Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senate Panel Questions Whether Wellness Programs Clash With Disability Laws
The top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said Thursday that federal guidance is forthcoming to help employers administer worker wellness programs so that they comply with both ObamaCare and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) raised concerns in a committee hearing that some employers are going too far with their wellness initiatives and are ultimately discriminating against certain workers based on their health status. (Viebeck, 1/29)
Employers and health experts are pressing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for greater clarity on how workplace wellness programs should comply with anti-discrimination and disability laws. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, suggested during a Thursday hearing that legislation may even be appropriate and invited witnesses to submit their suggestions to the panel afterwards for review. (Zanona, 1/29)
The top senator overseeing health policy is setting an ambitious target for overhauling federal policies governing medical research and regulation with an aim of getting products to market faster. While Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., kicked off the effort with Sen. Richard M. Burr, R-N.C., he said he intends to collaborate closely with Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking member of HELP, and other committee Democrats. Alexander also noted that the White House has been calling for a more intense effort to translate genetic knowledge into new treatments, a field referred to as precision medicine. (Young, 1/29)
And artificial intelligence technology is part of a lobbying push -
Watson, an artificial intelligence technology that IBM wants to sell to help doctors diagnose diseases, will largely escape the oversight of U.S. regulators if the computer giant wins a two-year Washington lobbying push. IBM Corp.'s argument to Congress is that its supercomputer, famed for victory on quiz show "Jeopardy!," isn't a medical device like a cardiac pacemaker and shouldn't need lengthy clinical trials to prove it's safe and effective. A draft bill released Tuesday backs that position, and could speed the use of Watson and other decision support technologies. (Edney, 1/29)
