When Dr. Sarah Azad followed her mother into the field of obstetrics eight years ago, she thought she’d be in private practice for the rest of her career. At the time, independent practices abounded in Silicon Valley.

John Doak, the Oklahoma insurance commissioner, today gave members of a Senate panel advice that would please many health insurance agents and brokers: He called for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to investigate the Affordable Care Act Navigator program.

The health-care industry is asking for a two-year commitment of funds from the U.S. Senate’s health committee as a bipartisan group of legislators begins work Wednesday and Thursday to fix the individual insurance market under the Affordable Care Act.

The health-care industry is asking for a two-year commitment of funds from the U.S. Senate’s health committee as a bipartisan group of legislators begins work Wednesday and Thursday to fix the individual insurance market under the Affordable Care Act.

The chairman of the Senate health committee said Wednesday that he hoped the panel would reach a consensus by the end of next week on a small, bipartisan bill to stabilize health insurance markets and prevent prices from skyrocketing next year under the Affordable Care Act.

Earlier this year, Nevada became one of the first states in the country to implement drug price regulations as legislation on the issue stalled at a national level. The pharma industry now has its response: a lawsuit alleging that the state’s new law violates the Constitution in four ways.