Healthcare
12/11/2009 | Healthcare
Health care loophole would allow coverage limits
Associated Press
A loophole in the Senate health care bill would let insurers place annual dollar limits on medical care for people struggling with costly illnesses such as cancer, prompting a rebuke from patient advocates.
The legislation that originally passed the Senate health committee last summer would have banned such limits, but a tweak to that provision weakened it in the bill now moving toward a Senate vote.
As currently written, the Senate Democratic health care bill would permit insurance companies to place annual limits on the dollar value of medical care, as long as those limits are not "unreasonable." The bill does not define what level of limits would be allowable, delegating that task to administration officials.
Adding to the puzzle, the new language was quietly tucked away in a clause in the bill still captioned "No lifetime or annual limits."
12/9/2009 | Healthcare
Senators Strike Health Deal
www.wsj.com: Senate Democrats reached tentative agreement to abandon government-run insurance plan
WASHINGTON -- Senior Senate Democrats reached tentative agreement Tuesday night to abandon the government-run insurance plan in their health-overhaul bill and to expand Medicare coverage to some people ages 55 to 64, clearing the most significant hurdle so far in getting a bill that can pass Congress. Liberals dropped the public insurance plan that was a central plank of the Democrats' health bill in favor of a more limited alternative, following intense pressure from a small group of Democrats who had insisted for months that it was a deal-breaker. While disputes over abortion coverage and other issues remain, Democrats appeared a whisker away from having enough votes to overcome Republican opposition and pass a sweeping health overhaul in the Senate. The Senate bill -- including the lack of a public plan -- is likely to form the core of any final legislation, though it will have to be reconciled with a health bill passed by the House last month.
12/9/2009 | Abortion, Healthcare
Senate rejects Nelson amendment on abortion
Washington Post
The Senate narrowly rejected an amendment that would have restricted abortion coverage in the pending health-care bill, leaving in question whether Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) has the 60 votes needed to move the bill toward final passage.
The measure, which failed 54-45, addressed the scope of restrictions on coverage of abortion services for people who receive subsidies to buy insurance. The outcome was expected, but could cost the support of Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who has threatened to filibuster the $848 billion bill unless abortion restrictions are tightened.
Recommended Guests:
Rev. Clenard Childress, Jr., Assistant Director, Life Education and Resource NetworkSteve Curtis, LifeCommercials.comMarjorie Dannenfelser, President and Chairman of the Board, Susan B. Anthony ListLen Deo, President, New Jersey Family Policy CouncilWilliam Devlin, National President, Redeem The VoteJessica Echard, Executive Director, Eagle ForumTim G. Echols, President/Founder, TeenPactGeorgette Forney, Co-Founder, Silent No MoreColin Hanna, Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom RingDr. Janice Hollis, Bishop, Progressive Believers MinistriesBishop Harry R. Jackson, Senior Pastor, Hope Christian ChurchPeter Lillback, President, Westminster Theological SeminaryJoe Murray, Columnist, The BulletinAmy Payne, Director of Communications, Americans for ProsperityPhyllis Schlafly, President and Founder, Eagle ForumChristopher Slattery, Founder and President, EMC Frontline Pregnancy CentersDavid Smith, Executive Director, Illinois Family InstituteDavid Wheaton, Author, Speaker, Radio Talk Show Host, TheChristianWorldview.com12/8/2009 | Healthcare
Senate turns to health bill's major obstacles
Washington Post
Seeking to resolve two contentious issues blocking health-care reform in the Senate, lawmakers began consideration Monday of an amendment to restrict abortion coverage, while Democrats closed in on alternatives to the public-insurance option.
The abortion provision, co-sponsored by Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), would bar individuals who receive federal insurance subsidies from purchasing private policies that cover elective abortions. It also would ban coverage under a government plan -- an issue that could become moot if the public option is dropped.
12/1/2009 | Healthcare
HHS would become federal giant under Senate plan
Washington Examiner
A quick search of the Senate health bill will bring up "secretary" 2,500 times.
That's because Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius would be awarded unprecedented new powers under the proposal, including the authority to decide what medical care should be covered by insurers as well as the terms and conditions of coverage and who should receive it.
"It's a huge amount of power being shifted to HHS, and much of it is highly discretionary," said Edmund Haislmaier, an expert in health care policy and insurance markets at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank
11/23/2009 | Healthcare
Doctors Ask: What Do You Mean, Cosmetic Tax?
ABC News
Tucked into the last hundred pages of Sen. Harry Reid's proposed health care bill is a 5 percent tax on cosmetic surgery that has doctors from various specialties wondering if they will soon become tax collectors who must also interpret the tax code.
