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OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Support for repeal fades
The public seems to agree with Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio): It’s time to stop fighting over healthcare. The latest Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll, released Tuesday, found support for repealing “ObamaCare” at just 33 percent — a record low.
Boehner acknowledged last week that the Affordable Care Act is “the law of the land” after President Obama’s reelection handed Republicans a defeat in their last chance to stop the law from taking effect. Although he immediately walked that comment back, it’s hard to picture mainstream Republicans choosing to spend a lot of time on repeal, and the Kaiser poll suggests the public also wants lawmakers to move on.
While support for repeal bottomed out, public opinion of the ACA ticked up a few points. The law’s favorability rating now stands at 43 percent, compared with 39 percent unfavorable. Those numbers were basically reversed just last month.
Our story on the latest poll is here.
It wasn’t me: Paul Ryan doesn’t believe his controversial Medicare plan cost Mitt Romney the White House.
“I don’t think we lost it on those budget issues, especially on Medicare — we clearly didn’t lose it on those issues,” the Wisconsin Republican said in his first television interview since the election.
Romney and Ryan’s Medicare plan was unpopular, but toward the end of the race Romney and Obama were nearly running even on healthcare and Medicare issues. Ryan said the GOP ticket lost because of high Democratic turnout, especially in urban areas. The Hill’s story is here.
Speaker Ryan? There’s one thing Ryan definitely hasn’t lost: his standing with conservatives. In a blog post at RedState, conservative commentator Erik Erickson wonders whether the right should ditch Boehner and elect Ryan Speaker, in part because of Boehner’s post-election healthcare statements.
Dolan still fighting: Catholics won't stop fighting the Obama administration's contraception mandate, Cardinal Timothy Dolan reportedly said Tuesday. The Associated Press reported that Dolan, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the church will not comply with the mandate and will continue challenging it in court. Read the Healthwatch story.
Drugs are expensive: Fifty-five drugs accounted for about 85 percent of Medicare’s spending on Part B drugs, the Government Accountability Office said Tuesday. Part B drugs are administered by a doctor, not taken at home, and the class includes some especially costly products as well as some of the most widely used drugs. About 15 million seniors received the flu vaccine in 2010, making it one of the 55 most expensive drugs, while a pair of biological drugs secured their place on the list through a $217,000 per year price tag. The GAO report is here.
Wednesday's agenda
The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on the national outbreak of meningitis.
Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) will hold a press conference calling for action to strengthen oversight of compounding pharmacies.
State by state
Nevada quietly moves ahead on health law
Medicaid changes put lodging for 2,000 mental disabled at risk in NC
Cardinal lauds defeat of doctor-assisted suicide bill in Massachusetts
Lobbying registrations
The Federal Group / Nomir Medical Technologies
The Federal Group / Dental Trade Alliance
Reading list
US lowering rate of premature births, but slowly
FDA seeks stronger authority on eve of meningitis hearings
Report: FDA wanted to close Mass. pharmacy in 2003
What you might have missed on Healthwatch
HHS announces 'innovation fellows'
Ala. governor rejects state exchange, Medicaid expansion
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