Search Results Archives: November 2012
From: Pharamlot
By Ed Silverman
Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finally sent a final version of the Sunshine rule to the White House for approval (see this). The controversial rule, which became law as part of the Affordable Care Act, is supposed to determine ways for gathering and publishing data that contain financial ties between physicians and drug and device maker.
Editor’s Note: So-called “delays” in issuing regulations are simply a way of stating that OMB is doing the review job assigned to them by eight consecutive administrations.
From: OMB Watch
A number of high-profile rules that would strengthen health, safety, and environmental protections failed to move through the regulatory review process in the first term of the Obama administration. Many speculate that the administration avoided publishing controversial rules during the election season. With the election settled, some overdue rules may finally see the light of day. However, corporate interests that have been fighting against stronger standards continue to do so, and advocates for stronger protections are waiting to see if the administration will act more aggressively to protect public health and the environment in its second term.
From: Food Safety News
By James Andrews
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is still working “expeditiously” to implement major portions of the Food Safety Modernization Act, legislation that has largely sat in budgetary limbo since President Obama signed it into law on January 4, 2011 – nearly two years ago.
“The Obama Administration is committed to food safety and we have taken key steps including putting out a food safety rule cracking down on salmonella in eggs and expanding E. coli testing for beef,” an OMB spokeswoman wrote to the Huffington Post on Tuesday. ”We are working as expeditiously as possible to implement the food safety legislation we fought so hard for. When it comes to rules with this degree of importance and complexity, it is critical that we get it right.”
From: Politico
By JENNIFER HABERKORN
The bottled-up rules to set up President Barack Obama’s health care reform law are going to start flowing quickly right after Election Day.
But how long will that last? That depends on who wins the presidency.
The once-steady stream of regulations and rules from the Obama administration — instructions for insurance companies, hospitals and states on how to put the law in place — has slowed to a trickle in recent months in an attempt to avoid controversies before the election. Many states, too, have done little public work to avoid making the law an election issue for state officials on the ballot.
From: The Heritage Foundation
By Diane Katz
After three years of unprecedented regulatory activity, the Obama Administration has noticeably slowed its rulemaking in recent months. A number of major rules remain under prolonged “review” by the White House, while publication of the regulatory agenda required by statute has not occurred.
This flouting of the law is disturbing enough, but it is made worse by the mounting regulatory uncertainty it has caused. The Administration should come clean about its regulatory intentions by releasing its agenda as required.
Lack of Transparency