In Brief: House Medicare bill

House Medicare bill: HR 2425 is approved by a 231-201 vote on Oct. 19 after one day of floor debate. The measure contains a provision that would prohibit the award of punitive damages against a drug or medical device manufacturer if the product was approved by FDA. The Justice Department wrote House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer (R-Tex.) on Oct. 12, arguing that the section of the bill related to medical liability reform "represent[s] an unacceptable extension of federal authority over an area of the law historically left to the states" and "is totally inappropriate to the budget reconciliation process." The Senate Medicaid/Medicare package, which does not contain the medical liability provision, is expected to be considered on the floor late in the week of Oct. 23...