OVERNIGHT HEALTH: GOP goes after insurance exchanges

Pricing probe: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is investigating whether a leading manufacturer of medical devices is driving up Medicare costs. The company dissolved contracts with a wholesaler that sold its products to hospitals. 

Dealing with diabetes: The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Tradjenta (linagliptin) tablets to improve blood glucose control in adults with Type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise.

Tuesday’s agenda: 

Let the sunshine in: The Obama administration can expect a drubbing at the hands of good-government advocates Tuesday morning during an Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee’s hearing on “White House Transparency, Visitor Logs, and Lobbyists.” The panel will hear testimony from Judicial Watch, the Sunlight Foundation and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington as Republicans skewer the administration’s meetings with healthcare stakeholders and others.

The hearing comes just as White House healthcare reform director Nancy-Ann DeParle turned over her calendar of pre-passage meetings with stakeholders. The administration opted not to defend itself at the hearing.

It’s pathological: Day 2 of the College of American Pathologists’ annual policy meeting features Senate Republican Conference vice chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) at 8:30; House Energy and Commerce member Jim Matheson (D-Utah) at 9:30; and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) at 1:45 p.m.

Here’s the agenda.

Medicaid bill: House and Senate Republicans will introduce a bill to undo a provision of healthcare reform that prohibits states from cutting Medicaid eligibility before 2014. The law blocks states from cutting their rolls ahead of an expansion that the federal government will pay for, but several states have said the requirement is simply too expensive.

Healthy minds, healthy kids: In the evening, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will mark National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day at the Harman Center for the Arts in Washington. Those without tickets can watch the event live here.

Reading list: 

Coverage for migrant workers is a sticking point as state lawmakers in Vermont debate a bill to advance single-payer healthcare, NPR reports.

After traveling with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) over the recess, Politico wraps up the response to his budget proposal and his thoughts on the criticism.

Emergency room doctors are seeing more Medicaid patients, National Journal reports.

The head of the Medical Device Manufacturers Association says venture capital has evaporated over the past two years because of regulatory red tape, writes MassDevice.

Young adults are signing on to their parents’ coverage faster than anticipated, reports Kaiser Health News. 

Lobbying registrations: 

The American Medical Association hired two outside lobbying firms over the spring recess, part of a crush of new registrations ahead of what are sure to be a frenetic few months as Congress debates the national debt and Medicare reform.

The AMA hired Harlow Government Relations and Loper Consulting to lobby on the healthcare reform law, the Medicare physician pay schedule and medical malpractice reform, records show. The registrations are among several dozen healthcare hires over the past two weeks.

Other hires include:

Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz / Bionime (biotechnology and medical testing); Envoy Health (diabetes supplies); and Specialty medical supplies (disposal supplies)

Becker & Poliakoff / Dade Medical School; Medica HealthCare Plans (Medicare Advantage)

C.A.R. Consulting Services / Home Health Advocacy Coalition

DLA Piper / Fresenius Medical Care (dialysis products); National Association for Home Care and Hospice; National Association of Community Health Centers; Novo Nordisk; and Pfizer

Doyce Boesch / Life Care Hospitals 

Fabiani & co. / Sanovas Inc. (medical device development); Sova Pharmaceuticals (biopharmaceuticals)

Foley Hoag / DEKA Research and Development Corporation (medical devices)

Gephardt Group Government Affairs / eHealth, Inc. (online health insurance)

Guide Consulting Services/ The American Occupational Therapy Association

Health Policy Source/ Montefiore Medical Center (delivery system reforms); Quincy Medical Group

Linchpin Strategies / American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association

McDonald Consulting  / Orexigen Therapeutics (obesity treatment)

Orexigen Therapeutics / Orexigen Therapeutics

Patton Boggs / Genentech (Avastin)

Podesta Group / Johnson & Johnson Services (medical devices)

SNR Denton / Altria Client Services; KV Pharmaceutical Company

Squire, Sanders & Dempsey / CoverMyMeds (prior authorizations for prescription drugs)

Stevens & Lee / Main Line Health

The DoCanto Group / Direct Care Alliance; First Focus (children’s healthcare)

The Mizeur Group / Association of American Medical Colleges

Thorsen French Advocacy / Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (patent reform)

U.S. Strategies / Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center; ReGeneration Centers, Inc. (prevention and wellness)

Viohl & Associates / Fayette Regional Health System

W Strategies / 23andMe (genetics); Consumer Healthcare Products Association (over-the-counter medicines)

Washington Health Advocates / Autoimmune Technologies, LLC (diagnostic tests); Press Ganey Associates (hospital performance); Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions (pharmaceutical market data)

Wittie, Letsche & Waldo / Press Ganey Associates

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

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