Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day Slowing the growth rate of health care costs will prevent disastrous increases in the Federal budget deficit. (White House Council of Economic Advisors) | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
 facebook  twitter |
|
| Health Resources |
At the Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $47,003,305,370 since January 1, 2009 in Additional Premium Costs to Cover Care for the Uninsured. Under the Microscope THE PRESIDENT’S FY11 BUDGET and HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM The President’s Budget for fiscal year 2011 was released today by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Based on average savings in both the House and Senate bills, the President’s budget assumes an approximate 10 year savings of $150 billion resulting from the enactment of health insurance reform. This underlines the importance of and the President’s commitment to getting health insurance reform signed into law for the sake of our country’s fiscal future. Further, both the Senate and House bill fully pay for health reform and lower the deficits over time, rather than add to America’s debt. Read today’s blog from White House Budget Director Peter Orszag:
“As I have said many times before and will again (since it’s still true!), the key to our long-term fiscal future is fiscally-responsible health insurance reform. All our steps to rein in the deficit will be for naught if we do not reduce the rate of health care cost growth over time. The legislation passed by both the House and Senate will reduce the deficit over the next decade and put in place the key pieces that will help to bring down health care costs over time. Congress must now deliver on this promise of fiscally responsible health reform – the stakes are high, both for the millions of Americans who lack a stable source of health insurance coverage and for the fiscal well-being of the Nation itself.” Read OMB's Fact Sheet on investments for secure and affordable health care for all Americans in the FY2011 Budget.
Health Care Headlines Democrats Quietly Working to Resuscitate Healthcare Overhaul
President Obama's campaign to overhaul the nation's healthcare system is officially on the back burner as Democrats turn to the task of stimulating job growth, but behind the scenes party leaders have nearly settled on a strategy to salvage the massive legislation. [L.A. Times, 1/30/2010] A Deep Divide Separated by Plenty of Common Ground
The question-and-answer session between President Obama and House Republicans last week seemed to offer an unusually frank and refreshingly substantive debate, especially on the subject of health care.
[New York Times, 1/31/2010] Democrats Hope a Breather Helps Health Care Bill
It has a heartbeat. Health care reform legislation is in deep trouble, but Democratic leaders last week refused to pull the plug on President Barack Obama’s signature domestic initiative. [Roll Call, 2/1/2010] EDITORIAL: Without Change, Health System Isn't Pretty
Washington insiders say that Republican Scott Brown's come-from-behind victory in the Massachusetts Senate race changes everything about health care reform. If only that were true.
[St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1/31/2010] OPINION: House Should Pass Senate Bill
By Bruce J. Schulman, author and Huntington professor of history at Boston University
As the congressional leadership ponders the way forward on national health care reform, a sense of anti-climax overwhelms Washington and the nation. [Politico, 1/31/2010] OPINION: What to Do Before Spending More On Health Care
By Robert J. Samuelson
By now, it ought to be obvious why President Obama has wanted his health-care overhaul passed quickly. It would be (and now will be) inconvenient to promote expanded government health spending while simultaneously pledging to rein in future budget deficits -- when unrestrained health spending is a major cause. [Washington Post, 2/1/2010] COMMENTARY: No Such Thing As ‘Simple’ Health Reform
By Uwe Reinhardt, Princeton economics professor
Even before Senator-elect Scott Brown’s stunning victory in the Massachusetts special election, there was no shortage of advice on simpler approaches to health reform that the president and his Congressional allies could have used in place of the bills now before Congress. [New York Times, 1/29/2010] | 