While lawmakers continue efforts to come to terms in the debt-ceiling negotiations, health interests ranging from public and teaching hospitals to the drug industry are making their positions known.
The
Wall Street Journal: Cuts Would Only Shift Health-Care
Costs
The $350 billion or so in potential cuts to Medicare and Medicaid
over 10 years that were identified in budget negotiations would
shift the cost of medicine to public hospitals, the states and
individuals, but wouldn't do much to tackle rising health care
costs themselves (Burton, 7/13).
The
New York Times: Agree On Debt Talks: Health Groups Dislike
Proposals
Budget negotiators have not found a way to avert a government
default on federal debt obligations, but with their ideas to cut
Medicare and Medicaid they have managed to provoke opposition from
almost every major group that represents beneficiaries and health
care providers (Pear, 7/12).
Kaiser
Health News: PhRMA Chief Says Support For Health Law 'Was Right
Decision' - The KHN Interview
Kaiser Health News' Bara Vaida recently spoke with John
Castellani. He said that, even though his organization opposes a
current Democratic proposal in the budget talks that would require
drugmakers to pay rebates to the Medicare program for beneficiaries
who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, and that it would "do
serious harm to the industry," it doesn't cause regrets about his
industry's support for the health law (Vaida, 7/13).
