House Panel’s Talk of Phased-In Tax Cut Counters Trump’s Wishes

House Panel’s Talk of Phased-In Tax Cut Counters Trump’s Wishes-bloomberg: House tax writers are discussing a gradual phase-in for President Donald Trump and Republican leaders’ proposed corporate tax-rate cut -- on a schedule that would put the rate at 20 percent in 2022, according to a member of the chamber’s tax-writing committee and a person familiar with the discussions.

GOP Senator Floats Using Tax Bill to Repeal Obamacare’s Individual Mandate

GOP Senator Floats Using Tax Bill to Repeal Obamacare’s Individual Mandate-bloomberg: Senator Tom Cotton has what he calls a "modest proposal" for the tax legislation that House Republicans are poised to release on Wednesday: eliminate the Obamacare individual mandate. The idea has been resisted by GOP leaders, who worry that mixing health care and taxes could imperil prospects for the upcoming bill.

Trump tells Senate to fix taxes — not Obamacare

Trump tells Senate to fix taxes — not Obamacare-politico: President Donald Trump on Tuesday steered Senate Republicans toward tax reform and away from health care, pushing off any deal to fund controversial Obamacare subsidies to the end of the year at best.

Ryan, Pelosi Sound Off on GOP Tax Plan After Budget Vote

Ryan, Pelosi Sound Off on GOP Tax Plan After Budget Vote-rollcall: At his weekly press conference, Speaker Paul D. Ryan celebrated after a close floor vote on a budget resolution that would give Republicans a path to passing a tax overhaul plan in the Senate by a simple majority vote.

GOP Tax Overhaul May Bring Back Extenders

GOP Tax Overhaul May Bring Back Extenders-rollcall: Certainty is a word Republicans used repeatedly in 2015 to make the case for permanently renewing dozens of temporary tax incentives known as extenders.

House Adopts Budget Resolution Paving Way for Tax Package

House Adopts Budget Resolution Paving Way for Tax Package-rollcall: The House on Thursday adopted a fiscal 2018 budget resolution by a narrow margin, with supporters acknowledging it was little more than a vehicle for a still-developing tax measure.

CMS wants docs to spend more time on patients, less on paperwork

CMS wants docs to spend more time on patients, less on paperwork-modernhealthcare: The CMS launched an initiative Thursday to help it determine what provider regulations it should junk or revamp, citing growing concerns that its regulations are reducing the time providers spend with patients.As part of the Patient over Paperwork initiative, CMS officials will travel the country to gather information on the impact their regulations have on physicians.

Budget office: Bipartisan ACA bill would save taxpayers $3.8B

Budget office: Bipartisan ACA bill would save taxpayers $3.8B-axios: The Congressional Budget Office delivered some good news to Sens. Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray: Their bill to stabilize the Affordable Care Act would save the government nearly $4 billion over the next decade.

Senate Republicans Keep Eyes on Tax Prize

Senate Republicans Keep Eyes on Tax Prize-rollcall: Senate Republicans are keeping the wheels in motion in their effort to overhaul the U.S. tax code, despite a litany of distractions that threaten to derail it.

On Debt Reduction, GOP Says Wait Till Next Year

On Debt Reduction, GOP Says Wait Till Next Year-rollcall: Despite years of calling for reducing the federal debt, House Republicans are voting Thursday on a budget that doesn’t balance and that calls for adding $1.5 trillion to the deficit to finance a tax overhaul. And most of them are fine with that.

White House eyes value-based payment models for drugs and devices

White House eyes value-based payment models for drugs and devices-modernhealthcare: The Trump administration's ideal policymaking agenda would rely heavily on voluntary value-based purchasing for drugs and devices, work requirements to enroll in Medicaid and an end to the ban on using federal dollars to pay for inpatient mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment.

After the storms, restoring Puerto Rico’s already weak electrical grid is FDA’s top priority

After the storms, restoring Puerto Rico’s already weak electrical grid is FDA’s top priority-stat: The Food and Drug Administration’s biggest concern in Puerto Rico is access to electricity, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said at a congressional hearing Tuesday morning.

Trump tells Senate to fix taxes — not Obamacare

Trump tells Senate to fix taxes — not Obamacare-politico: President Donald Trump on Tuesday steered Senate Republicans toward tax reform and away from health care, pushing off any deal to fund controversial Obamacare subsidies to the end of the year at best.

In GOP Retirements, Some See an Omen

In GOP Retirements, Some See an Omen-rollcall: The departure of key Ways and Means Republicans could be a sign of diminished optimism for major legislative achievements, but some GOP observers say it may actually signal confidence about getting a landmark tax bill signed into law.

