Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day Section 311 of H.R. 3962 makes clear that nothing in the bill interferes with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs or Department of Defense’s existing authorities, including the authority over the TRICARE or VA health care programs. | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At the Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $45,494,764,892 since January 1, 2009 in Additional Premium Costs to Cover Care for the Uninsured. Under the Microscope More progress was made over the weekend on working through the differences in the House and Senate bills. Negotiations will continue this week as the President and Congress work towards enacting a health reform bill. #8 of TOP 10 BENEFITS FOR AMERICANS UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM: AT LEAST 30 MILLION MORE AMERICANS WILL FINALLY HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE
For the first time ever, between 30-35 million Americans who are currently uninsured will have access to quality, affordable care. Insurance will no longer be tied to employment, meaning people will have access to coverage whether they lose their job, switch jobs, or their employer stops providing health benefits. And reform will finally put consumers in control of their own health plans, instead of insurance companies. # 8: At Least 30-35 Million More Americans Will Finally Have Health Insurance
Health Care Headlines Pelosi Bullish on Health Care Passage
House Democratic leaders emerged from a Tuesday meeting confident that health care reform will not be derailed by a potential GOP win in Tuesday’s special election to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat — an outcome that would strip the Senate Democrats of their filibuster-proof majority.
[Roll Call, 1/19/2010] White House Looks Again to Senator Snowe
The White House says it hasn’t given up on getting Senator Olympia Snowe, Republican of Maine, to vote in favor of a health care overhaul. [New York Times, 1/19/2010] HMO Shares Up, Hospitals Fall Ahead of Mass. Vote
Health insurer shares rose on Tuesday, while hospital stocks fell as investors were anticipating a Republican victory in the special Massachusetts election for a new U.S. senator that would throw healthcare reform into uncertainty. [Reuters, 1/19/2010] Misleading Claims About Safeway Wellness Incentives Shape Health-Care Bill
It's a seductively simple solution to rising health-care costs. Require workers to pay higher premiums if they flunk tests for measures such as weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. Then, bingo: You not only get a fitter workforce, you slash medical expenses. [Washington Post, 1/17/2010] Confronting the Affordability Gap In the Health Care Bills
As congressional Democrats work feverishly to bridge the gaps between the House and Senate health care overhaul bills, one issue is becoming a subject of considerable debate: affordability. [NPR, 1/19/2010] COMMENTARY: After Massachusetts, Why the Democrats Should Still Pass Health-Care Reform
By Jacob S. Hacker and Daniel Hopkins
Forget the question of whether a Republican Senate victory in Massachusetts spells the end of health reform. It doesn't -- unless Democrats let it. The Senate has already passed a bill that is far from perfect but far better than nothing. [The Washington Post, 1/19/2010] COMMENTARY: The Only Things Democrats Need to Fear Is Fear Itself
By Ezra Klein
To state some of the arguments of my earlier post more succinctly, the short-term danger of a Scott Brown victory is not Scott Brown in the Senate, or even 41 Republicans in the Senate. It's Democrats freaking out and abandoning the House bill. [Washington Post, 1/19/2010] Read a related article. COMMENTARY: Brown Makes the *Political* Case for Reform
By Jonathan Cohn
Scott Brown is running on a promise to block the health care bill in Washington. But, as you may have heard, he is not running on a promise to roll back the reforms that Massachusetts implemented three years ago. In fact, he says he supports those reforms. [New Republic, 1/18/2010] | 