OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Reid makes a stand for Planned Parenthood

These are:

• emergency room visits;

• ambulance services;

• diabetes care management;

• kidney dialysis;

• physical therapy;

• durable medical equipment;

• prosthetics;

• maternity care;

• infertility treatment;

• sterilization;

• gynecological exams and services; and 

• organ and tissue transplantation.

Congress leaves, 1099 stays: With lawmakers heading out of town for a weeklong recess, repeal of the healthcare reform law’s widely panned 1099 reporting requirement will have to wait. Reid told The Hill this week that Senate Democrats will offer an alternative different from the House-approved repeal, which would tap into a greater amount of improper subsidies for purchasing healthcare on new insurance exchanges opening in 2014. 

Duo looks to protect insurance agents, brokers: Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and John Barrow (D-Ga.) dropped a bill Thursday that would shield insurance agent and brokers from new medical loss ratio (MLR) rules, which limit how much insurers can spend on administrative costs. The bill would redefine agents and brokers as part of medical spending, but liberals have already started to push back. Healthwatch has the story.

Insurance commissioners want MLR feedback: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners posted its own draft version of a bill that would give agents and brokers relief from the MLR reg. The agents and brokers fear the healthcare reform regulation, which limits insurers’ administrative costs, will put them out of business. The NAIC is asking for feedback on its proposal, which you can read here. 

GOP questions CLASS Act funds…: Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health subpanel questioned why the Department of Health and Human Services wants $120 million in 2012 to implement a healthcare reform program that the administration admits has real problems. Republicans were particularly perturbed that more than three-quarters of the budget request goes toward an outreach and education campaign for the Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act. The Hill’s Jason Millman has the story. 

…then launches repeal effort: Republican Reps. Charles Boustany (La.) and Phil Gingrey (Ga.) introduced legislation Thursday to repeal the CLASS Act. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), who originally voted against healthcare reform but voted against repeal in January, is also a co-sponsor.

What Massachusetts taught us: A new report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation outlines how lessons learned from the state’s 2006 healthcare reform can be applied to the federal reform law.

Opt out shot down: A bipartisan proposal to let states opt out of provisions of the healthcare law in 2014 won’t provide states the flexibility they need to make the law work, a state representative from Utah testified Thursday.

Rep. David Clark (R-Utah) laid out detailed objections to the proposal during a Senate hearing on the one-year old law’s state impacts. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.) have introduced legislation letting states seek exemptions from controversial parts of the law, such as the individual mandate, but to qualify, the states would still have to meet the law’s requirements in terms of coverage quality and affordability.

“While I applaud the efforts of Senators Wyden and Brown,” Clark testified, “I must point out that the bill is woefully insufficient in terms of granting states meaningful flexibility.” Read the Healthwatch wrap up.

Doctors lobby backs NY tort reform: With House Republicans pushing their own version of medical liability reform, the AMA praised reforms pitched by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). The proposal would cap non-economic damages at $250,000 while allowing unlimited award amounts for economic damages.

Health plan antitrust: Freshman Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) wants to repeal an anti-trust exemption that benefits health insurers — a priority for the Democratic House in the last Congress.

Friday’s agenda:

Newt speaks on reform: With the one-year anniversary of healthcare reform approaching, former House Speaker and likely presidential candidate Newt Gingrich will bash the law Friday at the National Press Club. Gingrich and others will address the law’s worst features, what needs to be repealed and replaced and whether the GOP has an alternative plan. Here’s the agenda. 

Medicaid HAC: Comments on a proposed rule barring federal Medicaid reimbursement for hospital-acquired conditions are due Friday. Healthwatch got a sneak peak at a draft letter from the American Medical Association (AMA), which raises several concerns. The group, which already takes issue with the Medicare HAC standards, is concerned that the regulation allows states to expand HAC policy beyond Medicare requirements. The AMA is also concerned about states expanding HAC policy to other care settings, especially in physician offices, which has a different payment approach.

Reading list:

Marketers have convinced people that menthol cigarettes are healthier than regular ones, U.S. government advisers said Thursday, Reuters reports. 

The pro-reform Families USA is out with a new report detailing how the law will cap out-of-pocket healthcare spending.

The HHS inspector general issued a draft rule allowing states to use federal dollars to target Medicaid fraud, Modern Healthcare writes.

Republicans in the Texas legislature are pushing bills to exempt the state from healthcare reform, The Associated Press reports. 

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System has ended contract negotiations with Medco Health Solutions, The Los Angeles Times reports.

What you might have missed on Healthwatch:

Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas) thinks people who want access to cutting edge genetic testing should back the individual mandate.

Comments / complaints / suggestions?

Please let us know:

Julian Pecquet: jpecquet@digital-stage.thehill.com / 202-628-8527

Jason Millman: jmillman@digital-stage.thehill.com / 202-628-8351