Viewing entries tagged with 'OTH'

ICYMI: AHIP, BCBSA, Employer Group Joint Letter on Immediate Reforms in Current Legislation

Posted by The Campaign on January 15, 2010 at 3:10 PM

AHIP joined the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and several employer organizations in sending the attached letter to congressional leaders, requesting that the effective dates for certain health reform provisions be extended to help minimize disruption and ensure a smooth transition for health reform. 
 
The letter notes that the House and Senate bills include a number of provisions that will require employers and health plans to take significant action to achieve compliance, including making policy and contract revisions, information technology system upgrades, modifications to employee benefit and marketing materials, and development of employee and customer communications.  It further emphasizes that many provisions will require regulations to be issued, state laws to be changed, and approval from state insurance departments. 

For the full letter click here.

Tags: ICYMI, OTH, Costs

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On The Hill: Senator Lincoln Reiterates Opposition to Government-run Plan

Posted by The Campaign on December 04, 2009 at 3:07 PM

From Senator Blanche Lincoln:

"I've been very clear.  I don't support a public option that is government funded or government run, and that puts the taxpayers at risk in the long run."  (MSNBC, First Read, 12/4/09)

Tags: OTH, GRP

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On The Hill: Senate in Session Saturday and Sunday

Posted by The Campaign on December 04, 2009 at 1:38 PM

Politico is reporting the following schedule for the Senate this weekend:

"The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. tomorrow with votes likely between 2 p.m and  3 p.m. They meet Sunday between noon and 6:30 p.m. with a tentative Democratic caucus scheduled for the afternoon."

 

Watch live on CSPAN2 or online here.

Tags: OTH

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On The Hill: Summary of Today's Senate Finance Committee Amendments Considered Thus Far

Posted by The Campaign on October 01, 2009 at 3:33 PM

Below please find a summary of the amendments considered during today's Senate Finance Committee markup to this point:

·         Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) offered an amendment that would have required health insurance plans to demonstrate to the HHS Secretary that they spend 85% of premium dollars on medical care.  After a lengthy debate on this issue, Rockefeller withdrew the amendment without requesting a roll call vote.      

·         By a vote of 14 to 9, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that would have eliminated the industry tax on health insurance plans. 

 

·         By a vote of 12 to 11, the committee approved an amendment by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) that would provide for the creation of a government-sponsored “basic health plan” to provide coverage to individuals below 200% of the federal poverty level. 

 

·         By voice vote, the committee approved an amendment by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) that would exclude HIPAA-excepted benefits from the proposed tax on high-cost health plans.  Other components of this amendment address tax credits for small businesses with seasonal employees and reimbursement for federally qualified health centers. 

 

·         Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) offered an amendment that would change the affordability threshold – from 10% to 8% (premiums as a percentage of income) – for determining whether persons are exempt from the individual coverage requirement.  This amendment was set aside after a lengthy period of debate. 

 

·         By voice vote, the committee adopted an amendment by Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) that would modify the bill’s “maintenance of effort” requirement for state Medicaid programs, applying it only to enrollees with income levels up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level beginning in 2011.  The committee debated this amendment last night, and approved it today with modifications. 

 

·         By a vote of 12 to 11, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) that would have provided that no tax, fee or penalty proposed by the pending bill would be applied to families earning less than $250,000 annually.

 

·         By a vote of 12 to 11, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) that would have exempted middle-income families from the penalty that would apply for noncompliance with the proposed individual coverage requirement. 

 

·         By a vote of 9 to 7, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) that called for an expedited judicial review to examine the constitutionality of the transition relief the bill would provide for 17 states in connection with the high-cost health plan tax. 

 

·         By a vote of 14 to 9, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) that would sunset on December 31, 2019  tax increases in the pending bill that increase the out-of-pocket health care costs of Americans or cause employers to invade the privacy of their workers.

 

·         By a vote of 14 to 9, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) that would have provided an exemption for seniors, persons with disabilities, persons with chronic debilitating conditions, and persons with terminal illness from the proposed 10% threshold for determining the tax deductibility of itemized medical expenses. 

 

·         By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that would have required the Treasury Secretary, prior to implementation of health reform, to certify that reform would not impose additional costs on small businesses (those with fewer than 500 employees).

 

·         By a vote of 12 to 11, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) that would have used the medical CPI, instead of the general CPI, for indexing the premium thresholds for the proposed high-cost health plan tax.  

