House Republicans Unveil Plans To Delay, Suspend Affordable Care Act Taxes
The plan would include another delay of the Cadillac tax. The legislation, if it's passed, would be a boon for some in the health industry who have been pushing for relief from the taxes for years.
Reuters:
Republicans Propose To Delay, Pause Obamacare Taxes
U.S. House Republicans proposed on Tuesday to delay or suspend several taxes under former President Barack Obama's healthcare law, including a tax on medical devices and the so-called "Cadillac" tax on generous health insurance plans. The move represents a new Republican attempt to roll back provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act widely known as Obamacare, after repeated failures by Congress' majority party this year to repeal the law. (Cornwell, 12/12)
Modern Healthcare:
House GOP Lawmakers Look To Delay Cadillac Tax, Other ACA Taxes
Afordable Care Act taxes are all on the U.S. House of Representatives' chopping block. Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee introduced a bundle of bills on Tuesday to delay the Cadillac tax, employer mandate and other taxes that healthcare industry groups have opposed. The employer mandate gets a retroactive repeal from 2015 and a delay through 2018; this measure is paired with a one-year delay of the Cadillac tax. (Luthi, 12/12)
In other national health care news —
The Hill:
Bipartisan Group Of Governors Calls For Swift CHIP Reauthorization
A bipartisan group of governors is urging Congress to act quickly to reauthorize funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. In a letter led by Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), the governors said their states are running out of money, and urged lawmakers to find a bipartisan solution. (Weixel, 12/12)
Stat:
What Pharma's Watching As Congress Tries To Hammer Out A Tax Bill
As congressional leaders prepare to lock themselves away and hammer out a final tax bill, one thing is clear: Big Pharma, like the rest of corporate America, is going to get a big break. But there are devilish details the drug industry will be tracking, including the fates of an oft-used tax credit and a long-promised provision that would make it cheaper for multinational companies to bring overseas cash back to the U.S. (Garde, 12/13)
The Washington Post:
DEA Official Says 2016 Law That Undermined Enforcement Should Be Changed
The head of the Drug Enforcement Administration office that regulates pharmaceutical opioids told senators Tuesday that a 2016 law has made enforcement more difficult in urgent circumstances and should be revised. Demetra Ashley, who leads the agency’s Diversion Control Division, said Congress should choose between repealing and amending the law. But she said the DEA agrees with the Justice Department that it should be altered to help curb the ongoing opioid epidemic. (Bernstein and Higham, 12/12)
Stat:
FDA To Study Deputizing Consumers To Find Bad Ads, As Warnings To Pharma Plunge
Concerned about the veracity of some pharmaceutical marketing, the Food and Drug Administration plans to study the extent to which doctors and consumers can detect deceptive ads. In explaining its rationale, the agency reiterated ongoing worries that misleading advertising can generate unnecessary prescribing, but also indicated interest in finding new ways to identify troubling ads, since resources are tight, according to this notice. (Silverman, 12/12)
The Washington Post:
'Phenomenal' Trial Results May Lead To A Treatment For Huntington's Disease, Experts Say
The discovery of a drug that may treat the fatal disease known as Huntington's is being hailed as “historic” by Louise Vetter, president and CEO of the Huntington's Disease Society of America, and “phenomenal” and “fantastically promising” by Huntington's researchers, including the woman who discovered the genetic mutation that causes the disease. “I'm ecstatic,” said Nancy Wexler, who in 1993 identified the mutation. “Huntington's is horrible, one of the worst diseases known to mankind, and certain death. . . . We know it’s a bad gene, making a bad protein, that makes people sick, that kills your brain cells. Anything that could impact that, we knew that that could be a cure.” (Nutt, 12/12)