Is the FDA Ready For 21st Century Cures?

Is the FDA Ready For 21st Century Cures?-morningconsult: Legislation to expedite the approval of new drugs passed its first hurdle last week, but Food and Drug Administration officials say the funds granted by the overhaul effort aren’t enough. The bill, also known as 21st Century Cures, will place new pressures on an agency that says it’s responsible for regulating products that account for as much as 25 percent of U.S. consumer spending.

Top Dem: Trade deal could restrict access to cheaper medicines

Top Dem: Trade deal could restrict access to cheaper medicines-thehill: Rep. Sandy Levin (Mich.), the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, says a new trade deal could be a “major step backwards” on access to affordable medicines. In an op-ed Thursday, Levin raised concerns that the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, which the U.S. is negotiating, will curtail access to generic drugs.

GOP Split on Possible Health-Law Fixes

GOP Split on Possible Health-Law Fixes-wallstreetjournal: A month before the Supreme Court is expected to rule on a key component of the Affordable Care Act, congressional Republicans are split over their strategy for handling the possible fallout.

Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis Is Big Business for Washington Lobbyists

Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis Is Big Business for Washington Lobbyists-bloomberg: That ugly B word, bailout, has come to dominate debate in Washington about Puerto Rico’s debt crisis. One side argues that passing a bill allowing Puerto Rican government agencies to restructure their debts will stave off an eventual bailout of the whole island. The other side says that’s all wrong: The very act of approving the legislation will constitute a bailout.

F.B.I. Investigates Whether Harm From Surgical Power Tool Was Ignored

F.B.I. Investigates Whether Harm From Surgical Power Tool Was Ignored-newyorktimes: The FBI is investigating whether “medical device makers, doctors and hospitals” failed to report deficiencies with a power tool used during gynecological surgery.

The New York Times blows a hole in the case against Obamacare

The New York Times blows a hole in the case against Obamacare-vox: There are basically two versions of the looming Supreme Court case against Obamacare. One of them makes sense but doesn't pose enough of a threat to Obamacare to satisfy Republicans. The other poses a real threat to Obamacare, but it's never made much sense — and the New York Times just blew a hole right through the middle of it.

Overhead costs exploding under ObamaCare, study finds

Overhead costs exploding under ObamaCare, study finds-thehill: Five years after the passage of ObamaCare, there is one expense that’s still causing sticker shock across the healthcare industry: overhead costs. The administrative costs for healthcare plans are expected to explode by more than a quarter of a trillion dollars over the next decade, according to a new study published by the Health Affairs blog.