Can the GOP win the Senate on Obamacare?

Can the GOP win the Senate on Obamacare?-washingtonpost: The National Republican Senatorial Committee is blasting out e-mails about vulnerable Democratic incumbents, calling them to account for their votes for Obamacare. A sample: “CNN’s Wolf Blitzer reported that the ‘Obama administration is conceding that some people, yes some people, will have to pay more’ for health care premiums due to ObamaCare. But Kay Hagan also misled North Carolinians on Obamacare.” (The only variation in these is the name of the embattled Senate Democrat.) Can the GOP win back the Senate on Obamacare?

The medical device tax rears its head in the Mass. Senate special election

The medical device tax rears its head in the Mass. Senate special election-massdevice: U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.) offered his support to opponents of the medical device tax, saying that, had he had the chance, he would have sided with the Senate majority in voting to repeal the levy. Markey, a long-time Bay State lawmaker, is hoping to make the jump from the House to the Senate, vying for upper chamber seat left behind by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Senate chides Medicare for $70M in over-payments for medtech

Senate chides Medicare for $70M in over-payments for medtech-massdevice: Members of the Senate's Finance Committee lambaste Medicare over a largely unrecoverable $70 million sum of over-payments for durable medical equipment.

CMS faces heat over MA cuts

CMS faces heat over MA cuts-politico: The Obama administration is under pressure from Capitol Hill to change course fast on controversial proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage for 2014. The deadline for finalizing rates is Monday. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed a 2.3 percent cut in the payments to Medicare Advantage plans. That plan has been blasted by insurers and dozens of lawmakers from both parties, including both Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and ranking member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

TAVR poised for further market expansion

TAVR poised for further market expansion-advisoryboard: At the recent 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC) conference, experts debated the potential to expand TAVR indications to lower risk patients. Ultimately, panelists concluded that TAVR has strong potential for expansion to intermediate risk patients but should not be performed in low risk individuals.

WonkTalk: Happy birthday, Obamacare!

WonkTalk: Happy birthday, Obamacare!-washingtonpost: The Affordable Care Act turned three over the weekend. Unlike most other 3-year-olds, who face the challenges of learning colors and the alphabet, President Obama’s health law is up against obstacles much more daunting. What we lack in birthday cake, Ezra Klein and I make up for in health policy discussion.

Medical device tax: Still a long way from repeal

Medical device tax: Still a long way from repeal-massdevice: MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Opponents of the medical device tax notched an important victory when the Senate voted 79-20 last week to strike the 2.3% levy, but repeal efforts have a long way to go. "We need to look at where we can replace the revenue from," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) told the Wall Street Journal. Shaheen was 1 of 34 Democrats who voted to repeal the tax, which is expected to generate about $30 billion in revenue over 10 years.