THE DAILY DOSE: THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2010

Health Reform in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Committee on Ways and Means Committee on Education and Labor

Fact of the Day H.R. 3962 provides an extra $100 million annually in funding for the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Fund used by the CMS Medicare Integrity Program.

Follow Health Insurance Reform facebook     twitter

Health Resources Majority Leader Clearinghouse HealthReform.gov MedPAC Alliance for Health Reform National Health Policy Forum Kaiser Family Foundation Families USA Commonwealth Fund Robert Wood Johnson Foundation RAND Health Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Partnership for Prevention Trust for America's Health Synthesis Project

At the Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $44,894,990,869 since January 1, 2009 in Additional Premium Costs to Cover Care for the Uninsured.

Under the Microscope

INTENSE NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE

Continuing today is the House Democratic issues retreat.  The President will be addressing House Members at the Capitol tonight to no doubt talk about his number one domestic priority.

Today House and Senate Leadership were back at the White House in ongoing negotiations about reconciling differences between the House and Senate bills. Yesterday Congressional Leadership was there for over eight hours in marathon negotiations speaking with the President, Vice President, HHS Secretary Sebelius, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, White House Office of Health Reform director Nancy-Ann DeParle, and Legislative Affairs director Phil Schiliro.  Meetings at the member and staff level continue around the clock as well.  Legislators are committed to delivering fiscally responsible reform legislation that provides stability and security to the American people and access to affordable quality health care.

#10 of TOP 10 BENEFITS FOR AMERICANS UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM

This is the first official day in the countdown of top 10 benefits for Americans under Health Insurance Reform.  Today’s benefit   highlight’s that under health insurance reform, American families will be given the peace of mind that comes with guaranteed access to affordable, quality health care coverage even if your employer doesn’t offer coverage, you are self-employed or you lose or switch jobs, no matter what your health status or age.

#10: Insurance Security if you lose your job, are self-employed or don’t have employer-sponsored insurance.

AND IT’S OFFICIAL

Some people don’t want insurance reforms like today’s top 10 benefit for consumers.  Our January 4th edition of the Daily Dose, mentioned Republican Congressional Members, and leaders of the Republican party, encouraging  repeal of the House health insurance reform legislation.  Now the Club for Growth, a “major force in Republican primary politics” has launched a new push to gather candidates’ signatures to pledge repealing health insurance reform that includes things Americans have been waiting years for like a ban on denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, limits on out-of-pocket costs, a ban on rescissions, and filling the Medicare Part D donut hole.

Health Care Headlines

Source: Tentative Deal On Cadillac Plans
The White House has reached a tentative deal with labor leaders to tax expensive health insurance plans, averting a standoff on one of the most contentious issues standing in the way of a compromise, according to a source familiar with agreement. [Politico, 1/14/2010]

Obama Joins Congressional Leaders In Talks To Work Out Health-Care Kinks
President Obama spent several hours with congressional leaders Wednesday in a marathon negotiating session aimed at resolving outstanding differences between the House and Senate Democrats over health-care legislation and pushing his top domestic priority through to final passage. [Washington Post, 1/14/2010]

House Not Inclined To Roll Over, Play Dead
My Washington decoder ring isn't the most finely tuned. But I think it's good enough to translate the message House leadership was trying to send yesterday: Don't take us for granted. [New Republic, 1/13/2010]

Obama To Woo House Dems On Health Care Deal
Striving to close the deal on health care, President Barack Obama planned a trip to Capitol Hill on Thursday to urge rank-and-file House Democrats to yield on key issues still standing in the way of a historic legislative achievement. [Associated Press, 1/14/2010]

Proposals Clash On States' Role In Health Plans
Should someone in Idaho or Nevada have significantly different health care coverage from someone in Massachusetts? That, essentially, is one of the biggest questions Congress will be wrestling with as it tries to meld House and Senate bills into a single law to revamp the nation's health care system.
[New York Times, 1/14/2010]

Tax Expansion Could Pay For Healthcare Overhaul
Democratic congressional leaders are considering a new strategy to help finance their ambitious healthcare plan -- applying the Medicare payroll tax not just to wages but to capital gains, dividends and other forms of unearned income. [L.A. Times, 1/14/2010]

After Learning Of Campaign Donations, Dems Turn Up Heat On Insurance Companies
Nineteen Senate Democrats on Wednesday called for the health insurance industry to lose its long-held anti-trust exemption after news surfaced that insurance companies have spent millions in a concealed effort to oppose healthcare reform [The Hill, 1/14/2010]