Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day H.R. 3962 applies Medicare’s timely payment of claims standards to health insurance plans in the Exchange marketplace so that plans have standards for timely payments to providers. | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At The Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $43,706,044,250 This Year In Additional Premium Costs To Cover Care For The Uninsured. Under the Microscope MERGING THE TWO CHAMBER’S REFORM BILLS While Members and staff work to merge the Senate and House health insurance reform bills, review a detailed Side-by-Side Comparison of the legislation. Also check out Kaiser Family Foundation’s interactive affordability credit calculator to compare how individuals in the Exchange would be provided assistance in acquiring insurance coverage. REPEALING HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM? Five months ago, Republicans started pushing for repeal of whatever health insurance reform bill passes. Rather than debating the bill in meaningful terms and working in a bipartisan manner, Republican talking heads, Members of Congress, and organizations have again picked up calls for repealing the legislation. In the meantime, Democratic strategists have said calls for repealing the bill have resulted in increased support for Democrats. For a little perspective on the repeal argument, see the New York Times’ interactive timeline of health insurance reform efforts throughout U.S. history. The problem of affordability for families has been around for a hundred years and has reached a critical point. Read Dan Pfeiffer, White House Communications Director’s blog on what repeal of reform would mean. In addition, a December Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 54 percent of the public says it’s more important than ever to pass health reform now.
Health Care Headlines What Health-Care Reform Will Mean For You
No matter how the conference committee reconciles the House and Senate bills, health-care reform will usher in some sweeping new policies. Plenty of people have tried to tease out what this will mean for the average consumer. [Newsweek, 12/29/2009] Ten Things To Watch In The Health-Care Reform Conference
As the health-care reform process nears its merciful end, many important questions must still be decided, most of which have received only passing attention by the media. [American Prospect, 12/29/2009] In Health Bill For Everyone, Provisions For A Few
Early versions of the Senate’s far-reaching health care bill said that small businesses with fewer than 50 workers would not be penalized if they failed to provide insurance. That was before labor unions in the construction industry went to work and persuaded Senate leaders to insert five paragraphs.
[New York Times, 1/3/2010] Some Foes Of Health-Care Bill Hope Courts Will Stop Legislation
Opponents of the health-care reform bill are not giving up the fight, and some think their last, best hope to halt the legislation lies not in the U.S. Capitol but in the court across the street. [Washington Post, 1/3/2010]
Read a related article and the MythBuster on this topic. Retirees Snared By Medicare
Rules for enrolling in Medicare are complex. But when people postpone retirement past age 65, as many people are doing these days, it's easy to get caught up in red tape. [Wall Street Journal, 12/30/2009] Program For Children Has Uncertain Future
As Democratic Congressional leaders work to merge the House and Senate versions of major health care legislation, a big question is what they will do about the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which now provides coverage to more than nine million children and pregnant women and is expected to cover more than 14 million by 2013. [New York Times, 1/3/2010] OPINION: Setting The Stage For A Midterm Showdown
By Dick Polman
This is an election year in Washington. The Democrats have to defend their House and Senate majorities amid a recession and two wars (three, if you count our covert maneuverings in Yemen). [Philadelphia Inquirer, 1/3/2010] COMMENTARY: A More Partisan Politics With More BiPartisan Results
By Ezra Klein
We are less bipartisan in process even as we have become more bipartisan in substance.
[Washington Post, 12/29/2009] COMMENTARY: Health Cuts With Little Effect On Care
By David Leonhardt
At the heart of the health care debate is the question of whether it’s possible to cut medical costs without harming patients. What has happened here in Richmond helps to answer that question.
[New York Times, 12/29/2009] | 