What to know about ‘BernieCare,’ Sanders’ health overhaul

What to know about ‘BernieCare,’ Sanders’ health overhaul-seattletimes: The most ambitious “repeal and replace” health care plan from a presidential candidate comes from Sen. Bernie Sanders, not from a Republican.  The Vermont independent who’s seeking the Democratic nomination has been chastised by front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton for espousing an all-inclusive, government-run system.

Instability in Marketplaces Draws Concern on Both Sides of Health Law

Instability in Marketplaces Draws Concern on Both Sides of Health Law-nytimes: The latest turmoil in health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act has emboldened advocates on both sides of the political spectrum, providing ammunition to conservatives who want to shrink the federal role and liberals who want to expand it.

FDA nominee dismisses ties to pharmaceutical sector

FDA nominee dismisses ties to pharmaceutical sector-thehill: President Obama’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday defended himself against a chorus of Democratic criticism about his close ties to the pharmaceutical industry.  Dr. Robert Califf, a cardiologist who has worked closely with drug companies on product studies, stressed that he has conducted his work with a critical eye with a particular focus on public safety.

FDA nominee Califf must prove his independence from industry

FDA nominee Califf must prove his independence from industry-stat: As a US Senate committee meets on Tuesday to consider Dr. Robert Califf for the top job at the Food and Drug Administration, an open question remains whether he is biased toward industry.

Hillary Clinton takes heat on drug costs in debate

Hillary Clinton takes heat on drug costs in debate-stat:Hillary Clinton’s response to a question about her drug costs plan in Saturday’s presidential debate is likely to invite more scrutiny of a key part of that plan: her cap on out-of-pocket expenses.

Utah Senator, Crucial Ally for the Pacific Rim Trade Deal, Is Now Its Main Hurdle

Utah Senator, Crucial Ally for the Pacific Rim Trade Deal, Is Now Its Main Hurdle-nytimes: Senator Orrin G. Hatch, with his long record of promoting trade, was a natural and crucial Republican ally for President Obama earlier this year, helping him conclude negotiations among 12 Pacific Rim nations on the largest regional trade accord in history.

Does Obamacare Repeal Have a Senate Path Without the Mandates?

Does Obamacare Repeal Have a Senate Path Without the Mandates?-thehill: The search is on for 51 Senate votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, raising questions about whether the House’s attempt to use the budget reconciliation process to do so will succeed.

Republicans divided over how far to go with ObamaCare repeal

Republicans divided over how far to go with ObamaCare repeal-thehill: Senate Republicans are divided over how far to go with an ObamaCare repeal bill that they plan to send to the president’s desk by year’s end.  Senate GOP leaders have told their members they will repeal as much of the 2010 healthcare reform law as possible, but some Republicans are balking at a proposal to repeal the expansion of Medicaid.

GOP Obamacare repeal hits procedural speed bump

GOP Obamacare repeal hits procedural speed bump-politico: Senate Republicans will be able to go ahead with legislation dismantling Obamacare under fast-track rules, according to a procedural ruling reached Tuesday — as long as the GOP makes some changes first.

FDA Nomination Moves Ahead, CMS Leader Stalled

FDA Nomination Moves Ahead, CMS Leader Stalled-morningconsult: The Republican-controlled Senate is moving swiftly to confirm Robert Califf, President Barack Obama’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration. Califf’s speedy confirmation process contrasts with the slow pace at which the Senate is working to consider Obama’s nominee to lead the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Andy Slavitt.

Fiorina takes aim at drug companies, health insurers

Fiorina takes aim at drug companies, health insurers-thehill: Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina lashed out against drug companies and health insurers in her attack on ObamaCare on Tuesday, becoming the latest Republican candidate to blame industry for rising healthcare prices.

On issue of drug prices, GOP putting its toes on Democrats' turf

On issue of drug prices, GOP putting its toes on Democrats' turf-stat: Republican presidential hopefuls are slowly starting to break up the Democratic monopoly on ideas to rein in prescription drug prices.  Hillary Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders have made lowering drug costs a central part of their campaign platforms, but the GOP contenders have begun getting in on the game.

What Paul Ryan’s First Week Says About His Future

What Paul Ryan’s First Week Says About His Future-rollcall: Ex-Speaker John A. Boehner used to say he was “a regular guy with a big job.” Boehner’s successor, Paul D. Ryan, seems even more intent on fitting that description.  So there he was, using the members’ bathroom outside the House chamber during a series of votes, and a public restroom in the basement of the Capitol during a meeting of the Steering Committee. Boehner used private restrooms and didn’t stray into public areas of the Capitol complex unless he had to.

More money pledged for NIH but questions remain

More money pledged for NIH but questions remain-thehill: Hopes are rising for an increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health after a budget deal, even as negotiators haggle over a longer-term increase in a separate bill.  The push for increased funding for medical research at NIH is a rare area of bipartisan consensus, but the budget caps put in place in 2011 had posed an obstacle. The agreement sealed late last month, which lifted the cap for domestic spending by $40 billion over the next two years, is providing a new ray of hope.

