OVERNIGHT HEALTHCARE: Burwell aims for apolitical tone on O-Care

by Elise Viebeck - 09/08/14 6:55 PM ET

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell used her first public address on Monday to urge a political truce on ObamaCare and build her credentials as a no-nonsense manager.

Speaking to students at George Washington University, Burwell suggested that applying a customer-service mentality at HHS could help move the department past the political controversies that have dogged it for four years.

{mosads}”We believe in building bridges, relationships and strong teams that have the talent and focus necessary to deliver results,” Burwell said. “What’s central to all this is not politics. It’s progress: setting aside the back and forth and instead choosing to move forward.”

The speech came just over two months from the start of ObamaCare’s second enrollment period. Though she did not mention the Nov. 15 re-launch of the exchanges, Burwell signaled her interest in ushering in a new, apolitical era for the healthcare law.

“The Affordable Care Act is not about making a point. It’s about making progress,” she said.

Burwell, a former Clinton administration official and Obama budget director, assumed her post in June after the Senate confirmed her 78 to 17. She has not yet given an interview or press conference.

Read more about the speech here.

New challenges: Burwell and her team are under pressure to ensure that the second enrollment period goes smoothly. As HHS secretary, Burwell was recruited for her private-sector leadership chops and her rapport with Republicans, who were frequent enemies of the prior healthcare chief, Kathleen Sebelius.

The Obama administration is facing several key questions when it comes to ObamaCare’s second year in action. First, is HealthCare.gov ready? The consumer-facing portion has undergone significant repairs, though the site’s back-end remains partially unfinished. Second, can federal health officials and their insurance company partners achieve their goals in just three months? The next enrollment period will be half as long, posing a challenge if supporters of the law want to dramatically increase sign-ups. Read more about these questions here.

New $$$ for outreach: Ninety groups that will help consumers navigate the exchanges this year received a total of $60 million from HHS on Monday, another sign of the department’s preparations for November. The awards spanned community non-profits, universities, tribal groups and charities in 34 states, and at least two Planned Parenthood affiliates were included. Read more here.

House to move forward with ‘keep your plan’ bill: The House Rules Committee will consider a measure from Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who is running for Senate, on Tuesday to allow health insurance currently available on the group market to remain available through 2019, even if it does not comply with ObamaCare’s minimum standards.

A floor vote could come as early as Wednesday and represents the bulk of what the House plans to do on ObamaCare prior to its expected departure later this month. The House is also poised to consider a handful of small healthcare bills from Energy and Commerce this week.

Gardner attacked for positions on abortion, contraception: A pair of political ads in Colorado are highlighting Republican Rep. Cory Gardner’s stance on abortion and birth control in an effort to distance him from female voters.

One ad, funded by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, charges that Gardner “wants to make abortion a crime.” The other, by NARAL Pro-Choice America, targets Gardner’s over-the-counter birth control proposal, which would ban certain types of contraception and hike prices across-the-board.

Gardner and Udall have been engaged for months in a fierce back-and-forth over women’s health issues to win the support of a voting bloc that’s likely to be crucial in the tight Senate race. The latest poll, which was released this weekend, shows Democratic incumbent, Sen. Mark Udall, with a solid single-digit lead over Gardner. Read more here.

FTC targets drug companies for ‘pay-for-delay’ deals: The Federal Trade Commission is alleging that several pharmaceutical giants struck illegal deals to keep the generic version of a billion-dollar drug off the market.

Drugmakers AbbVie Inc and Besins Healthcare Inc. are accused of a “pay for delay” settlement that halted the production of a lower-priced version of a testosterone replacement drug called AndroGel. The lawsuit is one of the first after the Supreme Court ruled last year that the FTC could go after drug companies for “pay for delay” settlements that violate antitrust laws.

FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez blasted the companies for filing “sham” lawsuits that cost customers millions of extra dollars. Read more here.

Today in Dr. Oz news: The maker of a natural extract once touted by TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz settled with federal trade regulators Monday over its claims that the product causes substantial weight loss. Applied Food Sciences, which manufactures green coffee extract, will pay the government $3.5 million and must refrain from making further weight loss claims about its products without scientific proof.

Lawmakers blasted those claims in a congressional hearing in June and urged Oz to stop giving them airtime on his show. Read about the settlement and that hearing here and here.

Tuesday’s schedule

The House Rules Committee will meet to consider Rep. Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) Employee Health Care Protection Act.

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the regulation of laboratory developed tests. The event is part of the panel’s bipartisan “21st Century Cures” initiative.

The American Nurses Association will visit offices on Capitol Hill to urge funding for nursing education.

The Lupus Foundation of America and the Rheumatology Research Foundation will host a congressional briefing on the importance of biomedical research on autoimmune diseases.

State by state

Virginia Gov. McAuliffe pulls back from broad Medicaid expansion plan

$4.4 million worth of Medicaid billing mistakes in Louisiana

Missouri lawmaker cites Hobby Lobby ruling in ACA lawsuit

Reading list

Companies race to adjust health care benefits as Affordable Care Act takes hold – The Washington Post

VA chief says hiring spree is needed to meet healthcare demands – New York Times

ER use dropped as ObamaCare kept young adults on parents’ plan – Forbes

Limited doctor choice plans don’t mean worse care – Vox

What you might have missed at The Hill

GOP frustrated with HHS over O-Care documents

Democrats call for HHS review of gay blood, organ donations