November 18, 2009
Note: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be no bulletin on November 25, 2009.
This Week in Health Reform
Senate
Former President Bill Clinton visited Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill, urging them to quickly pass health care reform by the end of the year. Senate Leadership continues to work at pulling together its final merged bill. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) says that he will introduce the legislation on the Senate floor the week of November 16.Under Senate rules, a 60-vote majority is required to move the bill forward before official debate can begin. It is likely that Democrats will receive the 60 votes needed to move the bill to the Senate floor. However, it remains to be seen whether Reid has the full 60 votes to overcome a filibuster for the bill’s official passage. Reid is still aiming to pass the legislation by the Christmas holiday.
House
After passing its health care reform legislation, the “Affordable Health Care for America Act” (H.R. 3962), the House of Representatives has been quiet.Overview: Medicare Payroll in Senate Health Care Reform Legislation
The Senate’s health care reform legislation has still not yet been unveiled. There are reports that an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office has found the bill to be more costly than expected, so Senate Democrats are already considering new ways to pay for the bill.One option is an increase to the Medicare portion of the payroll tax on individuals making $250,000 or more per year. Currently, workers and employers each pay a 1.45 percent payroll tax for Medicare. The new proposal would increase that to a 2.5 percent payroll tax bracket for those making $250,000 or more per year.
By including this new approach, it would allow the Senate to either reduce or eliminate altogether the controversial excise tax on “Cadillac” or high-cost insurance plans, passed in the Senate Finance Committee’s bill last month. Under legislation (S 1796) approved by the Senate Finance Committee, individual insurance plans costing more than $8,000 and family plans costing more than $21,000 would face a 40 percent excise tax on any amount above that level.
Archives of: Past Weeks in Health Reform
11/13/09 - This week on Health Care Reform
11/11/09 - This week on Health Care 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
