03/18/2010
Today, House Republicans plan to offer a resolution that would force a vote on the Senate health reform bill separately from the chamber's "corrections" bill. The action is one of several GOP tactics designed to thwart reform legislation. The Hill's "Blog Briefing Room" et al.
03/18/2010
Preliminary Congressional Budget Office data suggest that Democrats' health reform package would cost $940 billion over 10 years and reduce the federal deficit by $130 billion. Democratic aides said they expect the full CBO score to be released later today. Washington Post et al.
03/17/2010
The "deem and pass" approach would allow the House to declare the Senate health reform bill as "passed" without holding a vote. Democrats are defending the strategy as consistent with former practice, while Republicans are calling it unprecedented. Washington Post et al.
03/16/2010
Yesterday, President Obama appeared in Strongsville, Ohio, to make his case for passing health care reform. The president rebutted assertions that Democrats' reform proposal would cut Medicare benefits and highlighted the case of an Ohio woman with cancer. Washington Post et al.
03/16/2010
The House Budget Committee has approved a shell measure that lays the foundation for House Democrats to approve changes to the Senate's health care reform bill. The House Rules Committee could add the actual bill language later in the week. New York Times' "Prescriptions" et al.
03/15/2010
Today, President Obama is scheduled to appear at an event in Strongsville, Ohio, as part of his continued efforts to generate public support for a national health care overhaul. The president also is calling for lawmakers to eliminate state-specific projects from a final reform bill. AP/Google et al.
03/15/2010
Over the weekend, Democratic leaders asserted that they will be able to gather enough votes to pass national health care reform legislation within the next couple weeks. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she is hopeful that the House will hold a final vote on the Senate bill by this Sunday. Meanwhile, Republicans are continuing their efforts to block the legislation. Washington Post et al.
03/15/2010
Reps. Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa are among a group of Democratic lawmakers who could play a key role in deciding the fate of national health care reform legislation. Both representatives have been the targets of White House and conservative lobbying efforts. Sacramento Bee.
03/12/2010
The Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector Authority board will be re-examining the formula it uses to determine health insurance affordability and who is subject to a penalty for not having health coverage. Some board members have said that insurance costs have risen much faster than income, putting health coverage out of reach for many people. Boston Globe.
03/12/2010
On Wednesday, the Virginia General Assembly voted 80-17 to approve legislation that aims to bar the federal government from requiring Virginians to purchase health insurance. Although 34 other state legislatures have proposed similar measures, Virginia is the first state to pass such legislation. Gov. Robert McDonnell has said he intends to sign the bill. Washington Post, AP/USA Today.
03/12/2010
Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office released a new cost and deficit analysis for the current version of the Senate health reform bill. The report estimates that the bill would cost $875 billion over 10 years and reduce the federal deficit by $118 billion. AP/Washington Post.
03/12/2010
While health reform legislation "could be improved with an even more vigorous approach to controlling costs," it does contain numerous efforts to "put the health care system on the right path," a Los Angeles Times editorial asserts. The editorial commends President Obama and lawmakers for including such cost-containing initiatives as health insurance exchanges, wellness incentives, demonstration projects and an independent panel that could issue spending recommendations. Los Angeles Times.
03/11/2010
Yesterday, the Senate voted 62-36 to approve a $140 billion jobs bill that would avert scheduled cuts to Medicare reimbursements for physicians. The bill also would extend subsidies for COBRA coverage and offer funds to states through Medicaid. Washington Post, The Hill.
03/11/2010
At a forum for America's Health Insurance Plans, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said failure to pass health reform legislation could hurt the insurance industry in the long term. She also reiterated a call for more transparency on premium hikes. Wall Street Journal et al.
03/10/2010
This week, President Obama is expected to authorize more federal agencies and health care programs to contract private companies to conduct audits. The directive is part of a broader effort to combat fraud in federal programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. Wall Street Journal.