Trump Spurns Medicaid Proposal After Furious White House Debate

Trump Spurns Medicaid Proposal After Furious White House Debate - Hoping to head off a full expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, some senior officials in the Trump administration and Republican governors have been pushing hard for a smaller expansion to satisfy a growing political demand in their states.

‘Excruciating’: GOP desperately fights to pad Senate majority

‘Excruciating’: GOP desperately fights to pad Senate majority - If Republicans can gain just one or two Senate seats in November, it would make it dramatically easier to enact their agenda.

China blames US for trade tensions

China blames US for trade tensions - China's top diplomat laced into the United States on Monday, saying that Washington — not Beijing — is responsible for current trade tensions between the two countries and rejecting the notion that China has taken advantage of the U.S.

Votes against medical device taxes show irresponsibility has a broad constituency

Votes against medical device taxes show irresponsibility has a broad constituency - REPORTS OF bipartisanship’s demise may be a little bit exaggerated, because if there’s one thing Republicans and Democrats can still occasionally agree on, it’s cutting taxes or increasing spending, especially to the benefit of favored industries, and charging the cost to the national debt.

Bipartisan Senate proposal unveiled to stop Trump from leaving NATO

Bipartisan Senate proposal unveiled to stop Trump from leaving NATO - Two senior GOP senators joined two Democrats on Thursday to propose a bill that would allow Congress to stop President Donald Trump from pulling out of NATO, the U.S.-European alliance that Trump has repeatedly criticized.

Regeneron’s Billionaire Founder Battles The Drug Pricing System

Regeneron’s Billionaire Founder Battles The Drug Pricing System - "It's not simply about just growing your earnings per share by raising your price," Schleifer says. "So, yes, I'm glad I've been outspoken, because I think that I am trying to prevent what is still at risk of happening: If the industry does not behave properly, the government is going to step in."

Partisan discord builds over Trump Supreme Court pick

Partisan discord builds over Trump Supreme Court pick - Partisan tensions over records on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh boiled over on Tuesday, as Democrats insisted on access to all communications from his five years in the George W. Bush White House while Republicans tried to narrow the scope of the massive document release.

House Votes to Repeal Medical Device Tax

House Votes to Repeal Medical Device Tax

Trump Administration, in Reversal, Will Resume Risk Payments to Health Insurers

Trump Administration, in Reversal, Will Resume Risk Payments to Health Insurers

Trump battle over drug prices heats up

Trump battle over drug prices heats up - The Trump administration is taking credit for a series of announcements by drug companies to freeze drug prices for the remainder of 2018, arguing it is proof that the president’s tough talk is leading to results.

There's no case against medical device tax repeal

There's no case against medical device tax repeal - Despite the significant progress made last year in reforming the U.S. tax code, there are still a number of meaningful tax improvements left for Congress to address. The first is repealing the medical device tax.

Trump threatens tariffs on all $500 billion worth of Chinese imports

Trump threatens tariffs on all $500 billion worth of Chinese imports - President Donald Trump said Thursday he's prepared to impose tariffs on all $500 billion worth of Chinese imports and will work to reset a trade relationship that he says is unfair, regardless of the implications it may have on the stock market or November’s midterm elections.

Trump meets with drug giant's CEO as part of price squeeze

Trump meets with drug giant's CEO as part of price squeeze - The CEO of drug giant Pfizer met with President Donald Trump at the White House today as the administration pressures drugmakers to voluntarily rein in prices, according to multiple industry sources.

Doctors and Health Workers Reflect on Rural America's Limited Access to Care

Doctors and Health Workers Reflect on Rural America's Limited Access to Care

GOP looks to blunt Dems’ attacks on rising premiums

GOP looks to blunt Dems’ attacks on rising premiums - House Republicans are trying to blunt Democratic attacks over rising ObamaCare premiums, an issue that’s poised to play a key role in the November midterm elections.

Trump Plan to Lower Drug Prices Moves Forward on Several Fronts

Trump Plan to Lower Drug Prices Moves Forward on Several Fronts - The Trump administration moved swiftly in the past 24 hours to implement pieces of its plan to bring down drug prices, taking some major actions just a few days after a public comment period on the plan ended.

What we know about Russia’s election hacking

What we know about Russia’s election hacking - The White House’s verbal gymnastics over Russia’s alleged campaign to hack American democracy threaten to obscure a basic fact: U.S. authorities have laid out a wealth of details about how they believe Moscow carried out its plot in 2016.

Overcoming health-care challenges by moving from volume to value

Overcoming health-care challenges by moving from volume to value - While we served in different administrations, we faced similar challenges in trying to improve the nation’s health-care system. The basic goal was to improve the quality of the care delivered and moderate the costs.

GOP chairman in talks with Trump officials on restarting key ObamaCare payments

GOP chairman in talks with Trump officials on restarting key ObamaCare payments - House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) said Monday that he is in talks with the Trump administration about ways to restart key ObamaCare payments that the administration abruptly suspended this month.

