he's right and they're wrong,' Hatch said."

Obama Challenges New GOP Congress in State of the Union

Obama Challenges New GOP Congress in State of the Union-rollcall: A president energized by an improving economy challenged the new Republican Congress in his 2015 State of the Union address to focus on the middle class and find a bipartisan path forward — while vowing to veto efforts to undo his actions on immigration, climate or health care.

Hatch Drops Medical Device Repeal Bill

Hatch Drops Medical Device Repeal Bill-politicopro: Sen. Orrin Hatch and nine other lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill to repeal Obamacare’s medical device tax, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has pegged as a top Obamacare priority.

New Analysis Challenges Arguments for Repealing Tax on Medical Devices

New Analysis Challenges Arguments for Repealing Tax on Medical Devices-newyorktimes: A tax on medical devices, imposed by the Affordable Care Act, has become a prime target for Republicans, some Democrats and a small army of lobbyists for the industry. But a new report from the Congressional Research Service challenges economic arguments that are being made to justify repealing the tax.

Premarket-Postmarket Data Collection On FDA's Device Guidance Agenda

Premarket-Postmarket Data Collection On FDA's Device Guidance Agenda-insidehealthpolicy: FDA has pegged as “A-list” priorities 12 device guidance documents it hopes to finalize this year that include guidances on balancing premarket and postmarket data collection for devices subject to premarket approval; and on crafting 510(k) submissions for devices that include antimicrobial agents.

Kamala Harris to Run for Open California Senate Seat

Kamala Harris to Run for Open California Senate Seat-rollcall: Kamala Harris, the first woman to serve as attorney general of California, will run for the Senate seat being vacated in 2016 by retiring Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, according to The Associated Press.

Can Democrats Win the House in 2016?

Can Democrats Win the House in 2016?-rollcall: Democrats have a better chance of winning control of the House next year than they did at any time in 2014. That’s true even though they now need to gain 30 seats, almost twice what they needed last year.

House votes down ObamaCare’s 30-hour workweek

House votes down ObamaCare’s 30-hour workweek-thehill: On a 252-172 vote Thursday, members approved legislation that would redefine full-time employment under the health care law to include a minimum of 40 working hours per week, rather than the 30 hours cited in the ACA.

All Eyes on Newsom, Harris for Boxer Seat

All Eyes on Newsom, Harris for Boxer Seat-politico: Barbara Boxer’s retirement sets the stage for a dramatic and long-awaited transformation of California’s political landscape and a 2016 Senate race that seems destined to evolve into a big-spending free-for-all, pitting many of the state’s most ambitious lawmakers against each other. The announcement set off an immediate burst of speculation about possible candidates, a list that included such bold-faced names as former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and billionaire hedge-fund manager and environmental activist Tom Steyer. But most of the attention turned to Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Kamala Harris, two of the Democratic Party’s premier up-and-coming figures who have long been seen as candidates for higher office.

Bill to repeal medical device tax introduced

Bill to repeal medical device tax introduced-politicopro: Lawmakers took the first stab in the new Congress to repeal a tax on medical devices on Wednesday — but the bill has a ways to go before it becomes the latest casualty in the Affordable Care Act. The proposal revived by Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) would repeal the tax and refund tax payments device manufacturers made since it took effect in January 2013. The bill has more than 250 sponsors from both parties in the House and support in the Senate but no set path to a vote in either chamber.

Workweek bill is first GOP Senate test on Obamacare

Workweek bill is first GOP Senate test on Obamacare-politicopro: The House will vote again on Thursday to lengthen Obamacare’s full-time workweek definition to 40 hours, but the Senate has work to do before it can hope to get its first anti-Obamacare bill to the president’s desk.

Has the medical device tax eliminated ‘thousands’ of jobs?

Fact-Checker: Has the medical device tax eliminated ‘thousands’ of jobs?-washpost: The push to repeal the medical device tax already has bipartisan support, and it is expected to be one of the first issues taken up by Congress this year. The repeal of the 2.3 percent excise tax, imposed under the Affordable Care Act, is one of the priorities of the Republican-led Congress as lawmakers aim to chip away at parts of the health-care law.

Ceremonies, Reflection and Chaos Define the First Day of Congress

Ceremonies, Reflection and Chaos Define the First Day of Congress-rollcall: For new members of the 114th Congress, their first day was a blur — and not just because the view of the Capitol was obscured by falling snow. New members juggled ceremonies, open houses in their offices and receptions, not to mention taking their oaths of office as they navigated the labyrinth halls of the Capitol Tuesday.

Boehner and House GOP Regroup After Tumultuous Speaker Election

Boehner and House GOP Regroup After Tumultuous Speaker Election-rollcall: After the election of John A. Boehner to a third term as speaker Tuesday, House Republicans start the 114th Congress in a similar fashion to the 113th: Conservatives are unhappy with leadership and leadership’s not too pleased with some conservatives.