Some medical device manufacturers may pass on the cost of a new medical device tax under the Affordable Care Act to their hospital customers.

Earlier this week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced to the employees of the U.S. Department of Transportation that after serving for four years in President Obama’s Cabinet, he would not be staying on for the second term.

In a statement posted on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website, the Department of Labor announced that it has delayed the March 1 deadline for employers to notify workers about health insurance exchanges available under the Affordable Care Act.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on behalf of the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has issued a request for quotation (RFQ) for Sleep Study Readings. The total numbers of hours are 102 per annum. The period of performance is March 1, 2013 through Feb. 28, 2014 with two (2) option years. This is a small business set-aside. Performance will be in Bethesda, Maryland. The quotations are due on January 31, 2013 at 3:00PM EST.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that it had awarded $1.5 billion in grant funding to help 11 states establish or develop their health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. A total of 49 states, the District of Columbia, and four territories have received grants to plan their marketplaces, and 34 states and the District of Columbia have received grants to build their marketplaces.

This week Politico reported that health insurers are asking Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement additional penalties on U.S. residents who do not acquire health insurance coverage beginning in 2014. Penalties assessed under the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate begin at $95. However, insurers are worried that the fee will not be enough to motivate healthier individuals to purchase coverage. America's Health Insurance Plans, BlueCross BlueShield Association, the National Association of Health Underwriters and the American Academy of Actuaries all have urged HHS to impose late-enrollment fees to help prevent individuals from waiting to sign up for coverage until they become sick.

This week the New York Times reported that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will extend or waive the deadline for states interested in running their own health insurance exchange. HHS will work with states and set timelines and goals to progress toward creating an exchange. Every state is supposed to have an exchange by October.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) urged the federal government to limit cuts required by the "fiscal cliff" deal in order to leave hospitals with a 1% payment increase for inpatient and outpatient care in fiscal year 2014. The 1% payment increase would technically be a reduction from the scheduled 1.8% increase in inpatient payments and 2% increase in outpatient payments established by a pre-existing legislative formula.

Physicians unable to file for a Medicare ePrescribing hardship exemption by the June 30, 2012 deadline have until January 31, 2013 to avoid a 1.5 percent payment penalty

A growing number of employers are reviewing their options as the new health coverage regulations under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are set to be rolled out later this year and implemented on January 1, 2014.