Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day Every minute 8 people are denied coverage, charged a higher rate, or otherwise discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition. (HealthReform.gov) | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At the Time This Daily Dose Was Sent, Insured Americans Had Paid a “Hidden Tax” of $51,418,861,772 since January 1, 2009 in Additional Premium Costs to Cover Care for the Uninsured. Under the Microscope ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES CAMPAIGN FOR REFORM Today the White House kept up the drum beat for health insurance reform, starting this morning with HHS Secretary Sebelius' address to the America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) annual conference. The Secretary mentioned the recent Goldman Sachs memo to investors that said that insurance companies should still make a lot of money denying customers and raising rates because competition in the industry is so weak. She told insurance companies they have a choice: they can choose to make money by excluding more people from the market by spending millions of dollars on ads to kill meaningful reform. Or they can choose to create a more sustainable health insurance market and use their millions of dollars of ad money to give relief to Americans with skyrocketing premiums. In addition, Sebelius asked companies to disclose all their premium increases alongside specific data justifying the higher rates. This afternoon, President Obama spoke on health insurance reform in St. Charles, MO outside of St. Louis. In his remarks he announced a new effort to crack down on waste and fraud in Medicare, Medicaid, and other government programs. For more information on this and other steps the Obama Administration has taken to get rid of taxpayer waste and fraud with taxpayer dollars, click here. TODAY’S HEALTH REFORM NUMBER: 8
Every minute 8 people are denied coverage, charged a higher rate, or otherwise discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition. Follow these daily numbers on WhiteHouse.gov and on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Health Care Headlines Anthem Also Raises Rates For Virginians
Health insurance rates for individual plans offered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia have increased as much as 20.5 percent within the past six months, with more increases planned for April. [Roanoke Times, 3/9/2010] Few Californians Benefiting From Rescission Settlements
Only a small fraction of eligible Californians have benefited from agreements that Anthem Blue Cross and other insurers made to settle accusations that they systematically and illegally dropped sick policyholders to avoid paying for their care, a report due out Wednesday finds. [L.A. Times, 3/10/2010] AP-GfK Poll: Public Wants Elusive Accord on Health
Americans and their lawmakers are dramatically out of sync on health care, with large majorities of people looking for bipartisan cooperation that's nowhere in sight. [Associated Press, 3/9/2010] Obama Pushing On Health Care End Game
President Barack Obama is making his closing arguments for a health care overhaul, pushing a new anti-fraud plan as he cranks up the pressure on skittish Democratic lawmakers to act fast.
[Associated Press, 3/10/2010] Medicare Part D Company Ejected From Program For First Time
For the first time since the program was enacted, an insurer is being ejected from the Medicare Part D program for denying medication to seniors and otherwise failing to live up to Medicare obligations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Tuesday. [Huffington Post, 3/9/2010] Thousands Rally to Support Health-Care Reform in Downtown Washington
Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. [Washington Post, 3/10/2010] Rally Backs Health Plan
In a reverse twist on the old protesters' tactic of getting arrested to make a point, union leaders and other backers of President Obama's healthcare plan issued "citizen's arrest" warrants for health insurance executives Tuesday -- accusing them of exploiting consumers. [L.A. Times, 3/10/2010] Kildee Breaks From Stupak Over Senate Abortion Language
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), a key supporter of Rep. Bart Stupak’s (D-Mich.) anti-abortion language intended for the health care bill, said Tuesday night that he’s satisfied the Senate abortion language prohibits federal funding of abortions and will likely vote for the bill. [Roll Call, 3/9/2010] OPINION: Fudge: Americans Deserve Access to Affordable Health Care
By Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH)
It happens after community meetings, during telephone town halls and even in church: Northeast Ohioans ask me not to give up on making health care more affordable and accessible to all. [Roll Call, 3/8/2010] | 