The health reform proposal unveiled by the White House on Feb. 22, 2010 retains a number of provisions that directly affect drug coverage and industry revenues. The plan highlights that it will close the Medicare drug benefit “doughnut hole” by 2020 to make drugs more affordable to the elderly. Seniors will get some relief this year through a $250 rebate, and coinsurance will phase down over the next decade. Read more »
The US Food and Drug Administration’s transparency task force promises to raise questions about why certain manufacturer information on drug products is kept secret. Read more »
In a sharp break with Washington tradition, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif) unseated long-time top Democrat on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, John Dingell (D-Mich), to become the panel’s new chairman. The House Democratic caucus backed Waxman for the job after a hotly contested campaign in which Waxman claimed to be better positioned to work with the new Obama administration to enact environmental and health care legislation. Read more »
President-elect Barack Obama is moving quickly in selecting former Senate majority leader Tom Daschle as the potential secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle has been a close advisor to Obama and may now be the administration’s point person on moving health reform legislation through Congress. Reform advocates consider the selection a sign that the Obama administration will seek to fulfill its promises to make health reform a top priority. Read more »
From PharmTech.com