Health Industry Washington Watch

Recent Posts from Health Industry Washington Watch

• Senate Health Reform Plan Released

  Today Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released the Senate health reform plan, the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."  A procedural vote to move forward on the legislation could occur later this week.

• House Health Reform Bill Would Not Control Health Costs, According to CMS Office of the Actuary

  On November 14, 2009, House Republicans released an analysis by CMS’s Office of the Actuary (OACT) that raises questions about the House-approved health reform plan’s potential to control health care spending. The report, which was…

• New Postings on the Reed Smith Health Industry Washington Watch Blog

  The Reed Smith Health Industry Washington Watch blog has been updated to discuss a variety of health policy developments, including the following:   Legislative Developments. The House of Representatives has approved major health reform legislation, and attention…

• Health Reform Bill Clears House; Focus Shifts to Senate

  On November 7, 2009, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, by a vote of 220 – 215. The legislation seeks to expand access to affordable health insurance coverage…

• Ryan White HIV/AIDS Act Extension Enacted

  President Obama has signed into law S. 1793, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Extension Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-87). The law reauthorizes the Ryan White program for four years, increase authorizations, and makes other revisions to the…

• Medical Isotopes Production

  On November 5, 2009, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 3276, the American Medical Isotopes Production Act. The legislation is intended to provide the Department of Energy with new authority and funding to assist private sector…

• Congressional Hearings (Nov. 2009)

  A number of Congressional committees have held hearings recently on health policy issues, including a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing examining increasing health costs facing small businesses and a House Appropriations Committee “briefing”…

• Final CY 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule Released

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its final rule updating the Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) for calendar year (CY) 2010. Most notably, the final rule calls for a 21.2% across-the-board cut…

• Final CY 2010 Medicare HOPPS/ASC Rule Released

  CMS has issued its final rule updating the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (HOPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for 2010.  The official version of the rule is scheduled to be published in…

• Final CY 2010 Medicare Home Health PPS Rule

  Under CMS’s CY 2010 Medicare home health PPS (HH PPS) final rule, published November 10, 2009, Medicare home health spending is expected to be reduced by $140 million (1.03%) in 2010 compared to 2009 levels. The…