by Gordon Hensley | Feb 21, 2019 | advocacy, Business, CMS, health care, lobbying, Medicare Cuts, Pharma, U.S. House, U.S. Senate
Among the most complex but significant issues in the unfolding debate about prescription drug pricing reform is pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) rebates — or, so-called “rebates” — as many objective observers see them as kickbacks or opaque...
by Gordon Hensley | Dec 30, 2015 | Campaign 2016, health care, Health Reform, Medicare Cuts
With so much news coverage devoted to GOP efforts to sink the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, the law is facing substantial problems largely of Democrats’ making in the year-end budget deal. When Democrats joined with Republicans to delay...
by Gordon Hensley | Aug 20, 2014 | health care, Health Reform, Medicaid funding, Medicare Cuts
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues to prompt consolidation in the long term care industry as Genesis Healthcare and Skilled Healthcare, Inc. will merge to create a 500+ facility long term and post acute care entity. The firms cited the fact the ACA is further...
by Gordon Hensley | Jan 27, 2013 | health care, Health Reform, Medicaid funding, Medicare Cuts
While it appeared a “Grand Bargain” was conceivable following the 2012 election, the unfortunate fact in the wake of President Obama’s ideologically combative State of the Union speech — and other recent smoke signals from Senate leadership...
by Gordon Hensley | Oct 31, 2012 | Campaign 2012, health care, Medicare Cuts
Despite DCSpectator’s prior skepticism that the GOP in general and the Romney campaign in particular could achieve a level of parity with the Democrats on the issue of protecting Medicare, Kaiser data suggests the Romney campaign has largely succeeded. Even...
by Gordon Hensley | Sep 28, 2012 | Campaign 2012, GOP Politics, health care, Medicare Cuts
When Mitt Romney selected Paul Ryan as his Veep nominee, and initially seized the offensive on Medicare by charging “Obamacare” was funded by actually siphoning-off Medicare dollars, too many GOP consultants rejoiced prematurely. One NRCC operative was...