Regulators Urge Broader Health Networks

Regulators Urge Broader Health Networks-nytimes: The nation’s insurance commissioners are recommending sweeping new standards to address complaints from consumers about limited access to doctors and hospitals in health plans sold under the Affordable Care Act.

Reid, Pelosi pushing for repeal of ObamaCare's 'Cadillac tax'

Reid, Pelosi pushing for repeal of ObamaCare's 'Cadillac tax'-thehill: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are working behind the scenes to repeal one of the most controversial taxes in ObamaCare, multiple sources tell The Hill.

TPP Will Be a Factor in Several 2016 Races

TPP Will Be a Factor in Several 2016 Races-rollcall: The White House on Thursday released the much anticipated text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement — a trade deal that will likely play out in a number of top House and Senate contests in 2016, whether or not it’s passed by Congress.

Administration wades further into drug price debate

Administration wades further into drug price debate-thehill: The Obama administration is stepping up its involvement in the debate over drug prices, sending letters to pharmaceutical companies and state Medicaid programs on Thursday asking questions about cost and access.

Under siege, drug makers ready their counterpunch

Under siege, drug makers ready their counterpunch-stat: PhRMA, one of the most powerful industry groups in Washington, had watched for several days as Turing Pharmaceuticals and CEO Martin Shkreli were being savaged on social media and on the campaign trail for dramatically raising the price of an anti-parasitic drug. Then, on Sept. 22, PhRMA tweeted that Turing “does not represent the values of @PhRMA member companies.”

With the Senate Up for Grabs, All Eyes Are on the Presidential Race

With the Senate Up for Grabs, All Eyes Are on the Presidential Race-rollcall: Among those watching the White House race most closely a year from Election Day are those who stand to gain the most from the top-of-the-ticket contest.  House and Senate candidates from both parties know their fates are closely tied to the fortunes of their parties’ respective presidential nominees and the tenor of the national conversation next November.

Hill Staff Predict Rubio Will Be GOP Nominee

Hill Staff Predict Rubio Will Be GOP Nominee-rollcall: While nationwide polls have consistently shown Donald Trump and Ben Carson leading the pack of Republicans seeking the party’s nomination for the White House in 2016, a CQ Roll Call survey shows congressional staff members say the eventual nominee will be a current lawmaker — Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

Senate panel summons price-hiking CEO of Turing Pharma

Senate panel summons price-hiking CEO of Turing Pharma-ap: A Senate committee has launched an investigation into exorbitant drug price hikes by Turing Pharmaceuticals and three other companies, responding to public anxiety over rising prices for critical medicines.

What the 2016 Calendar Says About Congress

What the 2016 Calendar Says About Congress-rollcall: Decades of waiting on the arrival of the annual congressional calendar and then poring over the details affords Hill long-timers a nuanced appreciation of the myriad political calculations and logistical limitations that go in to setting the Capitol’s timetable for an entire year.

Survey Finds House GOP Staff Deeply Skeptical of Own Leadership

Survey Finds House GOP Staff Deeply Skeptical of Own Leadership-rollcall: The Republicans’ House majority, 246 strong, is the biggest the GOP has enjoyed since 1929. But House Republican aides stand apart from their counterparts in the Democratic Party and in the Senate in their skepticism about party leaders, a new CQ Roll Call survey of Hill staff members shows.

Down in the polls, Jeb Bush launches a comeback attempt

Down in the polls, Jeb Bush launches a comeback attempt-washingtonpost: Jeb Bush took the podium here Monday to “Takin’ Care of Business” with a clear goal: to reset his floundering presidential campaign at its most pivotal moment.

Obama Administration Plans Forum on High Drug Prices

Obama Administration Plans Forum on High Drug Prices-nytimes: Trying to turn up the political heat on the pharmaceutical industry, the Obama administration announced on Tuesday that it would hold a forum this month on the high prices of some prescription drugs.

Republicans ‘don’t have a vision,’ Ryan says in first interviews as speaker

Republicans ‘don’t have a vision,’ Ryan says in first interviews as speaker-washingtonpost: Paul D. Ryan, in his first series of interviews since his election Thursday as House speaker, blamed a policy vacuum for causing months of Republican infighting on Capitol Hill.  “We fight over tactics because we don’t have a vision,” Ryan (R-Wis.) said on “Fox News Sunday” in the first of five interviews that were broadcast on morning news programs. “We’ve been too timid on policy; we’ve been too timid on vision — we have none.”

Trump kicks off week with attacks on Rubio

Trump kicks off week with attacks on Rubio-politico: Marco Rubio won last Wednesday's debate only "in the minds of desperate people," Donald Trump tweeted Monday.  "I won every on-line poll, even crazy @CNBC. Marco good looking?" he continued, tweeting at the account for MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Battle over 'Cadillac tax' heats up

Battle over 'Cadillac tax' heats up-thehill: Longtime opponents of the ObamaCare “Cadillac tax” met with lawmakers this week with a new message: We’re willing to compromise.  In a fly-in visit with key members and committee staff, employer benefits lobbyists went in seeking a more politically viable solution than full repeal.