OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Partial healthcare defunding bill clears House

In remarks to the College of American Pathologists, Cantor appeared to go further than Republicans have in the past in acknowledging that not all patients are certain to get optimal healthcare under a system of private insurance. Healthwatch’s Julian Pecquet has the story.

Dems, GOP spar over White House visitor logs: House Republicans hammered the White House on Tuesday for gaps in its publicly released visitors logs. The issue has become a touchstone for many House Republicans frustrated by a lack of information about the administration’s meetings with various industry groups in the run-up to healthcare reform. Read the Healthwatch write-up.

Employer comment sought: The IRS is seeking public comments on healthcare reform’s employer mandate, including feedback on an agency proposal for determining which employers are required to provide coverage. Healthwatch’s Sam Baker has the story.

Veterans at risk: The Department of Veterans Affairs has inadequate procedures to protect the safety of veterans who receive care at its hospitals, says a new report from the Government Accountability Office. The report, requested by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), faulted poor oversight of medical supplies and equipment that it said could create problems if training or recalls are required.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs needs to step up training and institute new procedures to make sure medical equipment is sanitized and used the way it’s supposed to be,” Grassley said in a statement. “The agency has a double duty to take care of veterans’ health care and make sure medical practices aren’t putting veterans’ lives at risk.” 

Medicaid flexibility: Congressional Republicans’ bill to let states cut their Medicaid rolls would save the federal government nearly $3 billion over the next five years, according to a preliminary estimate from the CBO. Read the Healthwatch story.

Unsafe sex safety: Federal regulators are ordering that 15 products that make bogus claims about their ability to prevent sexually transmitted diseases be taken off the market. These include a number of dietary supplements the FDA believes are ineffective. 

FTC: ‘Pay-for-delay’ settlements up 60 percent: The number of so-called “pay for delay” settlements in patent disputes over prescription drugs increased by 60 percent in 2010, the Federal Trade Commission said in a report Tuesday. The FTC wants to ban the deals between generic and brand-name drugmakers, claiming they cost consumers and the government more than $3 billion per year in higher drug costs.

The Generic Pharmaceutical Association blasted the report in a statement: “The FTC is continuing to perpetuate the myth that pro-competitive, pro-consumer patent settlements are harmful to consumers — an unsubstantiated position that has repeatedly failed to receive support in both Congress and the Courts.” Healthwatch’s Sam Baker has more.

Military health plan limited: An Obama administration proposal to restrict enrollment in the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan could save $104 million over 10 years, CBO said.

Wednesday’s agenda: 

Abortion showdown: The House is scheduled to take up legislation expanding the federal ban on using taxpayer funds to cover abortions. The White House has threatened to veto the bill should it pass the Senate, which is unlikely.

“The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 3 because it: intrudes on women’s reproductive freedom and access to health care; increases the tax burden on many Americans; unnecessarily restricts the private insurance choices that consumers have today; and restricts the District of Columbia’s use of local funds, which undermines home rule,” the administration statement reads.

California weighs in: California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones (D), who regulates the largest private insurance market in the country, is urging his state’s delegation to vote against the abortion bill.

“Currently,” Jones wrote to the lawmakers, “the vast majority (87%) of employer based private health insurance plans cover abortion services. This bill is clearly an attempt to prevent those who purchase private health insurance from continuing to have abortion coverage.” He goes on to denounce the bill as “an attack on the small business community”, which would lose access to their tax credits unless they dropped abortion coverage.

Medicaid pushback: Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Finance Health subcommittee, will join with other senators and members of the National Association of Counties for a press conference opposing the House Republican proposal to turn the program into a block grant.

Eye on the courts: Briefs are due today in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Florida and 25 other states’ challenge to the federal healthcare reform law. The court is scheduled to hear oral arguments June 8. 

Federal Judge Roger Vinson ruled on Jan. 31 that the entire law should be struck down after finding its individual mandate unconstitutional. Click here for a summary of what lies ahead in the courts.

Asthma defense: Asthma Awareness Day begins with a 9 a.m. congressional breakfast briefing featuring Congressional Allergy and Asthma Caucus co-chairmen Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.). Check out the agenda here.

Reading list: 

The healthcare labor market improved in the first quarter of 2011, reports Healthcare Finance News.

The Miami Herald kicks off a three-part series on the demise of Florida’s once lauded oversight of assisted-living facilities.

A new study suggests the food that babies eat during their first days of life may have a long-term impact on their health, writes MyHealthNewsDaily.

German researchers are raising cancer concerns about CFL lightbulbs, Britain’s Telegraph reports.

Atul Gawande makes the case for a controversial Medicare payment board, reports Think Progress.

Pharmalot takes a look at the state of comparative effectiveness research.

And PBS “decodes” accountable care organizations.

Comments / complaints / suggestions? Please let us know:

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

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

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