Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Democrats Push Back After Undercover Obamacare Probe
The Associated Press: Democrats Decry Undercover Probe Of HealthCare.gov
Senior Democrats pushed back Thursday against an undercover government probe of President Barack Obama’s health care law, saying it didn’t uncover any real fraud. Investigators for the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office signed up 11 bogus beneficiaries for 2014 coverage then got HealthCare.gov to continue benefits this year for all but one. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 7/16)
Bloomberg: This Is How Easy It Is To Scam Obamacare
When healthcare.gov opened in late 2013, it was so crippled by technical problems that critics questioned whether people would be able to sign up for coverage. Now, it may actually be too easy to enroll. That’s according to a new government audit, presented in testimony from the Government Accountability Office, delivered at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday. When federal auditors tried to apply for insurance coverage and tax credit subsidies using fictitious applicants, they succeeded 11 out of 12 times. (Tozzi, 7/16)
CQ Healthbeat: Mental Health Overhaul Could Get Pre-Recess Boost
Long-running congressional efforts to overhaul the mental health system are expected to get a boost before the August recess with the introduction of a bipartisan Senate plan tracking with a House package that isn't likely to be considered until later this year. Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., said the soon-to-be introduced bill would resemble the House plan (HR 2646) by Pennsylvania Republican Tim Murphy. The Senate measure is being crafted with Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy. A mental health bill Murphy pushed during the last Congress lacked a Senate companion. (Attias, 7/16)
Medill News Service: Money For Teen Pregnancy Prevention On Chopping Block
Both the U.S. House and Senate appropriations committees have proposed cutting funding from the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. The Senate proposal would slash the funding by 80 percent, bringing the budget to $20 million a year. The House version would stop funding the program altogether. Republicans pushing for cuts to the pregnancy prevention program say they are trying to reduce wasteful spending and would rather spend money on abstinence education programs they say have a proven track record. (Campbell, 7/16)
And in a House committee, lawmakers approve limits on how VA employees can challenge disciplinary actions --
The Washington Post: Limits On VA Employee Rights To Get Quick House Vote
Under a measure approved Wednesday by the House Veterans Affairs Committee, VA employees would have less time to challenge disciplinary actions, such as demotions or firings, and they could not appeal decisions beyond a first-level hearing official. Those changes would largely mirror limits imposed last year by a law that applies only to senior executives at the VA. ... The measure is one of numerous proposals offered in response to the scandal over patient scheduling and care at the department, and employee organizations see such measures as a precedent for making similar changes government-wide. (Yoder, 7/16)
