Health Reform in the House Wednesday, February 24, 10:00 a.m.
Hearing on Anthem Blue Cross Premium Hike
Committee On Energy & Commerce
Hearing Room TBD
More information here | Fact of the Day Last year, the five largest for-profit insurance companies made record profits-- $12.2 billion—a 56 percent jump--- while dropping coverage for 2.7 million Americans. | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At the Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $49,633,412,757 since January 1, 2009 in Additional Premium Costs to Cover Care for the Uninsured. Under the Microscope HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM RE-GAINING MOMENTUM On the same day that Anthem Blue Cross was charged with 700 violations against consumers by State regulators, House Democrats held a caucus meeting today to discuss the President’s recently released proposal to reform the health insurance system. Lawmakers were pleased the President’s proposal increased affordability for the middle class, eliminated the special deal for Nebraska, gave greater aid to states for expanding Medicaid, and cut the excise tax on high cost plans by over 80 percent. This afternoon Reps. Tom Perriello and Betsy Markey held a press conference with former health insurance executive Wendell Potter and House Leadership on the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act that will be on the House Floor tomorrow. The bill would repeal the anti-trust exemption enjoyed by health insurance companies for half a century.
Health Care Headlines Anthem Blue Cross: State Regulator Finds More Than 700 Violations
California's insurance regulator said Monday his office has found more than 700 violations by the state's largest for-profit health insurer, including late payment of claims, giving misleading information to consumers and failing to cooperate with regulators. [Huffington Post, 2/22/2010] Connecticut Health Care Premiums Up 20 Percent As Obama Seeks Limits
Health insurance premiums for individual medical plans jumped in price by an average of more than 20 percent this year in Connecticut, placing the state squarely in the cross hairs of the national health care debate. [Hartford Courant, 2/23/2010] Obama Offers New Health-Care Reform Proposal
President Obama signaled his determination to forge ahead with a Democratic vision of comprehensive health-care reform as he unveiled on Monday an ambitious proposal that would extend coverage to 31 million people, raise taxes on the wealthy and ratchet up regulations on insurers.
[Washington Post, 2/23/2010] Health Treats Aimed At House
President Barack Obama offered House Democrats nearly $80 billion in sweeteners Monday to get them to sign on to the Senate’s version of health care reform. [Roll Call, 2/23/2010] The Public’s Take On “The President’s Proposal”
Determined to push ahead on major reform of the country's health-care system, the White House today stitched together a series of proposals that have broad, but often malleable, public support. Here's how the items in the plan stack up in the polls, where data are available. [Washington Post, 2/22/2010] Obama Plan Would Monitor Insurance Premiums
For the first time in the year-long debate over health care, President Obama has released his own vision of what a comprehensive overhaul should look like. [NPR, 2/23/2010] Senate GOP Leadership To White House: We’re Not Bringing Any Bill
The Senate GOP leadership is brushing off Dan Pfeiffer’s demand this morning that Republicans clarify whether they’ll produce a bill in advance of the summit, and won’t put forth a “comprehensive proposal,” aides say. [Plum Line, 2/23/2010] Read Dan Pfeiffer’s blog post. EDITORIAL: The President’s Plan
Perhaps if Senator Edward Kennedy had lived longer, or the election to choose his successor had turned out differently, President Obama’s decision to have Congress take the lead on health care reform would have looked like a political masterstroke. [New York Times, 2/22/2010] OPINION: Democrats: Find Your Spines and Pass Health Reform
By Eugene Robinson
Better late than never. Now that President Obama has finally put a health-care proposal on the table, the Democratic leadership in Congress has only one rational course of action: Pass the thing, and quickly, or risk becoming the loyal minority. [Washington Post, 2/23/2010] | 