Archive for the ‘health care reform’ Category
AHL’s TOP STORY: Per-Person Cost of High-Risk Health Plan Twice as High as Estimates; 50K Now Enrolled
Health care costs for enrollees in the temporary high-risk insurance pools established by the federal health reform law are expected to be more than double initial predictions, according to a report released by the Obama administration, the Washington Post reports (Kliff, Washington Post, 2/23).
The report also found that between November 2010 and November 2011, enrollment in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan increased by about 400% — helped by about 8,000 new applicants monthly in the second half of 2011 — to about 50,000 U.S. residents. That figure is well short of initial estimates by the CMS actuary, who predicted that 375,000 U.S. residents would enroll by the end of 2010 (Pecquet, “Healthwatch,” The Hill, 2/23). Read the rest of this entry »
WHAT WE’RE READING: An Ocean Can’t Spare You From Santorum’s Bogus Claims
- “Dutch Puzzled by Santorum’s False Claim of Forced Euthanasia,” New York Times‘ “The Lede”: No wonder Americans are perceived as ignorant.
- “Will Men Go Extinct? New Research Says It’s Unlikely.” Christian Science Monitor: Phew. Mankind dodges a huge bullet.
- “How the Computer That Won ‘Jeopardy!’ Could Change Medicine,” The Atlantic: It’s time to bring the A game. Read the rest of this entry »
AHL’s TOP STORY: Advocacy Groups Oppose Offsets in ‘Doc Fix’ Legislation
Several advocacy groups last week criticized the offsets included in legislation that delays scheduled cuts to Medicare physician reimbursement rates, saying they are short-sighted and will have adverse effects on long-term efforts to combat obesity, cancer and other diseases, CQ HealthBeat reports (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 2/17). Read the rest of this entry »
WHAT WE’RE READING: Mass. Residents Like Romneycare
- “Really America, Most Mass. Residents Like Health Reform,” Kaiser Health News: Trashed by others, endorsed by residents.
- “Deal on Extending Payroll Tax Cut Raises Obama’s Chances for Reelection,” The Hill: A hiccup for Republicans is a win for the president. Read the rest of this entry »
AHL’S TOP STORY: States, NFIB File Briefs Against Individual Mandate
Lawyers for 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Business on Monday filed briefs with the Supreme Court arguing that requiring nearly all U.S. residents to purchase health coverage is outside of Congress’ constitutional power, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” reports. Read the rest of this entry »
AHL’S TOP STORY: CLASS Repeal Bill Expected To Pass House, Not Senate
The House today is expected to easily pass legislation (HR 1173) that would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program created by the federal health reform law, but the bill is unlikely to receive the necessary votes to pass in the Senate, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” reports (Baker/Pecquet, “Healthwatch,” The Hill, 1/31). Read the rest of this entry »
POLL: Can the Health Reform Law Stand Without the Individual Mandate?
The Obama administration on Friday said that if the Supreme Court strikes down the federal health reform law’s individual mandate, most of the law can remain intact. Plaintiffs in the case have argued that the entire law must be voided if the mandate is struck down.
In a brief filed with the court, Department of Justice lawyers noted that just two provisions would need to be eliminated if justices deem the mandate unconstitutional.
However, Karen Harned of the National Federation of Independent Business, a plaintiff in the case, said that the mandate holds the reform law together. She added, “To argue otherwise would be like arguing a house can stand after its foundation has crumbled.”
AHL’S TOP STORY: Obama’s SOTU Address, GOP Response Light on Health Care, Overhaul
POLL: What Health Reform Topic Will Obama Discuss in his SOTU Address?
Today is President Obama’s State of the Union address. Will he mention health reform? If he does, what issue is he most likely to discuss?
AHL’S TOP STORY: GOP Marks One-Year Anniversary of Attempted Dismantling of Health Reform
Debate over the federal health reform law continues on the one-year anniversary of House Republicans’ unsuccessful attempt to repeal it, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” reports.
[Ed. Note: For background on the GOP's attempt to repeal the overhaul, click here, here and here.]
To mark the occasion, the GOP commended itself for dismantling smaller reform provisions over the past year (Baker/Pecquet, “Healthwatch,” The Hill, 1/19). They noted the repeal of two provisions, one involving the 1099 tax-reporting requirement that small businesses opposed and the other involving a “glitch” that made certain middle-income early retirees eligible for Medicaid.
House Republicans also praised the suspension of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act by the Obama administration, although they still are working to repeal the program outright.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) pledged to continue pushing for a full repeal of the reform law, calling it a barrier to job creation (Baker [1], “Healthwatch,” The Hill, 1/19).
Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday rallied health reform advocates to defend the law, saying the GOP likely will launch more attacks on the overhaul in the coming year, National Journal reports (Quinton, National Journal, 1/19).