Republicans Look to Make Up Loss of House Women

Republicans Look to Make Up Loss of House Women-rollcall: Nearly a fourth of the Republican women in the House aren’t coming back next term. And another handful could lose competitive re-elections next fall.

Judge skeptical of need to reinstate Trump health care cuts

Judge skeptical of need to reinstate Trump health care cuts-ap: An attorney for California was grilled by a federal judge skeptical of a push by 18 states to immediately reinstate Affordable Health Care Act subsidies cut off by the Trump administration.

Obamacare fix could end up in year-end package

Obamacare fix could end up in year-end package-A bipartisan deal to shore up Obamacare collapsed Wednesday after President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan called the Senate proposal a bailout for insurance companies.

Why doctor and hospital groups are fighting a measure to rein in drug costs

Why doctor and hospital groups are fighting a measure to rein in drug costs-stat: In recent years, doctors nationwide have lamented ever-rising drug prices that are limiting patient access to crucial medicines and undermining hospital finances.

Senate poised for crucial vote related to tax reform measure

Senate poised for crucial vote related to tax reform measure-cnbc: President Donald Trump's drive to overhaul the U.S. tax code headed for a pivotal moment on Thursday, with Senate Republicans poised to approve a budget measure that would help them pass tax legislation without Democratic support.

Signaling Frustration, Senior House Republican Plans to Quit Early

Signaling Frustration, Senior House Republican Plans to Quit Early-nytimes: In a sign of mounting frustration among Republicans in Washington, Representative Pat Tiberi of Ohio, a senior lawmaker with close ties to his party’s leaders, is expected to resign and take up an executive post with a business group in his home state, according to three Republicans briefed on his plans.

Concerns mount over Thad Cochran's health

Concerns mount over Thad Cochran's health-politico: Republicans are worried about Thad Cochran.

Ryan Threatens to Keep Members in for Christmas to Finish Tax Overhaul

Ryan Threatens to Keep Members in for Christmas to Finish Tax Overhaul-rollcall: Nothing seems to push lawmakers to get their jobs done and pass legislation more than the threat of having to be in Washington over the holidays.

Trump to Scrap Critical Health Care Subsidies, Hitting Obamacare Again

Trump to Scrap Critical Health Care Subsidies, Hitting Obamacare Again-nytimes: President Trump will scrap subsidies to health insurance companies that help pay out-of-pocket costs of low-income people, the White House said late Thursday. His plans were disclosed hours after the president ordered potentially sweeping changes in the nation’s insurance system, including sales of cheaper policies with fewer benefits and fewer protections for consumers.

Trump Wants Democratic Support for Tax Bill but Slams Party

Trump Wants Democratic Support for Tax Bill but Slams Party-rollcall: President Donald Trump on Wednesday again made clear he wants some Democratic support for an emerging White House-GOP tax overhaul bill. But he then accused Democrats of supporting massive tax hikes.

Battle over drug prices shifts back to the states

Battle over drug prices shifts back to the states-thehill: President Trump has derided pharmaceutical companies as “getting away with murder,” but there’s been little action in Washington to rein in the costs of prescription drugs.

Trump Names Hargan as Acting Health and Human Services Secretary

Trump Names Hargan as Acting Health and Human Services Secretary-bloomberg: President Donald Trump has formally designated Eric Hargan as acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, taking over for a deputy who’s held the job since Tom Price resigned from the post late last month over his use of taxpayer dollars to travel in private jets.

Food and drug chief Gottlieb skirts health secretary talk, says most effective at FDA

Food and drug chief Gottlieb skirts health secretary talk, says most effective at FDA-reuters: U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, considered a potential successor to recently departed Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, said on Tuesday he believed he could best serve the Trump administration in his current role.

Dianne Feinstein to Run for Re-Election

Dianne Feinstein to Run for Re-Election-rollcall: Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced Monday that she will run for re-election to the Senate. The California Democrat is the most senior female senator.

[California] Gov. Brown signs drug pricing transparency bill

[California] Gov. Brown signs drug pricing transparency bill-mercurynews: Saying there is “real evil when so many people are suffering so much from rising drug profits,” Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed into law what is believed to be the nation’s most comprehensive legislation aimed at shining a light on prescription drug pricing.

Where "repeal and replace" rhetoric goes from here

Where "repeal and replace" rhetoric goes from here-axios: Congressional Republicans have failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but some of them aren't ready to stop campaigning on that promise. "I don't see any problem with talking about repeal and replace. We still want to do it. It's not over," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch said.

