Republicans challenge influential seniors group
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Republicans in the U.S. House Friday accused the AARP of gaining financially from President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul, which the influential elderly advocacy group supported.
Republican members of a House Ways and Means subcommittee grilled AARP Chief Executive Officer Barry Rand and AARP President Lee Hammond on the non-profit organization’s health insurance operations. Rand defended the group’s policy positions and said money received from insurance licensing agreements is used to pay for its social-welfare mission.
Republicans argued that the group would gain financially by cutbacks in the law to the Medicare Advantage program that delivers Medicare health benefits through private insurers.
Edwards heart valve trial results impress
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A heart valve replacement technique developed by Edwards LifeSciences Corp that spares patients open-heart surgery had a slightly lower death rate at one year, outweighing a higher risk of major stroke.
One year after implantation using the Edwards valve called Sapien, 24.2 percent of patients died—compared with 26.8 percent of those who underwent open-heart surgery in the highly anticipated 699-patient study.
Non-inferiority of the Edwards device was “strongly established,” according to researchers who presented the data at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.
