Overnight Healthcare: White House lays out ObamaCare’s ‘next chapter’
WHAT’S NEXT: It’s the sixth anniversary of ObamaCare this week, and the administration is looking to tout parts of the law that aren’t the most high profile but that it sees as crucial going forward.
Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell plans to “broaden the conversation” about the 2010 law to highlight system-wide reforms to lower costs and improve quality, a senior administration official told The Hill.
“It’s important to lay out the next chapter in the [Affordable Care Act] — building a healthcare system that puts patients at the center and works better for all Americans,” the official said.
{mosads}The initiatives — such as delivery system reform and bundled payments — are non-controversial and have bipartisan support in Congress.
The White House’s weeklong focus on system-wide reforms — rather than the record low uninsured rate or popular provisions like banning insurance providers from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition — reflects their growing confidence the law will stay on the books after President Obama leaves office.
Burwell stressed as recently as Thursday that the healthcare law is here to stay.
“The effects and impact, I think, are broad-ranging and deep,” Burwell said about the potential impact of repealing ObamaCare at an event sponsored by The Hill. “The progress we’ve made, access would go backwards.” Read more here. http://bit.ly/1PmLYhI
PREVENTION LEFT OUT OF CANCER MOONSHOT? Not everyone is 100 percent thrilled with Vice President Biden’s cancer “moonshot” bid. Dozens of leading public health experts are voicing concerns about the moonshot to speed up the fight against cancer, which they say needs to focus more on prevention.
“While curative treatments often appear more exciting to the public, investments in public health and prevention research hold even more promise for both short- and long-term reductions in cancer incidence and mortality rates,” about 70 public health deans wrote in a letter Monday.
The letter comes from the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, which includes the heads of the New York Medical College and Yale School of Public Health.
They warned that Biden’s initiative “may be undervaluing” the role of prevention for reducing the prevalence of cancer nationwide. Read more here. http://bit.ly/1SdLGOQ
EMBATTLED VALEANT CEO STEPPING DOWN Canadian drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals announced Monday its chief executive will step down and acknowledged “improper conduct” by several former officials.
CEO Michael Pearson, whose company was once considered a model for growth on Wall Street, has been at the center of a political firestorm over the company’s drug pricing practices.
Pearson, who took over in 2008, will remain as CEO until the company finds a replacement. Valeant will immediately bring on self-proclaimed activist investor Bill Ackman to serve on its board.
In the last six months, Valeant has been accused of price gouging by Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and probed by top congressional panels including the House Oversight Committee. Read more here. http://bit.ly/1MjC7i7
ON TAP TOMORROW:
The House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on opioid abuse. http://1.usa.gov/1XIoaLs
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) takes part in a panel at the National Press Club on job opportunities for people with Down Syndrome. McMorris Rodgers also released a video featuring her son Cole, who has Down Syndrome. Watch it here: http://bit.ly/21E3rJR
A panel of the House Small Business committee will hold a hearing on the small business health insurance tax credit. http://1.usa.gov/1pGibfM
The House Judiciary Committee marks up a bill to set limits on medical malpractice lawsuits. http://1.usa.gov/1WDOzK1
WHAT WE’RE READING:
Undeterred by failure, GOP states still fighting ObamaCare (Governing Magazine)
Study: Many seniors using dangerous drug combinations (CBS News)
FDA moves to ban most powdered surgical gloves (ABC News)
How ObamaCare is changing the startup world (Fortune)
IN THE STATES:
Maryland Senate OKs bill for mental health providers (Associated Press)
California insurance marketplace wants to kick out poor-performing hospitals (Kaiser Health News)
Illinois lawmakers to increase smoking age to 21 (NBC Chicago
Connecticut moves towards allowing medical marijuana for youth (CBS Connecticut)
ICYMI FROM THE HILL:
FDA to ban powdered doctors’ gloves http://bit.ly/1U2nLoW
CDC takes key step towards Zika test http://bit.ly/1RvHw7Y
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