Battling for brokers: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Monday urging her to exclude agents and brokers when calculating the healthcare law’s medical loss ratio requirement.
Part D pandemonium: Five years after the launch of Medicare prescription drug coverage, many beneficiaries are still struggling to sign up, according to a new report from the Medicare Rights Center. Read the Healthwatch post.
Life Sciences boost: A bipartisan group introduced legislation granting temporary tax relief for life-sciences companies. The “Life Sciences Jobs and Investment Act” would allow companies engaged in life sciences research to either double their Research and Development tax credit on the first $150 million invested or repatriate part of their foreign earnings at a reduced tax rate. Read co-sponsor Rep. Allyson Schwartz’s (D-Pa.) press release.
The cost of privacy: Stakeholders are beginning to object to proposed regulations requiring that patients be notified when anyone accesses their medical records. The deadline for comments is Aug. 1.
Tuesday’s agenda:
Driving the deficit: The Senate Finance Committee at 10 a.m. reviews the key issues driving the deficit.
Also in the morning, HHS’s Sebelius will make an announcement regarding the healthcare law.
Lobbying registrations:
Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville / Remote Cardiac Services Provider Group (Medicare payments)
Tauzin Strategic Networks / Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare
The Madison Group / Philadelphia College of Osteophathic Medicine (appropriations)
Tuck’s Professional Services / CERBE (dietary supplements)
Tuck’s Professional Services / BIE Health Products (dietary supplements)
Artemis Strategies / Scrips America (DESI drugs, approved for safety but not efficacy)
Reading list:
Conservative health policy blogger John Goodman ponders whether burdening Medicaid patients with long wait times rather than medical bills is really in their best interest.
Low-wage workers are getting shafted under San Francisco’s paid leave ordinance, says a new piece in The Wall Street Journal.
The conservative Daily Caller continues to draw attention to AARP’s financial stake in Medicare policy.
What you might have missed on Healthwatch:
CBO predicts high savings, small drawbacks to healthcare reform fix
FDA develops research agenda
Local health departments get grants to prepare for accreditation
Comments / complaints / suggestions?
Please let us know:
Julian Pecquet: jpecquet@digital-stage.thehill.com / 202-628-8527
Sam Baker: sbaker@digital-stage.thehill.com / 202-628-8351
Follow us on Twitter @hillhealthwatch