Looking for Trends on Election Night? Watch These 4 Key Indicators

Looking for Trends on Election Night? Watch These 4 Key Indicators-rollcall: OPINION — With the fog of political coverage you’re likely to see over the next week, I wanted to provide Roll Call readers with a simple how-to guide to identify important indicators on election night and what I will be focusing on as an election analyst when the first numbers begin to pour in.

As House Republicans Brace for Losses, Freedom Caucus Prepares for Growth

As House Republicans Brace for Losses, Freedom Caucus Prepares for Growth-rollcall: At a time when most House Republican factions are preparing to see their ranks shrink regardless of whether their party loses its majority next week, one caucus is expecting its membership to grow.

Alternative pay models shouldn't set off kickback fears, hospitals say

Alternative pay models shouldn't set off kickback fears, hospitals say-modernhealthchare: Hospital have urged HHS' Office of Inspector General to recognize that payments between providers in the same alternative pay models do not violate federal anti-kickback laws, warning they may not participate in the programs otherwise.

Hospitals & Health Systems Tech Payer Finance Practices Regulatory Tech

Athenahealth floats kickback carve-out that would allow physicians to pay for clinical data-fiercehealthcare: Athenahealth is asking federal regulators to create a fraud exemption that would allow doctors to pay “fair market value” for patient data, creating a business case for interoperability.

Some House Members Face Toss-Up Races — And New Voters, Too

Some House Members Face Toss-Up Races — And New Voters, Too-rollcall: A court ruling last November forced Pennsylvania to redraw its congressional districts in advance of the 2018 elections. So members like Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick are left scrambling to win over thousands of new voters (in Fitzpatrick’s case, nearly 50,000 of them) in order to keep their seats.

2018 Is The Year Democrats Got Comfortable Talking Health Care Again

2018 Is The Year Democrats Got Comfortable Talking Health Care Again-npr: Since the start of October, New York Democrat Antonio Delgado has posted 14 ads on YouTube. Some show him out greeting voters. Others are attack ads on his opponent, Republican Rep. John Faso. But the overwhelming majority — all but one of the ads — mention health care.

Trump to propose sweeping changes to Medicare drug prices

Trump to propose sweeping changes to Medicare drug prices-politico: President Donald Trump on Thursday will unveil a plan to overhaul how Medicare pays for certain drugs, attacking “foreign freeloaders” that he says have driven up costs in the U.S. The bold move addresses a Trump campaign pledge to lower drug prices, just days before the tightly contested midterm elections in which health care is playing a pivotal role.

Senate slipping away as Dems fight to preserve blue wave

Senate slipping away as Dems fight to preserve blue wave-ap: In the closing stretch of the 2018 campaign, the question is no longer the size of the Democratic wave. It’s whether there will be a wave at all.

Paying docs more to boost screenings isn't a kickback: HHS

Paying docs more to boost screenings isn't a kickback: HHS-modernhealthcare: Paying doctors bonuses to increase the number of preventive screenings they provide to Medicaid patients doesn't violate federal anti-kickback laws, according to a federal watchdog. An unnamed insurer approached HHS' Office of Inspector General with a plan to increase the number of early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment services physicians provide.

Decrying political pressure at FDA, former commissioners push a breakaway plan

Decrying political pressure at FDA, former commissioners push a breakaway plan-stat: A bipartisan group of seven former FDA Commissioners are uniting to advocate for breaking the Food and Drug Administration out of the Department of Health and Human Services and making it an independent agency.

McConnell says Senate Republicans might revisit Obamacare repeal

McConnell says Senate Republicans might revisit Obamacare repeal-reuters: Republicans could try again to repeal Obamacare if they win enough seats in U.S. elections next month, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday, calling a failed 2017 push to repeal the healthcare law a “disappointment.”

Health Care Tops Guns, Economy As Voters’ Top Issue

Health Care Tops Guns, Economy As Voters’ Top Issue-kaiserhealthnews: Health care has emerged as the top issue for voters headed into the midterm elections, but fewer than half of them say they are hearing a lot from candidates on the issue, according to a new poll released Thursday.

Mitt makes his move

Mitt makes his move-politico: A sleepy Utah Senate race was always a small playing field for a former presidential nominee. Now, Mitt Romney is going national again.

Trump wants drug commercials to include prices. These five companies have the most at stake

Trump wants drug commercials to include prices. These five companies have the most at stake-stat: President Trump wants to force drug companies to disclose their prices in TV ads — and that’s going to hit five companies much harder than any others: Pfizer, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Amgen, and Allergan.

Vulnerable Republicans bury Obamacare repeal talk

Vulnerable Republicans bury Obamacare repeal talk-washingtonexaminer: Shortly after the House narrowly passed a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare in the spring of 2017, a majority of the House Republican Conference headed to the White House for a major celebration with President Trump.