Trump could make waves with health care order

Trump could make waves with health care order-thehill: President Trump's planned executive order on ObamaCare is worrying supporters of the law and insurers, who fear it could undermine the stability of ObamaCare.

Trump phones a friend on health care

Trump phones a friend on health care-axios: A Trump tweet this morning confirms last night's Axios scoop: "I called Chuck Schumer yesterday to see if the Dems want to do a great HealthCare Bill. ObamaCare is badly broken, big premiums. Who knows!"

Republicans Struggle to Define Whom Their Tax Overhaul Will Help

Republicans Struggle to Define Whom Their Tax Overhaul Will Help-rollcall: Senate Republicans are still weighing who specifically will benefit from their pending overhaul of the U.S. tax code.

Eyes Fixed On California As Governor Ponders Inking Drug Price Transparency Bill

Eyes Fixed On California As Governor Ponders Inking Drug Price Transparency Bill-kaiserhealthnews: Insurers, hospitals and health advocates are waiting for Gov. Jerry Brown to deal the drug lobby a rare defeat, by signing legislation that would force pharmaceutical companies to justify big price hikes on drugs in California.

Why the AMA doesn’t support federal drug price negotiation

Why the AMA doesn’t support federal drug price negotiation-axios: The American Medical Association used to support the idea of the federal government negotiating lower prices for prescription drugs. But economic self-interests have forced the physician lobbying group to flip-flop on that policy, according to comments made by a top AMA leader to a roomful of doctors Wednesday.

What It Costs: 2017 Tax Overhaul Edition

What It Costs: 2017 Tax Overhaul Edition-rollcall: How to pay for policy proposals lawmakers want to enact is an age-old question in Congress that has killed or stalled countless ideas. That question is now a dark cloud hanging over Republicans as they seek to overhaul the tax code.

Scott Gottlieb rocketed to the top of FDA. He may keep rising

Scott Gottlieb rocketed to the top of FDA. He may keep rising-stat: When President Trump nominated Scott Gottlieb as the head of the Food and Drug Administration, he was quickly pegged by many as a conservative businessman who was cozy with the pharmaceutical industry.

Republicans pessimistic on Obamacare fix

Republicans pessimistic on Obamacare fix-washingtonexaminer: Several Republican senators left a closed-door luncheon Tuesday pessimistic about the chances of reaching a bipartisan deal to stabilize Obamacare's markets.

Grassley Pressing to Include Drug Pricing Measures in CHIP Reauthorization

Grassley Pressing to Include Drug Pricing Measures in CHIP Reauthorization-morningconsult: Sen. Chuck Grassley, a senior member and former chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, is pressing GOP leaders to tackle high drug prices in a critical bill to renew funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

CBO Still Expected To Analyze Graham-Cassidy Health Care Measure

CBO Still Expected To Analyze Graham-Cassidy Health Care Measure-rollcall: The Congressional Budget Office will still release a full analysis of a proposal from four Republican senators that would overhaul the health care system, according to one of the bill’s main sponsors.

Senate Republican Class of 2014 Looking to Shake Things Up

Senate Republican Class of 2014 Looking to Shake Things Up-rollcall: Sen. David Perdue keeps a calendar in his office to remind him how many working days the Senate has left this year.

Speculation heats up over Price's replacement

Speculation heats up over Price's replacement-axios: Within hours of Trump firing Health and Human Services Secretary, Tom Price, the Washington speculation machine whirred into action.

Trump’s Next Move on Health Care? Choice for Secretary May Offer Clue

Trump’s Next Move on Health Care? Choice for Secretary May Offer Clue-nytimes: President Trump’s selection of a secretary of health and human services could be a turning point in a health care debate that has polarized Washington, as he faces a choice of working with Democrats to fix the current system or continuing his so-far failed efforts to dismantle his predecessor’s program.

Dems look to turn ObamaCare tables on GOP in '18

Dems look to turn ObamaCare tables on GOP in '18-thehill: Republicans have hammered Democrats over ObamaCare for the better half of a decade, riding promises to repeal the law into majorities in both the House and Senate.

Heart Device Failure: Medicare Spent $1.5B Over 10 Years To Replace Defective Implants

Heart Device Failure: Medicare Spent $1.5B Over 10 Years To Replace Defective Implants-kaiserhealthnews: Medicare paid at least $1.5 billion over a decade to replace seven types of defective heart devices, a government watchdog says. The devices apparently failed for thousands of senior patients.