President Donald Trump yesterday declared the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency – a move that he said will help “liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction.” The president, surrounded by lawmakers and advocates, said that the government’s plan to fight the opioid epidemic would include “really tough, really big, really great […]
Healthcare Reform
Medtech industry mobilizes to repeal med device tax before suspension ends
The medtech industry is rushing to keep the medical device tax, part of Obamacare, from coming back into effect at the start of 2018 after its suspension lapses. Many in the industry were hopeful the tax would be axed as part of healthcare reform that was slated to repeal and replace Obamacare earlier in the […]
CDC: Overdose-related deaths in 2016 surpassed death count from peak of AIDS crisis
More than 63,000 people died from a drug overdose last year – that’s more than the number of deaths caused by AIDS in 1995, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 2015 and 2016, the number of people who died from a drug overdose involving illicitly-manufactured fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, more […]
Ethics watchdog: Rep. Collins broke rules by advocating for biotech
There’s “substantial reason to believe” that Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) broke federal law and congressional rules by sharing insider information to spur investment and by meeting with government researchers to advocate for Innate Immunotherapeutics (ASX:IIL) – an Australian biotech that he’s invested in. The Republican lawmaker recruited a number of investors for the company, including Dr. Tom […]
Trump signs executive order targeting Obamacare
President Trump today signed an executive order that could undermine Obamacare as it looks to make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bones health insurance plans. The order aims to allow small businesses to group up and buy cheaper health plans, known as association health plans, with less regulations and fewer benefits for their employees. […]
Could their be a bipartisan Obamacare fix?
Republican efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act appear to be dead – at least for now. But two U.S. senators may soon unveil a bipartisan proposal to make modest healthcare fixes. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the committee’s ranking […]
Tom Price is out as HHS secretary
Tom Price has resigned from his post as U.S. health and human services secretary after days of fending off criticism over chartered flights he took on the public dime. The announcement today out of the White House said Don J. Wright – presently assistant secretary for health and director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health […]
4 top medtech stories you need to know in late 2017
The U.S. government continues to create a lot of uncertainty for the medical device industry, but medtech companies are still making some big moves. The frenzy of major mergers continues, which makes sense from an investor standpoint when it comes to reducing risk. Meanwhile, companies from outside the industry – including such high-tech giants as Apple, […]
Bipartisan ‘Problem Solvers’ healthcare reform bill would kill medtech tax
A new bipartisan effort from the US Congress’ Problem Solvers Caucus that looks to alter Obamacare includes a provision to eliminate the 2.3% medical device tax, according to a Finger Lakes Times report. The movement has received support from democratic Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Repub. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who said they are looking […]
Deadline looms for Obamacare repeal
Republicans looking to repeal Obamacare are facing a tightening deadline, with the fast-track procedure being used set to expire on Sept. 30, according to a report from The Hill. The process, known as reconciliation, is set to expire at the end of September according to the Senate parliamentarian, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee […]
Why medtech should keep its lobbying expectations low in 2017
Political chaos means fewer opportunities for the medtech industry to get much done in Congress this year, says Clayton Hall, VP of government affairs for the Medical Device Manufacturers Assn. When it comes to permanent repeal of the 2.3% medical device excise tax that was part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, there are fewer legislative opportunities, […]