Lawmakers to Fight for Rural Hospitals Despite Budget Concerns On Reform
The finances of Hillsboro Medical Center in North Dakota improved after it got a “critical access” designation. Sens. Conrad, D-N.D., Wyden, D-Ore., Pryor, D-Ark., and Brownback, R-Kan., want to make it easier for other rural hospitals to get the designation as part of health reform.
Finance Committee Approves Health Reform Bill, Snowe Sides With Democrats
With the support of a lone Republican, Olympia Snowe, the Senate Finance Committee approved a bill that would assure that most Americans would have access to health insurance, end discriminatory insurance industry practices and impose a tax on high-costhealth care plans. The bill will now be combined with the HELP Committee’s bill before a full Senate vote.
Senate Finance Committee To Vote Next Week, Baucus Praises CBO Cost Estimate
Senate Finance Committee health care legislation would cost $829 billion over the next decade according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released Wednesday.
Will Insurers Balk At Weakening of Individual Insurance Mandate?
The Senate Finance Committee Thursday agreed to delay the penalties for people who don’t comply with a requirement to have health insurance. Some lawmakers want no penalties at all. But insurers worry that weakening the mandate will mean people will delay getting coverage, it would be more difficult to keep costs down.
Baucus Must Strike A Balance With Three Factions To Pass His Bill
The Finance Committee today thwarted efforts by liberal Democrats to include a government-run health insurance option in major health care legislation, as the Senate appears to be dividing into three important camps: those who are solidly behind Chairman Max Baucus, those reluctantly leaning in his direction and a handful of wild cards who will wield great influence. UPDATED
Baucus Bill Doesn’t Bend Cost Curve Enough, Experts Say
Some analysts are praising Sen. Max Baucus’ health overhaul as a good start on a tough task but they worry that key provisions will be weakened during debate.
Baucus Releases Bill: No Public Option
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus unveiled a health care bill today that would require most people to have health insurance and would bar insurance companies from discriminating against people with medical problems.
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Democrats Are Tightening The Belt For Health Reform
Democrats are considering their options for a less ambitious overhaul plan, including a new proposal from Sen. Max Baucus. Meanwhile, President Obama is planning his address to Congress, in which he is expected to propose specific refinements to the current bills.
Grassley: No Longer Sure Bipartisan Health Deal Possible In September
Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Finance Committee, says that mounting public concern about the federal deficit and government spending could hurt prospects for a bipartisan health care overhaul deal when Congress returns to work next month.
Children’s Advocates Fear Health Reform Could Undermine CHIP
Proposals to move disadvantaged youngsters from the Children’s Health Insurance Program to health exchanges raise concerns that benefits would be reduced.
Attacks May Force Democrats To Scale Back Health Reform Ambitions
Although some Democratic party stalwarts still urge administration to hold out for a comprehensive health care bill, others say a defeat in Congress could be politically disastrous.
Boehner Blasts PhRMA On Deal With White House
The House Minority Leader suggested that the drug-industry pact with President Obama, whom he called a “bully” – will backfire on industry and consumers. The GOP has its own health bill, which Boehner announced on June 17.
Dems and Republicans Head Home With Health Care Talking Points
Democratic and Republican lawmakers will offer their constituents very different takes on pending health care legislation during the August recess. Democrats will say the bills will “hold insurance companies accountable” and guarantee lower costs and more choice, while the Republicans will warn against a government takeover that will undermine competition and drive up costs.
Blue-Dog Deal Dogs Health Overhaul Effort
An agreement between the House leadership and conservative Democrats sparked protests from states worried about higher Medicaid costs and liberals upset about the paring back of subsidies.
Jubilant Democrats Move Ahead, But Still Face Many Obstacles on Reform
After weeks of painstaking talks, Democrats celebrated breakthroughs on health care overhaul on both sides of the Capitol. Yet many lawmakers and health care experts said that yesterday’s events marked only one step on the very bumpy road to a final deal that President Barack Obama might sign into law.
Baucus: New CBO Score ‘Good News’
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said Wednesday that a preliminary Congressional Budget Office score of his panel’s draft health care overhaul package would cost under $900 billion over the next decade and provide health coverage to 95 percent of uninsured Americans.
Just Rewards? Healthy Workers Might Get Bigger Insurance Breaks
Consumer and patients’ groups criticize proposal that would let employers bestow bigger premium discounts on employees who embrace wellness programs.
For Many Workers, Insurance Choices May be Limited
President Obama and leading Democrats have stressed that people who like their employer-sponsored insurance would be able to keep it, under a health care overhaul. But they haven’t emphasized the flip side: That people who don’t like their coverage might have to keep it.
Hot-Button Health Issue: Is Medicaid or Private Insurance Better for the Poor Uninsured?
Medicaid’s role in health reform is emerging as a flash point, exposing policy and political rifts not only between the two parties but also among Democrats themselves.
Health Reform Debate Highlights Budget Agency’s Critical Role
The Congressional Budget Office took center stage this week when its assessment of a health overhaul plan fueled criticism of its cost. Little known outside of Washington, the CBO is an arbiter of the cost and impact of legislation — meaning it will continue to play a critical role in the health reform debate. Senate Finance Committee Democrats, meanwhile, vow to re-tool their as-yet-unreleased proposal to make it less costly.
