Medicare

The Obama administration and leading members of Congress are clashing over a new Medicare payment rule that could compromise patient care, impede development of a fledgling part of the biologics industry, and make it more difficult to track patient safety issues. At issue is government payment policy for a new class of drugs called “biosimilars”—drugs that are similar but not identical to the … [Read more...] about CMS Rule On Biosimilar Payment Could Have Serious Side Effects

Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson traveled to Independence, Mo., to sign legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid in the presence of fellow Democrat and former President Harry Truman, who during his presidency led unsuccessful efforts to establish a national health insurance system. The battle over the legislation was long and bruising, with conservatives including then-General … [Read more...] about Medicare’s Birthday: A Failed Centralized Program Turns 50

Over the long term, the savings from MACRA are enormous. Tomorrow, the Senate will consider H.R. 2, a Medicare-reform bill that has already acquired a classic Beltway acronym, MACRA. Conservatives should give their full support: According to a report released last week, MACRA not only would pay for itself but would result in large net savings to the Medicare program over time, reducing unfunded … [Read more...] about A Bill That Actually Reforms Medicare