Midterm Election Could Reshape Health Policy

Midterm Election Could Reshape Health Policy-npr: Obamacare — as the Affordable Care Act is commonly known — won't be on the ballot next month. But the fate of the eight-year old health care law could be decided by which party wins control of Congress in November.

Trump issues rule to require drug prices in TV ads, rejecting industry plan

Trump issues rule to require drug prices in TV ads, rejecting industry plan-politico: The Trump administration on Monday moved to require drugmakers to disclose prices in consumer ads, just hours after branding a pharmaceutical industry transparency plan as inadequate.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Health Care Ahead of the 2018 Midterms

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Health Care Ahead of the 2018 Midterms-rollcall: Senior political reporter Bridget Bowman talks with CQ News health policy writer Mary Ellen McIntire to understand the core issues in the health care debate between Republican and Democratic opponents in the 2018 campaign. When opposing ads say different things, where's the truth?

Trump set to force drugmakers to post prices in ads

Trump set to force drugmakers to post prices in ads -politico: The Trump administration will require drug companies to post their list prices in consumer ads under a proposal to be announced next week — a prominent part of its drug price agenda, according to four individuals with knowledge of the plan.

GOP loads up lame-duck agenda as House control teeters

GOP loads up lame-duck agenda as House control teeters-thehill: Republican lawmakers are packing their agenda for the lame-duck session after the Nov. 6 elections, recognizing it could be their last shot for at least two years to pass legislation under unified GOP control of Congress.

A growing number of states consider legislation to treat pharma as a utility

A growing number of states consider legislation to treat pharma as a utility-stat: A
s prescription drug costs continue to frazzle Americans, lawmakers in several states are pushing to create commissions that would set prices that health plans, pharmacies, and state programs would pay for medicines, much like the rate-setting bodies that control public utilities.

Sen. Chuck Grassley Asks FTC to Probe Hospital Contracts

Sen. Chuck Grassley Asks FTC to Probe Hospital Contracts-wsj: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether contracts between insurers and hospital systems are limiting competition and pushing up health-care costs.

Could a Blue Wave Drown New York Republicans, Again?

Could a Blue Wave Drown New York Republicans, Again?-politico: Rep. John J. Faso describes himself as a “pragmatic conservative” who can work across the aisle to get things done.

Republicans Need a Cold Compress With Less Than One Month to Go

Republicans Need a Cold Compress With Less Than One Month to Go-rollcall: Weather metaphors are often used (and overused) in election analysis, but there’s a better way to describe the Republicans’ challenge in 2018. The GOP is dealing with many headaches as it tries to preserve the Republican congressional majorities.

How Medicaid expansion has candidates divided on health care

How Medicaid expansion has candidates divided on health care-gainsvilletimes: The debate over whether to expand Medicaid to more low-income individuals and families in Georgia has gained new life this election year as health care is once again a focal point in races for governor and congress.

GOP leaders all but guarantee Kavanaugh confirmation

GOP leaders all but guarantee Kavanaugh confirmation -politico: Republican leaders insist they don’t speak for the three GOP holdouts, but they sure talk like they’ve already won the battle for Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation.

The 10 Most Vulnerable Senators: Cruz, Menendez Make the List

The 10 Most Vulnerable Senators: Cruz, Menendez Make the List-rollcall: For the first time this cycle, the senators on the list of most vulnerable incumbents have changed.

CMS eases approval of medical devices

CMS eases approval of medical devices-modernhealthcare: The CMS has tweaked one of its coverage processes to ease access to medical devices.

White House Celebrates Trade Pact, Prepares to Sell Congress

White House Celebrates Trade Pact, Prepares to Sell Congress-rollcall: President Donald Trump and his team convinced Canada to join a revised North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico. Now, the hard part begins: Convincing congressional Democrats, who could control one or both chambers next year, to approve it.

Just How Different Is 2018 From 2016? Look at Minnesota’s 2nd District

Just How Different Is 2018 From 2016? Look at Minnesota’s 2nd District-rollcall: Angie Craig was sipping a beer at a table in the local brew hall when multiple people came up behind her to ask if she was who they thought she was.

Republicans Likely in for a Messy December Funding, Leadership Fight

Republicans Likely in for a Messy December Funding, Leadership Fight-rollcall: House Republican leaders patted themselves on the back last week for appropriating a large portion of discretionary spending before the start of the fiscal year today, but they’ve also set themselves up for messy spending fight come December over border wall funding that could complicate GOP leadership elections and potentially lead to a partial government shutdown.

Warren: I'll 'take a hard look at' 2020 run after midterms

Warren: I'll 'take a hard look at' 2020 run after midterms-politico: Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Saturday announced that she would "take a hard look at" a prospective 2020 presidential run following this fall's midterm elections.