On Wednesday, November 1, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new rule that will lower costs to taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries for certain outpatient pharmaceuticals purchased under the 340B drug discount program. According to CMS Administrator Seema Verma, “As part of the President’s priority to lower the cost of prescription […]
What a Concept! New Ideas and Diverse Opinions Coming to the EPA!
On October 31, 2017, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced a new directive to ensure anyone serving on a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) for the agency are “independent and free from any real, apparent, or potential interference with their ability to objectively serve as a committee member.” The new directive requires that anyone […]
Another Dumb Idea from Democrats on Drug Costs
Today, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), held a press conference to engage in their usual screed against pharmaceutical companies and provide a “solution” to lower drug costs in Medicare Part D. Rep. […]
Will the Alexander-Murray Bill Prop Up or Make Big Changes to Obamacare?
Late Thursday night last week, President Trump announced his administration would stop providing Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSRs) payments to insurers. What are CSRs? They are subsidies, or reimbursements, given to insurers by federal taxpayers for issuing reduced deductibles and copayments to low-income individuals that participate in the Obamacare exchanges. CSRs are not payments given directly to […]
President Trump’s Executive Order on Healthcare
Today, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO), “Promote Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States,” with the goals of bringing financial relief and more healthcare choices to millions of Americans. Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, was signed into law, Americans have seen their health insurance options limited while […]
Epic Fail or Phoenix Rising?: Obamacare Repeal and Replace
For seven years, Republicans in Congress have promised that repealing Obamacare would be a top priority. They have failed, at least for now. The Republican Senate made the decision yesterday not to have a vote on the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson legislation that would have repealed and replaced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare. At least […]
Graham-Cassidy is Far Superior to Obamacare
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) introduced a replacement plan for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, on September 13, 2017. The Graham-Cassidy bill is expected to be considered on the floor of the Senate next week. As it gains support […]
Two Significant Healthcare Bills Introduced to Replace Obamacare
On Wednesday, two important healthcare bills were introduced in the Senate to replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare. One bill, introduced by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), would amend the healthcare reform legislation that passed the House in May, the American […]
No, Obamacare’s Problems Are Not Over
Last Wednesday, August 23, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that only one county, Paulding County, Ohio, would have no health insurers participating in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare. Admittingly, this was a very different scenario from what was anticipated just a few months ago. In June, the New York […]
The Summer of Healthcare Discontent
As the end of their summer recess approaches, the Republican-controlled Congress has still not done what it has promised to do since March 2010: repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, and allow consumer-driven forces to create more competition and choices in order to drive down healthcare costs. It has been said that Republicans behaved like a dog which had constantly chased after a car and then finally caught it: They were ill-prepared about what to do after Obamacare was snagged in their metaphorical jaws.