Right and Left React to the Trump-Putin Meeting

Right and Left React to the Trump-Putin Meeting - The political news cycle is fast, and keeping up can be overwhelming. Trying to find differing perspectives worth your time is even harder. That’s why we have scoured the internet for political writing from the right and left that you might not have seen.

PhRMA responds to Trump blueprint with its own drug-pricing proposal: Reduce payments to PBMs

PhRMA responds to Trump blueprint with its own drug-pricing proposal: Reduce payments to PBMs - The drug manufacturing industry’s main lobbying group is backing a big change to the way prescription drugs are priced, but it’s unclear how it would impact the industry’s business model.

Hospitals Challenge Medicare Payments, With Help From Judge Kavanaugh

Hospitals Challenge Medicare Payments, With Help From Judge Kavanaugh - A federal appeals court has cleared the way for hospitals around the country to seek more money from Medicare, based on evidence that the government has been using faulty data to calculate costs for decades.

Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s pick for court, has left trail of opinions on health care and pharma issues

Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s pick for court, has left trail of opinions on health care and pharma issues - Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, has left a trail of rulings and opinions concerning the Food and Drug Administration, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device manufacturers in his dozen years on the District of Columbia circuit court.

Obamacare, once a GOP target, is now a midterm rallying cry for Democrats

Obamacare, once a GOP target, is now a midterm rallying cry for Democrats

House panel advances bill that would temporarily halt ObamaCare's employer mandate

House panel advances bill that would temporarily halt ObamaCare's employer mandate - The House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday approved legislation that would chip away at ObamaCare, including a measure that would temporarily repeal the law's employer mandate. 

Lawmakers battle over busting budget to pay for veterans health care

Lawmakers battle over busting budget to pay for veterans health care - Spooking House conservatives and risking a presidential veto, Senate spending leaders are proposing to blow past budget limits to fund a popular private health care program for military veterans.

Americans are closely divided over value of medical treatments, but most agree costs are a big problem

Americans are closely divided over value of medical treatments, but most agree costs are a big problem - Americans have mixed assessments about the overall value of medical treatments today, even while a strong majority says science has generally improved the quality of U.S. health care, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. At the same time, a substantial majority considers quality health care unaffordable.

CMS proposes change in the drug payment amount under Medicare Part B

CMS proposes change in the drug payment amount under Medicare Part B - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Thursday proposed a change in the payment amount for new drugs under its Part B program, amid the Trump administration’s attempts to tackle escalating prices of drugs.

Senate Delivers Mild Rebuke to Trump on Trade

Senate Delivers Mild Rebuke to Trump on Trade - Sen. Bob Corker has finally got his colleagues on the record in support of Congress playing a role in national security-related trade decisions like those made recently under President Donald Trump.

Trump’s trade war steers Germany and China toward a united front

Trump’s trade war steers Germany and China toward a united front - U.S. President Donald Trump’s rapidly escalating trade war is pushing Berlin and Beijing into an uneasy economic alliance.

Top Dem demands more details on pricing deal between Pfizer and Trump

Top Dem demands more details on pricing deal between Pfizer and Trump - The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee is demanding details on an agreement between President Trump and drug company Pfizer to temporarily hold off on drug price increases. 

Markets fall as latest Trump tariff moves worry allies

Markets fall as latest Trump tariff moves worry allies - President Donald Trump's latest steps to slap tariffs on an additional $200 billion in Chinese goods led markets to tumble Wednesday morning and raised alarm among U.S. lawmakers and trading partners that an extended conflict could have wide-ranging economic consequences.

Trump Officials Slash Grants That Help Consumers Get Obamacare

Trump Officials Slash Grants That Help Consumers Get Obamacare - The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it was slashing grants to nonprofit organizations that help people obtain health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, the latest step in an escalating attack on the law that threatens to destabilize its insurance markets.

Drugmakers Cancel Price Hikes After California Law Takes Effect

Drugmakers Cancel Price Hikes After California Law Takes Effect - A handful of the world’s biggest drugmakers are canceling or reducing planned price increases in the U.S., following a new California drug pricing transparency law and continued political pressure over pharmaceutical costs.

Amazon Has Global Aspirations for Medical-Supplies Marketplace

Amazon Has Global Aspirations for Medical-Supplies Marketplace - Amazon.com Inc. has global aspirations for its medical-supplies marketplace, according to a job listing posted on its website, highlighting the e-commerce giant’s sweeping ambitions to disrupt health care by selling products to hospitals, doctors and dentists and offering prescription drugs.

Dems strategy on Trump pick: Unify around health care

Dems strategy on Trump pick: Unify around health care - The liberal base is fired up about abortion rights, but Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) will seek to emphasize access to affordable health care as much as Roe v. Wade in the battle over the Supreme Court.

