OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Democrats seize on Medicare’s role in NY win

Hospitals push back: The American Hospital Association is running new ads discouraging lawmakers from cutting their Medicare and Medicaid payments. The ad, which will run in Capitol Hill publications, makes the case that hospitals have given enough and can’t sustain further cuts.

Petition process: Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are urging the Food and Drug Administration to increase transparency in its citizen petition process in the wake of alleged abuses by the drug maker Sanofi.

Read the story from Healthwatch’s Julian Pecquet.

State lines, party lines: Lawmakers clashed along well-formed partisan lines Wednesday over the idea of letting insurance companies sell policies across state lines. Republicans say it would increase choice and competition. Democrats anticipate a “race to the bottom” as insurers rush to the states with the loosest regulation. Or, as Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) put it, the policy would open the door to “rascality.” Read the Healthwatch story.

Thursday’s agenda

Cass Sunstein, who leads the Office of Management and Budget division that processes regulations, will appear at an American Enterprise Institute event to discuss the administration’s plans for streamlining regulations.

Young adults can’t find affordable coverage and are struggling with medical debt, according to a Commonwealth Fund report to be released in the morning.

Recent lobbying registrations

Advanced BioHealing (biotechnology/regenerative medicine)

J. M. Burkman & Associates / Sonocine (breast cancer technology)

Reading list

The labels on prescription drugs might be too complex for patients to understand, MedPage Today reports.

The Huffington Post tracks a rejected House amendment that would have let female soldiers use their government-sponsored healthcare plans for abortions if they are raped.

Newt Gingrich didn’t mention the Ryan plan during a speech on healthcare in New Hampshire.

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

Follow us on Twitter: @hillhealthwatch