Latest Daily Edition Stories
In Heated Single-Payer Debate, What Are The Facts?
Politifact takes a look at the issue and what the current single-payer bill would entail for California.
Trump Takes Aim At Medicare, Medicaid In $4.4 Trillion Budget Proposal
From gutting safety net programs to funding the opioid epidemic battle, President Donald Trump’s budget includes a host of health issues. The proposed cuts released Monday are unlikely to come to pass, as Congress controls the purse strings, but the plan is a good blueprint of the administration’s priorities.
In the early hours of Friday morning the House passed a spending deal to very quickly reverse a government shutdown that was triggered at midnight. The bill includes many of the Democrats’ top health care priorities, but they had to compromise in some places as well.
With Eye On High-Stakes Mid-Terms, Republicans Decide To Rein In Ambitious Entitlement Agenda
After a weekend retreat with President Donald Trump, Republicans seem to have narrowed their focus for the year down to the basics. Although House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has previously announced that he’d like to tackle safety-net programs, others in the party have no interest in pursuing such issues during a campaign year.
HHS Nominee To Be Grilled At Senate Hearing About Pharma Ties, Any Plans To Cut Medicare
Alex Azar, however, enjoys strong support from Republicans on the Finance Committee, so it’s unlikely the hearing will damage his path to confirmation.
Repeal Of Individual Mandate Will Likely Make It To Final Version Of Tax Bill, GOP Says
The Senate and House must reconcile their two versions, but it’s looking like the long-held Republican goal of repealing the health law’s individual mandate will make it into the legislation. Meanwhile, a study finds that bipartisan ACA fixes that were part of the lure to get Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) to support the tax bill would cut premiums by about 18 percent in 2019.
‘Time To Act Is Now’: Report Recommends Government Actions To Lower Drug Costs
Negotiating Medicare drug pricing and withdrawing tax deductions for pharmaceutical ads are among the steps the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s report urges the federal government to take soon.
CMS Considers Alternate Payment Models To Curb Costs On High-Price Treatments, Gene Therapy
“We are trying to do whatever we can to increase competition and give the (health insurance) plans more tools so that they can be better negotiators on our behalf,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services chief Seema Verma tells Reuters. In other CMS news, Verma also comments on 1332 waivers.
The Tax Bill’s Impact On Health Policy: A Trigger For Medicare Cuts? Impact On Insurance Markets?
News outlets examine how some aspects of the House and Senate GOP tax plans currently winding their ways through Congress could impact the Medicare program. In addition, the Senate measure’s provision to repeal the individual mandate is raising concern among some insurance commissioners. However, the stock market sees benefits for the health sector.
HHS Nominee Alex Azar Heads To Hill To Face Questions On Pharma Ties, Health Law Views
President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services will answer senators’ questions Wednesday during his first confirmation hearing. Drug pricing and Obamacare are expected to top the subject list.
