November 11, 2009
This Week in Health Reform
Senate
Health care reform remains behind closed doors in the Senate this week as Leadership continues to develop a single bill and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) continues to analyze the work product to date. It is uncertain if a bill will be ready to begin floor debate in the Senate before Thanksgiving. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) now says that Senate action might not come until early next year.
House
The House of Representatives passed its health care reform legislation, the “Affordable Health Care for America Act” (H.R. 3962), on November 7 by a vote of 220 to 215. Thirty-nine Democrats voted against the bill and one Republican voted for it – Joseph Cao (R-LA). Representatives Dan Boren (D-OK), Harry Teague (D-NM) and Chet Edwards (D-TX) voted against the legislation. A main issue that proved to be a lightning rod for the bill's passage was an amendment by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), who included an amendment on abortion that stipulated insurers selling plans through the Exchange could not offer policies covering elective abortion procedures to people who receive federal subsidies for premiums.
Earlier in the week, House Republican Leadership released its alternative solution to current health care reform legislation. The 230-page Republican health reform amendment was introduced by Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), but did not get adopted into the final legislation.
Key elements of the amendment:
• Lower health care premiums
• Establish Universal Access Programs to guarantee access to affordable care for those with pre-existing conditions
• End junk lawsuits
• Prevent insurers from unjustly cancelling a policy or instituting annual or lifetime spending caps
• Encourage small business health plans
• Encourage innovative state programs
• Allow Americans to buy insurance across state lines
• Codify the Hyde Amendment
• Promote healthier lifestyles
• Enhance Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
• Allow dependents to remain on their parents’ policies
The Republican amendment can be can be accessed at http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/November/03/republican-health-bill.aspx.
The full House legislation, related summaries and section-by-section analyses can be read on the House Ways and Means Committee Web site at: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/November/03/republican-health-bill.aspx.
Archives of: Past Weeks in Health Reform
11/06/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/30/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/23/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/16/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/14/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/09/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/07/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/02/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/30/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/25/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/24/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/18/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/11/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
Senate
Health care reform remains behind closed doors in the Senate this week as Leadership continues to develop a single bill and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) continues to analyze the work product to date. It is uncertain if a bill will be ready to begin floor debate in the Senate before Thanksgiving. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) now says that Senate action might not come until early next year.House
The House of Representatives passed its health care reform legislation, the “Affordable Health Care for America Act” (H.R. 3962), on November 7 by a vote of 220 to 215. Thirty-nine Democrats voted against the bill and one Republican voted for it – Joseph Cao (R-LA). Representatives Dan Boren (D-OK), Harry Teague (D-NM) and Chet Edwards (D-TX) voted against the legislation. A main issue that proved to be a lightning rod for the bill's passage was an amendment by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), who included an amendment on abortion that stipulated insurers selling plans through the Exchange could not offer policies covering elective abortion procedures to people who receive federal subsidies for premiums.Earlier in the week, House Republican Leadership released its alternative solution to current health care reform legislation. The 230-page Republican health reform amendment was introduced by Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), but did not get adopted into the final legislation.
Key elements of the amendment:
• Lower health care premiums
• Establish Universal Access Programs to guarantee access to affordable care for those with pre-existing conditions
• End junk lawsuits
• Prevent insurers from unjustly cancelling a policy or instituting annual or lifetime spending caps
• Encourage small business health plans
• Encourage innovative state programs
• Allow Americans to buy insurance across state lines
• Codify the Hyde Amendment
• Promote healthier lifestyles
• Enhance Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
• Allow dependents to remain on their parents’ policies
The Republican amendment can be can be accessed at http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/November/03/republican-health-bill.aspx.
The full House legislation, related summaries and section-by-section analyses can be read on the House Ways and Means Committee Web site at: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/November/03/republican-health-bill.aspx.
Archives of: Past Weeks in Health Reform
11/06/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/30/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/23/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/16/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/14/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/09/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/07/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
10/02/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/30/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/25/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/24/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/18/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
9/11/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
