Regulatory and Washington

Recently, I had a brief conversation with a man I admire and respect very much, regarding the cover story of the Oct. 15 issue of DSN, “Building the ACO.”


“Eder, what’s an ACO?” the man asked.


I explained that it stands for accountable care organization; basically, it means providers from different practice settings working together to spread primary care responsibility across an integrated healthcare team. 


“You think that’s good?”


The Obama administration’s ambitious overhaul of the nation’s healthcare system weathered some significant challenges in 2012 and came through relatively unscathed.


The first major test came in June, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, while still ruling that the law’s provision requiring individuals to obtain health insurance was unconstitutional.


What saved the ACA was the court’s decision that the government’s mandate to purchase health insurance qualified as a tax. 


WASHINGTON — Drug companies have made "remarkable progress" in treatment options for patients with HIV and AIDS, according to two new reports from a drug industry trade group.

With new payment models beginning to change the way hospitals and health providers are reimbursed for their services, health plan payers scrambling to control unsustainable medical costs and health information technology linking up the patient care silos, a more integrated and patient-centric care model is emerging out of the chaos of a health system in transformation. 


RARITAN, N.J. — A Food and Drug Administration panel has voted to recommend approval for a Johnson & Johnson drug to treat tuberculosis while the agency has recommended accelerated approval for the drug, the company said.

WASHINGTON — The National Community Pharmacists Association on Wednesday urged Congress, such as through mail order, as lawmakers held a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Examining Options to Combat Health Care Waste, Fraud and Abuse.”

According to the House committee’s web site, its lawmakers are concerned about Medicare spending in particular and the hearing is intended to “explore potential new approaches to address these substantial and ongoing threats.”

ALLEGAN, Mich. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug from Perrigo and Cobrek Pharmaceuticals for treating scalp conditions.

Perrigo said that Cobrek, with which it is partnering, had received approval for betamethasone validate foam in the 0.12% strength. The drug is a generic version of Luxiq foam, made by GlaxoSmithKline subsidiary Stiefel Labs, and is used to treat corticosteroid-responsive skin conditions of the scalp, also known as scalp psoriasis.

The branded version of the drug has annual sales of about $40 million, according to Perrigo.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The 14th annual National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation dinner raised nearly $1.8 million to fund research, charity and scholarships, the foundation said Wednesday.