If the bill passes as it was proposed Nov. 18, doctors will be asked to collect tax on surgical procedures that fall under the bill's definition of "cosmetic," regardless of whether the procedure is covered by insurance. If the doctors don't collect the tax, they are responsible for paying it.
11/18/2009 | Healthcare, Economy
Improper US Government Payments Hit $98 Billion
Reuters
Improper payments by the U.S. government to people, firms and contractors rose sharply to $98 billion in fiscal 2009 and President Barack Obama plans new rules to clamp down, the White House said Tuesday.
Over half the mistakes were made in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and although some of the deterioration reflected stricter measurement, it also showed the need for healthcare reform, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag told reporters.
Improper payments in the Medicare and Medicaid programs totaled $55 billion in fiscal 2009, according to documents provided by OMB.
Recommended Guests:
Karin Agness, Founder and President, Network of enlightened Women (NeW)Barry Asmus, Senior Economist, National Center for Policy AnalysisDavid Bossie, President, Citizens UnitedDan Celia, Host, "Financial Issues Live" Radio ProgramPhil Clements, Managing Director, Center for Christian Business Ethics Today, LLC.Ward Connerly, Author/Founder and Chairman, American Civil Rights InstituteMarjorie Dannenfelser, President and Chairman of the Board, Susan B. Anthony ListWilliam Devlin, National President, Redeem The VoteJames Edwards, Cofounder, Olive, Edwards, & Cooper, LLCJoseph Farah, CEO, Founder, WorldNetDailyJames Gelfand, Senior Manager of Health Policy, U.S. Chamber of CommerceLou Giuliano, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (r, ITT CorporationColin Hanna, Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom RingLowman Henry, Chairman & CEO, Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc.Larry Hunter, President, The Social Security InstitutePhillip Kim, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resour, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of BusinessJoe Murray, Columnist, The BulletinGrover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR)Amy Payne, Director of Communications, Americans for ProsperityChuck Stetson, Co-founder and Managing Director, PEI FundsTony Strickland, Taxpayer AdvocateJohn Weiser, Board Member, Westminster Theological Seminary , In Medias Res11/9/2009 | Healthcare
Health reformers prepare for Senate hurdle
FinancialTimes.com
The first thing Barack Obama did late on Saturday night following the passage of the healthcare bill in the House of Representatives was to phone the heads of three industry lobby groups to thank them for their support. Not included on the list was the largest insurance lobby group, American Health Insurance Plans, which doggedly continues to oppose Democratic reform efforts. Amid all the late night celebrations after the razor-thin 220-215 vote for the bill, Karen Ignagni, head of AHIP, warned that it would be a much tougher battle to push reform through the Senate in the weeks ahead. “The current House legislation fails to bend the healthcare cost curve and breaks the promise that those who like their current coverage can keep it,” she said. “The result will be increased costs and massive disruptions in the quality of coverage individuals and families rely on today.”
11/4/2009 | Abortion, Healthcare
Democrats' concerns over abortion may imperil health bill
The Washington Post
While House leaders are moving toward a vote on health-care legislation by the end of the week, enough Democrats are threatening to oppose the measure over the issue of abortion to create a question about its passage. House leaders were still negotiating Monday with the bloc of Democrats concerned about abortion provisions in the legislation, saying that they could lead to public funding of the procedure. After an evening meeting of top House Democrats, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Md.) said, "We are making progress," but added that they had not reached an agreement.
Recommended Guests:
Rev. Clenard Childress, Jr., Assistant Director, Life Education and Resource NetworkSteve Curtis, LifeCommercials.comMarjorie Dannenfelser, President and Chairman of the Board, Susan B. Anthony ListLen Deo, President, New Jersey Family Policy CouncilWilliam Devlin, National President, Redeem The VoteJessica Echard, Executive Director, Eagle ForumTim G. Echols, President/Founder, TeenPactGeorgette Forney, Co-Founder, Silent No MoreColin Hanna, Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom RingDr. Janice Hollis, Bishop, Progressive Believers MinistriesBishop Harry R. Jackson, Senior Pastor, Hope Christian ChurchPeter Lillback, President, Westminster Theological SeminaryJoe Murray, Columnist, The BulletinAmy Payne, Director of Communications, Americans for ProsperityPhyllis Schlafly, President and Founder, Eagle ForumChristopher Slattery, Founder and President, EMC Frontline Pregnancy CentersDavid Smith, Executive Director, Illinois Family InstituteDavid Wheaton, Author, Speaker, Radio Talk Show Host, TheChristianWorldview.com10/30/2009 | Healthcare
House health bill clocks in at 1,990 pages
Politico
It runs more pages than War and Peace, has nearly five times as many words as the Torah, and its tables of contents alone run far longer than this story. The House health care bill unveiled Thursday clocks in at 1,990 pages and about 400,000 words. With an estimated 10-year cost of $894 billion, that comes out to about $2.24 million per word. . And for some members, that may not be enough.
