Obama Administration News

On February 2, 2015, the Obama Administration released its proposed federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2016. The budget would impact all types of health care providers, health plans, and drug manufacturers if adopted as proposed – which is unlikely given Republican control of the House and Senate. Nevertheless, Congress can be expected to consider the Medicare and Medicaid savings proposals (many of which are carry-overs from prior budgets) during expected debate in the coming months on Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) reform legislation or during future budget negotiations. The following is a summary of the major Medicare, Medicaid, and related policy proposals contained in the FY 2016 budget proposal.
Continue Reading Obama Administration Releases FY 2016 Budget Proposal with Medicare/Medicaid Provisions

On March 4, 2014, the Obama Administration released its proposed federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2015. Virtually all types of health care providers, health plans, and drug manufacturers would be impacted by the budget provisions if adopted as proposed – an unlikely scenario given the Republican House leadership’s reaction to the document. Nevertheless, the Medicare and Medicaid savings proposals (many of which are carry-overs from prior budgets) could resurface as spending offsets in the pending negotiations on Medicare physician fee schedule reform legislation or in future budget negotiations. Highlights of the Administration’s Medicare and Medicaid legislative proposals include the following (all savings estimates are for the 10-year period of FYs 2015-2024):
Continue Reading Obama Administration Proposes FY 2015 Budget with Medicare, Medicaid Savings Provisions

Today, the Obama Administration released its proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2014. As widely reported, the budget incorporates an offer the President made to Congress in December 2012 to achieve nearly $1.8 trillion in additional deficit reduction over the next 10 years, including $401 billion in health savings (the Administration observes that this level of cuts would “provide more than enough deficit reduction to replace the damaging cuts required by the Joint Committee sequestration”).

Virtually all provider types – and drug manufacturers – would be impacted by the budget provisions, if adopted as proposed. The budget proposal is certainly subject to change during the legislative process, particularly as the House and Senate leadership pursue alternative budget frameworks, and indeed, gridlock could prevent significant action on entitlement reform this year. Nevertheless, the proposals bear careful monitoring because they could eventually be included in any long-elusive “grand bargain” to reform the Medicare program and reduce the federal debt.

Highlights of the Administration’s Medicare and Medicaid proposals include the following:Continue Reading Obama Administration’s Proposed FY 2014 Budget Includes $401 Billion in Health Program Savings

On February 13, 2012, President Obama released his proposed fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget.  The budget includes a number of legislative proposals – some of which were included in the President’s September 2011 deficit reduction plan — that would reduce Medicare spending by $302.8 billion and cut Medicaid spending by $55.7 billion over 10 years.  Highlights are available after the jump.
Continue Reading President Obama Proposes FY 2013 Budget

On February 14, 2011, President Obama released his proposed fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget. The President proposes a variety of changes in Medicare and Medicaid policy and other Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs, including the following highlights:

  • The budget includes 19 new legislative proposals designed to strengthen program integrity for Medicare, Medicaid,

On March 10, 2010, the White House released a “Presidential Memorandum Regarding Finding and Recapturing Improper Payments.” Under this initiative, all federal departments and agencies are directed to expand and intensify their use of “payment recapture audits” under their current authority to combat fraud and abuse in federal programs. As under the Medicare Recovery Audit

Yesterday President Obama convened a health reform summit in an effort to bring together key members of Congress and administration personnel to discuss ways to move forward on health reform. After a long day of policy debate, however, the summit failed to result in a bipartisan breakthrough on reform legislation.   While isolated areas of agreement

Today the Obama Administration released an 11-page summary of its health reform proposal in preparation for a bipartisan health reform summit scheduled for February 25, 2010. Among other things, the proposal includes a relatively-detailed discussion how the Administration would promote access to affordable insurance, address health care fraud and abuse proposals, and bridge the differences between the House and Senate reform proposals in other key areas.
Continue Reading Obama Administration Releases Health Reform Plan in Preparation for Bipartisan Summit

The Obama Administration has released its proposed federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2011. In its budget documents, the Administration reaffirms its commitment to enacting health reform legislation, and it assumes $150 billion in federal savings attributable to health reform over the 2011-2020 period. The document states that the budget “supports health insurance reform” by

On January 27, 2010, President Obama delivered his State of the Union address to Congress. While the economy was the overwhelming focus of the address, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to health insurance reform. Acknowledging setbacks on this issue, he nevertheless implored Congress to “not walk away from reform.” He asked Congress to “take another

On February 1, 2010, President Obama is scheduled to deliver his proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2011, which is likely to again include provisions that would, if adopted, significantly impact federal health care policies. Congressional panels already have scheduled hearings on the upcoming proposal, including Senate Finance Committee and House and Senate Budget Committee

The White House has proposed $313 billion in new Medicare and Medicaid cuts over 10 years, in addition to the provisions included in the Administration’s proposed FY 2010 budget. Among other things, the Administration is endorsing: incorporating productivity adjustments into Medicare payment updates; reducing hospital subsidies for treating the uninsured as coverage increases; paying “better”

On May 11, 2009, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the establishment of the HHS  Office of Health Reform, which is charged with leading the Department’s efforts to pass health reform legislation and coordinating with the White House Office of Health Reform.  Jeanne Lambrew, PhD, has been named Director of the HHS Office of Health Reform.   The complete announcement with staff biographies is reprinted after the jump.
Continue Reading HHS Office of Health Reform Established

On April 28, 2009, the Senate voted to confirm Governor Kathleen Sebelius as Health and Human Services Secretary.  The vote was 65 to 31.  HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on May 6. 
 

Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein has been appointed by President Obama to be the FDA principal deputy commissioner. On March 30, 2009, Dr. Sharfstein began serving as Acting Commissioner for Food and Drugs, replacing previous Acting Commissioner Frank Torti, until the U.S. Senate confirms a new Commissioner of Food and Drugs (President Obama’s nominee for that

On March 19, 2009, HHS announced the members of the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. The Council was authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) as part of a major expansion of federal efforts to compare the effectiveness of different medical treatments, including both infrastructure changes and an infusion of $1

On March 20, 2009, HHS announced the selection of David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P. as the Obama Administration’s choice for National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. As the National Coordinator, Dr. Blumenthal will lead the implementation of a nationwide interoperable, privacy-protected health information technology infrastructure, as called for in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Dr.