Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CMS Hits Pause Button On 3 Proposals For Dialysis, Medicare Part A, Oversight
Modern Healthcare: CMS Pauses Three Trump-Era Proposed Rules
CMS on Tuesday paused three proposed rules developed under the Trump administration. The proposed rules would affect in-center dialysis coverage requirements for third-party payment programs, enable seniors to keep their Social Security retirement benefits if they opt out of Medicare Part A coverage and increase oversight of accrediting organizations. The White House budget office had been reviewing all three rules. CMS withdrew the proposed rules following a memo last week from White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain directing agencies to freeze new regulations that hadn't taken effect. The moves don't take any of the policies off the table, but the Biden administration won't sign off on any rules until it's had a chance to review them. HHS froze a new regulation targeting community health centers' 340B drug discounts last week. (Brady, 1/26)
Becker's Hospital Review: CMS Withdraws 3 Proposed Health Rules
CMS has withdrawn three proposed healthcare rules developed under the administration of former President Donald Trump.The withdrawn rules include a revision to Medicare Part A enrollment requirements, altered dialysis coverage requirements for third party-payment programs and increased oversight of accrediting organizations. The withdrawn rules come after President Joe Biden's Chief of Staff Ronald Klain ordered a freeze on new or pending rules issued by the Trump administration. The freeze prevents the departments and agencies from implementing the rules until the Biden administration has had a chance to review them. (Paavola, 1/26)
In other news —
Stat: FTC Sues Drug Makers Over Allegedly Illegal Deal Over An Opioid Painkiller
For the second time, the Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit alleging Endo International (ENDP) and Impax Laboratories violated antitrust laws by striking a deal that sought to eliminate competition for an opioid painkiller. In filing its suit, the FTC pointed to a request made in 2017 by the Food and Drug Administration for Endo to voluntarily withdraw its reformulated version of the drug, which was called Opana ER, or extended release. (Silverman, 1/26)
Stat: This Professor Wrote A Manual For Using A Little-Known Federal Law For Lowering Drug Prices
One of the priorities of the new Biden administration is to tackle the cost of prescription medicines, an elusive goal for many federal and state lawmakers over the past several years. However, Christopher Morten has a suggestion. As the deputy director at the New York University Technology Law and Policy Clinic, he studies patents and access to medicines. (Silverman, 1/26)
