Morning Health

MEDICAL DEVICES: The Food and Drug Administration holds a Webinar on proposals to change the expedited review process for certain medical devices: http://bit.ly/cFJwXJ

510(k) changes: The FDA has proposed some 70 changes to its expedited review process for low- and moderate-risk medical devices: http://bit.ly/deRSbg

Heated debate: Some consumer advocates and insurers argue that the current standards are too lax; device-makers, meanwhile, worry that some of the proposed changes would needlessly disrupt a process that's been in place for more than 30 years.

EARLY RETIREES: The Department of Health and Human Services is set to make an announcement regarding the healthcare reform law's early retiree grant program.

About the grants: The healthcare reform law set aside $5 billion that businesses, unions and state and local governments can use to cover the healthcare costs of their retirees — and their spouses and dependents — who are older than 55 but don't yet qualify for Medicare.

HHS started taking applications in May. Read the story: http://bit.ly/drx4OZ


MEDICAID: A new report by the Urban Institute suggests the healthcare reform law's Medicaid expansion may not break the bank because the newly eligible won't be as sick as the current Medicaid population.

States concerned: Many state officials — particularly Republicans — argue expanding Medicaid to cover everyone to up to 133 percent of the poverty level will strain state budgets to the breaking point, even though the federal government will cover 90 percent of the expansion over the long run.

Read the report: http://bit.ly/cOImU1