A Place at the Roundtable on Health Reform
As Senator Max Baucus’s June deadline quickly approaches, events continue to emerge suggesting in this iteration of health care reform, all stakeholders want to make sure that they are included in the discussion, rather than refusing to negotiate as they did during the early nineties. So when the White House announced it’s receipt of a letter from the chairmen of Americas’ Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), American Hospital Association (AHA), American Medical Association (AMA), Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) proposing approximately $2 trillion savings over the next decade, I saw it as the latest maneuver to ensure a seat at the roundtable for health care reform. These six organizations pledge to adhere to evidence-based best practices and right-sizing the use of health system resources in accordance with several strategies already proposed by the administration. I was surprised to see SEIU join with the providers and payers of the health care industry. Yet, this is not the first union of seemingly unlikely organizations. Just last month PhRMA united with the consumer health group Families USA (an ideological adversary) to promote the expansion of Medicaid. With a newly planned lobbying and media campaign, the strategic partnership seeks new policy to cover more low-income families, provide income-adjusted subsidies for middle-class families and cap out-of-pocket expenditures for people with insurance. President of PhRMA, William Tauzin explained the strategy in this way, “We got a new team in town who could, I guess, pass what they wanted to…our job is to make sure that what they pass has as many elements of our principles in them as possible, and that means being at the table.” This, I believe explains it all.
Humpday Humor
This week’s featured satire is by R.J. Matson. How is your health insurance? These days, many Americans find themselves underinsured. The waters of unemployment and pre-existing conditions can be difficult to navigate. I think this also highlights the need for rigorous protection of health information as the prevalence of genetic testing continues to increase. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
Obama Makes Giant Steps towards a Full Health Care Team
Health and the 44th Presidential Administration (Part III). In three nearly back-to-back announcements, President Obama is working prodigiously to fill his leadership roster for health care. Of course, the most newsworthy was his selection of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary-designate of the Department of Health and Human Services. The White House Office of Health Reform, however will be lead by Nancy Ann DeParle who headed up the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the Clinton administration.
SCHIP Is Signed into Law
Last week, by a margin of 66 to 32 votes (including 9 Republicans), the Senate approved expansion and reauthorization of SCHIP and today, President Obama signed that bill into law. This legislation was resurrected and revised after two vetos by former President Bush and began making its way through the Congress once again scarcely a … Read more
Expansion of SCHIP is Approved by the House
“In this moment of crisis, ensuring that every child in America has access to affordable health care is not just good economic policy, but a moral obligation we hold as parents and citizens,” Obama said.