Knowing Brett Kavanaugh

Knowing Brett Kavanaugh - THE QUOTE YOU’LL HEAR A LOT ABOUT … BRETT KAVANAUGH on ROE V. WADE, from his 2006 confirmation hearing: SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-N.Y.), with then aide Preet Bharara sitting behind him: “Do you consider Roe v. Wade to be an abomination and do you consider yourself to be a judicial nominee … in the mold of Scalia and Thomas?” KAVANAUGH: “Senator, on the question of Roe v. Wade, if confirmed to the D.C. Circuit, I would follow Roe v. Wade faithfully and fully. That would be binding precedent of the court. It’s been decided by the Supreme Court. … I’m saying if I were confirmed to the D.C. Circuit, senator, I would follow it. It’s been reaffirmed many times.”

Trump slams Pfizer, other drug companies for raising prices, vows government response

Trump slams Pfizer, other drug companies for raising prices, vows government response - President Trump on Monday said Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies “should be ashamed” of themselves for raising drug prices and vowed a government response, just two months after saying he had put forward a plan to “derail the gravy train.”

Insurers warn of rising premiums after Trump axes Obamacare payments again

Insurers warn of rising premiums after Trump axes Obamacare payments again - Health insurers warned that a move by the Trump administration on Saturday to temporarily suspend a program that was set to pay out $10.4 billion to insurers for covering high-risk individuals last year could drive up premium costs and create marketplace uncertainty.

Drugmakers defy Trump's call to drop prices

Drugmakers defy Trump's call to drop prices - President Donald Trump in May said that drugmakers would soon announce “massive” price cuts, and his administration rolled out a plan to bring down the cost of medicines. But the companies don’t appear to have gotten that message.

As Atul Gawande steps into a risky health CEO role, here are five challenges he faces

As Atul Gawande steps into a risky health CEO role, here are five challenges he faces - Dr. Atul Gawande will step out of health care’s limelight on Monday to put himself under its microscope.

Trump says he's close to making final Supreme Court decision

Trump says he's close to making final Supreme Court decision - President Trump on Sunday said he's "getting very close to making a final decision" about his choice to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Economy adds 213K jobs in June, unemployment ticks up to 4 percent

Economy adds 213K jobs in June, unemployment ticks up to 4 percent - The U.S. economy added a solid 213,000 jobs in June, a stronger number than expected and a sign of the labor market's steady strength even as concerns mount about President Trump's trade policy.

China hits retaliation button, launching tariffs as trade war with U.S. starts

China hits retaliation button, launching tariffs as trade war with U.S. starts - After three rounds of failed talks, a trade war between the world’s two largest economies is on.

Key Health Care Questions to Watch in the Months Ahead

Key Health Care Questions to Watch in the Months Ahead

Feinstein Decides Not to Seek California Democratic Party Endorsement

Feinstein Decides Not to Seek California Democratic Party Endorsement - California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has decided not to seek her state party’s endorsement, calling for party unity ahead of the November election. 

China tries to ease retaliation fears with pledges to help foreign businesses weather trade war

China tries to ease retaliation fears with pledges to help foreign businesses weather trade war - The Chinese government has said it will protect the “legitimate interests” of foreign businesses in China and lessen the fallout from a China-U.S. trade war, in an apparent attempt to ease fears that Beijing could single out U.S. businesses for retaliation.

‘I’d like to kill ‘em’: GOP takes on Trump tariffs

‘I’d like to kill ‘em’: GOP takes on Trump tariffs - Republican senators are at their breaking point with Donald Trump’s protectionist trade blitz.

Despite U.S. Court’s Ruling, Medicaid Work Requirements Advance In Other States

Despite U.S. Court’s Ruling, Medicaid Work Requirements Advance In Other States - The fallout from Friday’s federal court ruling that struck down the Medicaid work requirement in Kentucky was swift.

More Americans pay for ACA health plans, despite Trump administration moves to undercut law

More Americans pay for ACA health plans, despite Trump administration moves to undercut law - The number of Americans who bought and began to pay for Affordable Care Act health plans grew slightly this year, despite repeated efforts by the Trump administration to undermine the insurance marketplaces created under the law, new federal figures show.

July vote to repeal medical device tax may bolster vulnerable GOP lawmaker

July vote to repeal medical device tax may bolster vulnerable GOP lawmaker - The House is planning to vote this month on legislation that would repeal ObamaCare's medical device tax, a move that would satisfy industry leaders and boost the reelection prospects for the bill’s sponsor.

States act on their own to fill holes Washington is knocking in Affordable Care Act

States act on their own to fill holes Washington is knocking in Affordable Care Act - The first Sunday after his inauguration, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order directing state agencies to report everything they could do to ramp up the visibility of the Affordable Care Act and persuade more people to buy health coverage under the law.

Trump administration plays regulatory hardball in drug-price talks

Trump administration plays regulatory hardball in drug-price talks - The Trump administration is threatening drug manufacturers with enhanced regulations as part of an aggressive behind-the-scenes campaign to win lower prices for prescription treatments, according to people familiar with the talks.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce launching campaign opposing Trump’s tariffs

U.S. Chamber of Commerce launching campaign opposing Trump’s tariffs - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, usually a staunch ally with Republicans, on Monday will launch a campaign against the president’s recent tariff policy.