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Anthem Blue Cross, California’s biggest for-profit health insurance company, has been on the hot seat lately. Its plan to raise premiums on policies for individuals by as much as 39 percent landed the CEO of its parent company, Wellpoint, in front of a Congressional committee and reignighted efforts to pass healthcare reform legislation. Now the advocacy group ConsumerWatchdog has filed a class-action lawsuit against Anthem over the rate increases. We spoke to Jerry Flanagan, healthcare policy director for ConsumerWatchdog, about his group’s lawsuit, what Anthem’s actions mean for reform, and why proposed healthcare legislation wouldn’t have prevented Anthem from instituting the rate increases in the first place. Read More
Regulatory
Fast-tracking regulatory scienceNIH and FDA collaborate to speed new treatments to patients. Read More.Patents
Why Biotech Is Worried About The Fight Over Gene Patents Podcast: February 22, 2010 Read More.Regulatory
Formalizing WarningsFDA places new requirement on makers of anemia drugs. Read More.Regulatory
Ambiguity is PowerFDA official's recent comments add mirkiness to the industry's use of social media when clarity is needed. Read More.Patents
A Near Perfect StormHHS Advisory committee calls for exemptions to liability for infringement of patents on genes. Read More.Privacy
Why GINA Can Be Problematic in the WorkplacePodcast: February 8, 2010 Read More.Regulatory
Budget BoostObama's fiscal 2011 budget calls for more money for NIH, FDA. Read More.Regulatory
With Healthcare Reform Uncertain, BIO's Policy Fights RemainPodcast: February 1, 2010 Read More.Biodefense
A Big Fat “F”Commission gives the government a failing grade for its preparation to prevent and counter biological attacks. Read More.Healthcare Reform
Where Healthcare Goes After MassachusettsPodcast: January 25, 2010 Read More.Healthcare Reform
Up, Up and AwayGAO blames lack of competition for extraordinary increases in drug prices. Read More.Regulatory
Unheeded WarningsMonitoring of high-risk medications unchanged despite FDA warnings. Read More.Regulatory
New drug approvals improve in 2009 as more biologics get the green lightPodcast: January 11, 2010 Read More.Healthcare Reform
Healthcare AppendixAn up-close-and-personal interface with the American healthcare system. Read More.Regulatory
A Healthcare CarolGetting the dickens scared out of you by reform efforts. Read More.
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Bloomberg