Repeal Obamacare's 1099 Reporting Provision? No Way!

I probably should have weighed in on this issue a few weeks back, but the looming bipartisan repeal of Obamacare’s 1099 reporting requirement is nothing for Obamacare’s opponents to cheer.

The 1099 provision refers to the justly reviled clause in Obamacare (section 9006) that compels any business spending at least $600 on a supplier to issue a 1099 to that supplier. So, if my consulting business buys $600 worth of office supplies from Staples, I’m supposed to issue Staples a 1099!

Rick Perry: No Obamacare Exchange for Texas

Governor Rick Perry has reportedly prevented State Representative John Zerwas and other legislators from making a potentially fatal blunder in the fight against Obamacare. According to local media, the governor’s office has discouraged Rep. Zerwas from championing legislation establishing a state-based Obamacare Health Benefits Exchange in Texas.

How Many Melanoma Patients Did the FDA Kill?

By my estimate, more than 1,000 people have died prematurely because of foot-dragging by the FDA. Here’s why:

After an “expedited” analysis that lasted a year and a half, the FDA has finally approved Bristol-Myers Squibbs’ Yervoy (ipilimunab) for metastatic melanoma. The deadliest type of skin cancer, melanoma killed 8,700 Americans last year, according to the National Cancer Institute. BMS submitted its application to the FDA on August 18, 2010, with a target date for approval of December 25. On November 2, the FDA pushed out the target date. On March 25, the FDA approved the lifesaving medicine.

So, the question is: How many patients did the FDA kill by delaying the medicine?

A Mandate is Not a Solution to Medical-Malpractice Crisis

Today’s New York Times has a compelling op-ed by Ronen Avraham, a law professor at the University of Texas. It proposes a way to fix the out-of-control medical-malpractice laws that hold sway over much of the country. Pointing out that both Republicans and Democrats in D.C. regret that Obamacare didn’t do enough on med-mal, Professor Avraham proposes a reform based on the sound principle that physicians who follow accepted medical guidelines should suffer reduced liability. I can’t imagine that any reasonable person would disagree with this principle. However, there are two problems with his proposal.

What Explains Sebelius' Ignorance of Health Law?

I've often wondered at how little Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services, knows about state and federal health legislation pre-Obamacare.  Career politicians do not get rewarded for telling the truth, but her ignorance is shocking.

No Obamacare Health Exchange for Ohio

My column in a Cincinnati newspaper is available here.

Yesterday's Two Radio Interviews Podcast

KQED, Northern California's largest NPR affiliate, has posted my interview with Michael Krasny on the one-year anniversary of Obamacare here.

KCRW, Southern California's largest NPR affiliate, has posted my interview with Warren Olney here.