10/23/2009 | Economy, Healthcare
In Massachusetts, Obama won't promote state's plan
Washington Post
President Obama will travel Friday to Massachusetts, one of only two states to implement a universal health-care program similar to his ambitions for the entire country. But he does not plan to use the trip to make his case for far-reaching reform. The president's critics say his reluctance to spotlight the Massachusetts model is real-world evidence that his vision would not work on a national scale. High costs have forced the state to trim benefits for legal immigrants and prompted one safety-net hospital to sue over a $38 million shortfall.
Recommended Guests:
Karin Agness, Founder and President, Network of enlightened Women (NeW)Barry Asmus, Senior Economist, National Center for Policy AnalysisDavid Bossie, President, Citizens UnitedDan Celia, Host, "Financial Issues Live" Radio ProgramPhil Clements, Managing Director, Center for Christian Business Ethics Today, LLC.Ward Connerly, Author/Founder and Chairman, American Civil Rights InstituteMarjorie Dannenfelser, President and Chairman of the Board, Susan B. Anthony ListWilliam Devlin, National President, Redeem The VoteJames Edwards, Cofounder, Olive, Edwards, & Cooper, LLCJoseph Farah, CEO, Founder, WorldNetDailyJames Gelfand, Senior Manager of Health Policy, U.S. Chamber of CommerceLou Giuliano, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (r, ITT CorporationColin Hanna, Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom RingLowman Henry, Chairman & CEO, Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc.Larry Hunter, President, The Social Security InstitutePhillip Kim, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resour, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of BusinessJoe Murray, Columnist, The BulletinGrover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR)Amy Payne, Director of Communications, Americans for ProsperityChuck Stetson, Co-founder and Managing Director, PEI FundsTony Strickland, Taxpayer AdvocateJohn Weiser, Board Member, Westminster Theological Seminary , In Medias Res10/19/2009 | Healthcare
Medicaid, S-CHIP expansion plan could hurt states' budgets
USA Today
The government programs that provide health care to the poor would expand to cover nearly one in five Americans under health insurance legislation pending in Congress, putting pressure on federal and state budgets. Medicaid, one of the fastest-growing government programs for two decades, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program would grow from about 50 million people today to more than 60 million in 2019, according to data from the Congressional Budget Office and Kaiser Family Foundation. That would be the biggest single expansion since Medicaid was created in 1965.
10/12/2009 | Healthcare
Read the health bill! Not as easy as you think
Associated Press
Read the bill! It was a rallying cry at angry health care town halls this summer and has evolved into something of a political movement. Many Americans are demanding that lawmakers actually read the comprehensive legislation they've written — or at least make it publicly available — before voting on it. The push for transparency has become a running side debate in Congress, with lawmakers — often minority Republicans, but some Democrats too — pressing leaders to post measures online for 72 hours before a vote. "People became outraged when they discovered that the norm was for legislators to vote on legislation they hadn't read," said Colin Hanna, head of a group, Let Freedom Ring, that is asking lawmakers to pledge to read health overhaul legislation before voting.
10/5/2009 | Healthcare
Health Overhaul Is Drawing Close to Floor Debate
The New York Times
With the Senate Finance Committee set to approve its health care bill this week, Democrats are tantalizingly close to bringing legislation that would make sweeping changes in the nation’s health care system to the floor of both houses of Congress. As Senate Democrats try to secure the 60 votes needed to overcome a possible Republican filibuster, intricate details and big hurdles stand in their way. Republicans have said they will fight the legislation at every turn. The policy challenges are also daunting. In the space of one year, the Democrats are trying to restructure one-sixth of the economy, writing a bill that will affect almost every American, every business and every doctor and hospital in the country.
9/28/2009 | Healthcare
Liberals seek health-care access for illegals
The Washington Times
Fearful that they're losing ground on immigration and health care, a group of House Democrats is pushing back and arguing that any health care bill should extend to all legal immigrants and allow illegal immigrants some access. The Democrats, trying to stiffen their party's spines on the contentious issue, say it's unfair to bar illegal immigrants from paying their own way in a government-sponsored exchange. Legal immigrants, they say, regardless of how long they've been in the United States, should be able to get government-subsidized health care if they meet the other eligibility requirements.
