OVERNIGHT HEALTH: High court considers Medicaid patients’ rights

Untrustworthy states? The federal government should take the lead in coordinating care for “dual eligibles” enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, says a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute. The report says policy-makers “are relying far too heavily on states to find the solution” and that state responsibility for overall spending “increases the risk of cost-shifting to Medicare and may undermine quality of care for vulnerable beneficiaries.” Here’s the report.

Open for business: The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund for first-responders sickened by the attacks has been set up. 

{mosads}”Today, we are putting into practice an important part of the [James] Zadroga [9/11 Health and Compensation] law so that it can begin helping people,” New York Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D), Jerrold Nadler (D) and Peter King (R) said in a joint statement. “Getting the VCF up and running is a crucial step toward meeting America’s moral responsibility to help those injured as a result of 9/11. We are delighted that this day has finally arrived, and that struggling 9/11 responders and survivors will soon be able to apply for the economic relief they and their families so urgently need.” 

Find out more about the fund here. 

AdvaMed cheers Korea deal: “Korea is one of the largest and fastest growing markets for medical technology,” the Advanced Medical Technology Association said in a statement about President Obama’s submission to Congress of legislation to implement the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. “AdvaMed views the implementation of this agreement — the first FTA with specific provisions for the medical technology industry —– as an opportunity to increase exports of medical technology products to this expanding market.”

Tweets for kids: The American Academy of Pediatrics is tweeting one child health fact a day using the hashtag #PutKids1st throughout October, with the stated goal to “raise awareness about programs of importance to children and pediatricians as Congress negotiates spending decisions this fall.”

Repeal cure-all: Speaking of spending decisions, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) has an easy fix for the federal deficit: repeal healthcare reform before its entitlements begin.

Tuesday’s agenda

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and his Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subpanel on Federal Financial Management holds a hearing on the “Costs of Prescription Drug Abuse in the Medicare Part D Program.” Gregory D. Kutz, director of Forensic Audits and Investigative Services at the Government Accountability Office, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) deputy administrator Jonathan Blum are scheduled to testify.

A few hundred American Hospital Association members willl descend on the Capitol to speak with their members of Congress during AHA Advocacy Day.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius joins cancer advocates and survivors to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month by emphasizing the importance of breast cancer awareness and recognizing a 20-year-old early detection program that will perform its 10-millionth screening for low-income and uninsured women this fall.

And the National Association of County and City Health Officials releases a new survey of local health department budget cuts and job losses.

State by state

Minnesota Public Radio reports that the state is headed toward a “showdown” over its insurance exchange.

Kaiser Health News tracks Vermont’s progress toward single-payer healthcare.

And Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer talks to Washington Post blogger Sarah Kliff about why he wants to pursue single-payer in his state — and the reception that idea is getting.

{mossecondads}”Since we’re proposing to save citizens money, you’d expect some kind of chorus and music, maybe a presentation with some plaques and flowers,” he said. “That’s what you’d expect. But in my experience, that’s not what you get.”

Regulatory watch

Sens. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote CMS
Administrator Don Berwick to register their “severe disappointment” with
the agency for failing to meet the healthcare law’s Oct. 1 deadline for
putting in place a transparency initiative. The senators’ Physician
Payment Sunshine Act requires drug and device-makers to report all
payments to physicians — including consulting fees, honoraria, travel
and entertainment — for public disclosure by the secretary of Health and
Human Services.

CMS issued a proposed rule applying healthcare reform provisions to Medicare Advantage plans and the Medicare prescription drug program. The regulation gives CMS explicit authority to terminate poorly performing MA and Part D sponsors, among other changes.

The FDA released eight new draft proposals officially aimed at making the agency’s compliance and enforcement data “more accessible and user-friendly.”

The comment period for the FDA’s proposed rule on gluten-free labels closed Monday.

Lobbying registrations

K&L Gates / Etymotic Research (ear and auditory products)

Avancer Health Policy / The University of Arizona Health Network (Health Plan and Provider Network)

Reading list

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb slams slow approval times for medical devices in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.

Washington Post blogger Sarah Kliff looks at how the healthcare law affects premiums.

GOP candidate Mitt Romney vowed over the weekend to press for federal restrictions on abortion, Think Progress points out. “I would encourage legislation which provided to individuals the information they needed to make a choice, an informed choice about whether or not to have an abortion,” Romney said on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s Fox News show.

What you might have missed on Healthwatch

AARP, unions urge White House to save CLASS Act program

Physicians, hospitals unite against medical training cuts

New healthcare law battle: Family planning

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

Sam Baker: sbaker@digital-stage.thehill.com / 202-628-8351

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