Fast track gets insurance help

WASHINGTON - The federal government has ordered all insurance carriers providing coverage to federal workers to pay for any FDA-approved product, including those that receive contingent approvals under the "fast track" provisions of the FDA Modernization Act of 1997 and those that have received "accelerated" approval under older FDA policies.

The order applies to coverage of 10 million federal employees. At the same time, members of Congress want to extend the requirement to all insurance companies and managed care organizations covering patients in the private sector...