When the controversial Medicare Part B Drug Payment Model final rule was not released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as expected before Nov. 21, it signaled an increasing likelihood of defeat for the proposed rule—a signal proved true on Dec. 15. A spokesperson for the CMS said, “After considering comments, CMS…
As he prepares to take on his newest volunteer role with the ACR, leading the Government Affairs Committee (GAC), Angus Worthing, MD, FACR, FACP, is looking forward to making the most of the opportunities that a unified government can offer the ACR in advocating for rheumatology care. “Advocacy is an investment in our profession—regardless of…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says the Senate will move to repeal President Barack Obama’s healthcare law shortly after Jan. 1, but declined to give a timeline for a plan to replace it. McConnell says the Senate would vote as soon as it returns from its year-end recess to repeal Obamacare. “And…
(Reuters)—Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a partner at one of the world’s largest venture capital funds and a former deputy commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is being considered by President-Elect Donald Trump to run the agency, according to sources close to the transition team. Gottlieb, 44, a venture partner at New Enterprise Associates and…
NEW YORK (Reuters)—The largest lobbying group for health insurers has asked U.S. lawmakers weighing the fate of Obamacare to push back the due date for 2018 individual insurance submissions to regulators in hopes of obtaining greater clarity on the program’s future later on. Republican leaders including President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch…
It’s an honor and a thrill to be the next chair of the Government Affairs Committee. Boy, do we have a big year ahead.
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—A federal appeals court on Monday brought to an end President Barack Obama’s bid to overturn a ruling that threatens to gut his signature healthcare law by putting the case on hold until after President-Elect Donald Trump, who aims to repeal Obamacare, takes office. The Obama administration had appealed a judge’s May ruling favoring…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—A senior U.S. Senator warned his on Thursday against simultaneously overhauling Medicare and the Obamacare health insurance program, saying this would be “biting off more than you can chew.” The cautionary comments from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) came after House Speaker Paul Ryan, long an advocate of privatizing Medicare, said Republican lawmakers would be…
(Reuters)—U.S. health insurer Anthem Inc on Wednesday raised the prospect of smaller participation in the individual Obamacare exchanges in 2018, saying it would have a market-by-market strategy that hinges on 2017 profitability. The company said that losses due to sicker-than-expected customers in its individual Obamacare plans were a bit less than foreseen in the third…
Rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals interested in knowing more about the major legislative and regulatory issues that may have an impact on their practice will want to attend the Legislative and Regulatory Update 2016 session at the upcoming ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. On Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 7:30–8:30 a.m. in Room 140A, Will Harvey, MD, MSc,…