9/28/2009 | Healthcare
Health Care Reform-Support for Health Care Plan Hits New Low
Rasmussen Reports
Just 41% of voters nationwide now favor the health care reform proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s down two points from a week ago and the lowest level of support yet measured. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% are opposed to the plan.
9/22/2009 | Healthcare
Senators Start Work on Health Bill
The Wall Street Journal
Baucus Seeks to Lower Costs and Pare Back a Key Tax Increase in Response to Criticism That Health Proposal Was Too Harsh. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus promised further changes to his legislation to overhaul the health-care system as the panel kicked off its formal consideration of the bill Tuesday morning. "I don't pretend that it's the last word. I'm eager to work with other senators to make this an even better bill," the Montana Democrat said. His Republican counterpart, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, confirmed in his strongest language yet that he wouldn't back the bill without far-reaching changes. Mr. Grassley said an "artificial deadline" from the Democratic leadership meant that the panel is moving forward on a half-finished bill. "They have put moving quickly over moving correctly," he said.
9/21/2009 | Healthcare
A Tax on Cadillac Health Plans May Also Hit the Chevys
New York Times
Although cast as a tax on gold-plated insurance policies for the well-heeled, it has prompted anxiety among the middle class. The idea, proposed last Wednesday by Senator Max Baucus, is to help raise money for the nation’s health care overhaul by placing a new excise tax on the most expensive health insurance policies, like the ones offered to partners at Goldman Sachs and other affluent professionals. As it turns out, though, many smaller fish would get caught in Mr. Baucus’s tax net. The supposedly Cadillac insurance policies include ones that cover many of the nation’s firefighters and coal miners, older employees at small businesses — a whole gamut that runs from union shops to Main Street entrepreneurs.
9/18/2009 | Healthcare, Illegal Immigration
Obama: Legalize illegals to get them health care
The Washington Times
President Obama said this week that his health care plan won't cover illegal immigrants, but argued that's all the more reason to legalize them and ensure they eventually do get coverage. He also staked out a position that anyone in the country legally should be covered - a major break with the 1996 welfare reform bill, which limited most federal public assistance programs only to citizens and longtime immigrants.
Recommended Guests:
David Bossie, President, Citizens UnitedDemos Chrissos, Writer/Producer, RapidResponse Media, Inc.Marjorie Dannenfelser, President and Chairman of the Board, Susan B. Anthony ListJessica Echard, Executive Director, Eagle ForumJames Edwards, Cofounder, Olive, Edwards, & Cooper, LLCSteve Elliott, President, Grassfire.orgJoseph Farah, CEO, Founder, WorldNetDailyColin Hanna, Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom RingJoe Murray, Columnist, The BulletinAmy Payne, Director of Communications, Americans for Prosperity9/16/2009 | Economy, Healthcare
Dem Senator Warns of 'Big, Big Tax' on Middle Class in Baucus Bill
ABC News
It's not every day that you hear a Democratic senator charge that a fellow Democrat is proposing to raise taxes on the middle class, but that is what happened on Tuesday when Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., ripped into the health-care bill developed by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mt., the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. The Baucus proposal would impose, starting in 2013, a 35 percent excise tax on insurance companies for "high-cost plans" -- defined as those above $8,000 for individuals and $21,000 for family plans.
Recommended Guests:
Karin Agness, Founder and President, Network of enlightened Women (NeW)Barry Asmus, Senior Economist, National Center for Policy AnalysisDavid Bossie, President, Citizens UnitedDan Celia, Host, "Financial Issues Live" Radio ProgramPhil Clements, Managing Director, Center for Christian Business Ethics Today, LLC.Ward Connerly, Author/Founder and Chairman, American Civil Rights InstituteMarjorie Dannenfelser, President and Chairman of the Board, Susan B. Anthony ListWilliam Devlin, National President, Redeem The VoteJames Edwards, Cofounder, Olive, Edwards, & Cooper, LLCJoseph Farah, CEO, Founder, WorldNetDailyJames Gelfand, Senior Manager of Health Policy, U.S. Chamber of CommerceLou Giuliano, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (r, ITT CorporationColin Hanna, Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom RingLowman Henry, Chairman & CEO, Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc.Larry Hunter, President, The Social Security InstitutePhillip Kim, Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resour, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of BusinessJoe Murray, Columnist, The BulletinGrover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR)Amy Payne, Director of Communications, Americans for ProsperityChuck Stetson, Co-founder and Managing Director, PEI FundsTony Strickland, Taxpayer AdvocateJohn Weiser, Board Member, Westminster Theological Seminary , In Medias Res