Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day H.R. 3962 establishes a new program to support pilot projects designed to reduce infant mortality. The U.S. is ranked fourth-worst in infant mortality among OECD countries. | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At the Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $44,051,777,303 since January 1, 2009 in Additional Premium Costs to Cover Care for the Uninsured. Under the Microscope Affordability, Accessibility, and Fiscal Responsibility The House, Senate and White House have begun discussing ways to reconcile the differences between the two health insurance reform bills. Today, House Democrats held their second tele-conference since the House adjourned in December, during which Members discussed their priorities for the final product: affordability for the middle class, accessibility for all Americans, and fiscal responsibility by reducing deficits over the long term.. See the House Majority Leader’s Health Insurance Reform Clearinghouse for what’s in the House bill, as well as the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund for analysis of provisions and a provision interactive. Congressional staffers may also access helpful information through CRS, including a comparative analysis of health insurance provisions in both bills.
Health Care Headlines Lost in the Rhetoric: New Gains for Medicare Beneficiaries
When it comes to health care reform proposals for Medicare, the big news has been the billions of dollars in savings the bills would wring from the program. [AARP Bulletin Today, 1/7/2010] Closing ‘Doughnut Hole’ Completely a Must, AARP Tells Negotiators
AARP said in a letter to Congress Wednesday that it won’t support any health care overhaul package negotiated by House and Senate Democrats that fails to completely close by 2019 the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage known as the “doughnut hole.” [CQ HealthBeat, 1/6/2010] Health-Care Reform Bill's Proposed Tax On High-Cost Plans Raises Questions
With Congress on the verge of imposing a new tax on high-cost health insurance plans, skeptics continue to raise questions about who would be hit hardest and whether health-care spending would be limited as much as proponents say. [Washington Post, 1/7/2010] Obama Urges Excise Tax on High-Cost Insurance
President Obama told House Democratic leaders at a meeting on Wednesday that they should include a tax on high-priced insurance policies favored by the Senate in the final version of far-reaching health care legislation, aides said. [New York Times, 1/7/2010] How Interest Groups Behind Health-Care Legislation Are Financed Is Often Unclear
Many of the Washington interest groups that are seeking to shape final health-care legislation in the coming weeks operate with opaque financing, often receiving hidden support from insurers, drugmakers or unions. [Washington Post, 1/7/2010] Pelosi, at White House, Says Negotiators ‘Very Close’ on Health Care Deal
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that negotiators are “very close” to reconciling House and Senate health care reform bills, but she declined to say when she thought the legislation might move to the floor. [Roll Call, 1/7/2010] Labor, Elected Leaders Seek Affordable Health Care
Labor leaders, elected officials and progressives are urging President Barack Obama and Congress to make health insurance more affordable for low-income Americans. [Associated Press, 1/7/2010] COMMENTARY: Health Care’s Biggest Hypocrite – Or Hero
By Timothy Egan
The sad thing about the broken state of our politics is that good solutions, once they get branded by one party or the other, are quickly dismissed by the rabid partisans who drive early election cycles and dominate the airwaves. [New York Times, 1/6/2010] | 