Health Reform in the House | Fact of the Day The House bill reverses a 21% cut scheduled to impact Medicare physician payment rates on January 1st, ensuring that doctors stay in Medicare and available to seniors. | | Follow Health Insurance Reform
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At The Time This Daily Dose Was Sent the Hidden Health Tax On Insured Americans Was $31,501,526,276 Under the Microscope Focus on Improving Health Insurance Today, Vice President Biden, HHS Secretary Sebelius, and the Director of the White House Office of Health Reform, Nancy-Ann DeParle, spoke at a Maryland senior living facility about how health insurance reform will lower costs, cut waste, and improve health care quality for seniors. In tandem with today’s event, the White House released a report on Health Insurance Reform and Medicare: Making Medicare Stronger for America’s Seniors. The House Energy and Commerce Committee met today to go through a series of additional amendments, submitted before the August recess. The Democratic Caucus also continued meeting on health insurance reform, with today’s focus on small business. John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority joined the meeting. Democratic Senators are feeling upbeat as it looks like there will be a second senator from Massachusetts shortly. And the Senate Finance Committee is in the second day of markup of America's Healthy Future Act. Read coverage of the markup below. Health Care Markup Is Just Beginning
For all the posturing and hype surrounding the Finance Committee health care reform bill, there was little real suspense inside Hart 216 on Tuesday. [Politico, 9/23/2009]
Read a related article. Doctors Want Health Insurance Reform Doctors’ groups representing over 500 physicians nationwide have joined forces in support of health insurance reform. You may notice their new print ads. In the headlines below are two opinion pieces written by doctors in support of reform as well.
Health Care Headlines Biden Says Rising Health Premiums Show Need For Overhaul
Vice President Joe Biden said new data showing health-insurance premiums rising faster in every state than wages or inflation highlight the need for health-care legislation. [Wall Street Journal, 9/22/2009] Biden Says Tighter Regulation Of Insurance Industry Is Critical To Health Reform
Vice President Biden added his voice Tuesday to the administration's efforts to reform health care, telling a meeting of state insurance commissioners that tighter regulation of the industry is needed to protect consumers and slow the spiraling cost of medical coverage. [Washington Post, 9/22/2009] Lawmakers Regrouping To Seek Healthcare Deal
Democrats’ failure to attract Republican support on health reform has launched new bipartisan talks in both chambers as groups seek to influence the legislation ahead of crucial floor debates. [The Hill, 9/23/2009]
Read a related article Finance Dems Rough Up WH-Pharma Deal
The Finance Committee seemed to come very close to passing an amendment Tuesday that would have violated the White House deal with the pharmaceutical industry. [Politico, 9/22/2009] Read a related article. Young, Invincible - And The Key To Health Reform
There are plenty of reasons people go without health insurance, but no group has more cause than 20-somethings. [Time, 9/22/2009] Medical Malpractice System Breeds More Waste
The debate over medical malpractice can often seem theological. On one side are those conservatives and doctors who have no doubt that frivolous lawsuits and Democratic politicians beholden to trial lawyers are the reasons American health care is so expensive. [New York Times, 9/23/2009] Medicare Makes Patients Happy, But Can It Last
Whether or not to create a new government-run health plan may be the biggest source of discord in the ongoing debate over a health overhaul. [NPR, 9/23/2009] Congress Examines Tweaking Medicare
Although many seniors are happy with the heath coverage they get through Medicare, the program may be unable to cope with the onslaught of 78 million baby boomers who are nearing retirement.
[NPR, 9/22/2009] Read more about Medicare here. GOP Rushes To Defend Insurance Companies From Dem Attack
Republicans took to the floor of Congress, the Internet and the Wall Street Journal op-ed page Tuesday in a rush to defend a health insurance company that used taxpayer-subsidized communication to terrify seniors with the prospect that health care reform will cut their Medicare benefits. [Huffington Post, 9/22/2009]
Read the letter Humana Inc. sent to seniors, and a MythBuster on this topic. EDITORIAL: The Numbers And Health Care Reform
Two authoritative surveys in recent days have underscored why all Americans have a stake in successful health care reform. Too many people are being hit with relentlessly rising premiums or are at serious risk of losing their coverage to allow the status quo to continue. [New York Times, 9/23/2009] OPINION: The Tragedy Of the Uninsured
By Stephan Patrick, MD, house officer in the Dept of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan
My mom had a job and health coverage. In the end, it wasn’t enough. Just 21 months into my mother's cancer treatment, she had reached her medical insurance policy's cap for chemotherapy — $100,000.
[USA Today, 9/23/2009] OPINION: AMA Committed To Health Reform
By Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, immediate past president, American Medical Association
Physicians experience firsthand the problems in our health care system -- like uninsured patients who delay care and unfair coverage decisions for patients with insurance. [Baltimore Sun, 9/22/2009] COMMENTARY: The Republicans' Deaf Ear Is A Preexisting Condition
By Dana Milbank
The Senate Finance Committee was barely an hour into its consideration of health-care reform on Tuesday morning, but Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) already knew where he stood. [Washington Post, 9/23/2009] | 