POLITICO's Pulse Check

Roundup: The lame-duck Congress, plus new drug pricing plans

Episode Summary

A "staring contest" between two Republican senators seems to be holding up progress on a pair of health care measures in the lame-duck session of Congress. Plus, CMS proposes changes to Medicare Part D in the hopes of curtailing the cost of certain drugs.

Episode Notes

POLITICO's Paul Demko, who's in for host Dan Diamond, speaks with reporters Alice Ollstein and Sarah Karlin-Smith about what to expect on the health care front from the lame-duck session of Congress (spoiler: not much). Plus, just as only Nixon could go to China, perhaps only Republicans can limit drug coverage in Medicare Part D -- a discussion of proposed changes from CMS and the seeming lack of opposition from Congressional Republicans, at least for the moment.

Reporting referenced in this episode:

GOP infighting delaying popular health bills

CMS takes on 'protected classes' in Part D