Tags: OTH, SFC

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ON THE HILL: Summary of Amendments Considered in Senate Finance Committee Markup

Posted by The Campaign on September 30, 2009 at 8:14 PM

Below please find a summary of the amendments considered during today's Senate Finance Committee markup:

 
  • By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) that would have eliminated the proposed “industry fee” on health insurance plans. 
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  • By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) that would have delayed implementation of the proposed “industry fees” until the GAO certifies that no portion of the annual fee in each industry segment is likely to be passed on to consumers.    
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  • Senator John Kerry (D-MA) offered an amendment that proposed changes to the high cost health plan tax, including increasing the premium thresholds.  Kerry withdrew this amendment after Chairman Baucus indicated that he would work with him to revise this provision before the bill goes to the Senate floor.  Senators Stabenow and Schumer also expressed concern about the impact of this proposed tax.  
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  • By a vote of 14 to 9, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that would have eliminated a provision of the pending bill that would increase the threshold for determining the tax deductibility of itemized medical expenses from 7.5% to 10% of adjusted gross income. 
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  • By a vote of 14 to 9, the committee approved an amendment by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) that would carve out seniors from the proposed 10% threshold for determining the tax deductibility of itemized medical expenses. 
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  • By a vote of 12 to 11, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) that would have reduced the actuarial value of the lowest cost benefit package from 65 percent to 60 percent. 
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  • Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) offered an amendment that would direct the HHS Secretary to establish a coordinated system of eligibility determination to allow individuals to use a single standard form to apply for Medicaid, CHIP, and tax credits.  Bingaman withdrew this amendment to allow additional time for the committee to evaluate his proposed budget offset, which would require states to cover the cost of any additional state mandates they add to benefit packages offered through the state Exchange. 
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  • By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) that would have required applicants for Medicaid and CHIP benefits to present a government-issued photo identification with their application and, additionally, require that this identification be authenticated with the issuing agency.
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  • By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) that would have required that, prior to the implementation of new rating rules in the individual and small group markets, the state insurance commissioner must certify that health insurance premiums in the state would not increase for a majority of residents.
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  • By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) that would have added language providing that no funds authorized or appropriated under the pending bill could be used to pay for abortions or to pay for any health plan that includes coverage of abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is endangered.
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  • By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated another amendment by Senator Hatch that would have prohibited discrimination against any individual or institutional health care entity on the basis that it does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions. 
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  • By a vote of 14 to 9, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that would have provided for a  three-year Medicare physician payment “fix.” 
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  • By a vote of 19 to 3, the committee approved an amendment by Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Tom Carper (D-DE) that would allow health insurance plans in the individual and group markets to vary insurance premiums, providing a reward of up to 30 percent of the employee-paid premium, based on an individual or an employee’s participation in wellness programs.
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  • By voice vote, the committee approved an amendment by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) that would prohibit the proposed taxes and fees from being implemented unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs certifies that these provisions would not increase the cost of medical care provided to veterans.
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  • By voice vote, the committee approved an amendment by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) that would establish a Bipartisan Commission on Access to Emergency Medical Services. 
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  • Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) offered an amendment that would have excluded FSAs, HRAs, HSAs, dental, vision and other supplemental plans from counting toward the premium thresholds that are established with respect to the high-cost health plan tax.  This amendment was ruled out of order because it did not include a budget offset. 
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  • Senator Roberts offered another amendment that would have deleted a provision of the pending bill that would prohibit the cost of over-the-counter medications from being reimbursed through a health FSA, HRA, HSA, or Archer MSA.  This amendment also was ruled out of order. 
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  • By a vote of 14 to 9, the committee defeated an amendment by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that would have required certain non-elderly, non-pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries to sign a state-designed personal responsibility agreement.
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  • By a vote of 13 to 10, the committee defeated another amendment by Senator Cornyn that would have required the HHS Secretary, prior to implementing the Medicaid expansions proposed by the pending bill, to certify that the Medicaid program’s average payment error rate is less than 3.9 percent.
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  • Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) offered an amendment that would modify the bill’s “maintenance of effort” requirement for state Medicaid programs, applying it only to enrollees with income levels up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level beginning in 2011.  The committee debated this amendment, but delayed voting on it until tomorrow morning. 
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  • Senators Olympia (R-ME), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) offered an amendment that would exclude HIPAA-excepted benefits from the proposed tax on high-cost health plans.  Other components of this amendment address tax credits for small businesses with seasonal employees and access to federally qualified health centers.  This amendment was set aside and will be revisited at a later time. 
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Tags: OTH, SFC

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ON THE HILL: Roll Call Reports SFC Markup To Continue Next Week

Posted by The Campaign on September 24, 2009 at 3:53 PM

From Roll Call:

 

"The Senate Finance Committee's health care markup now appears likely to spill over into next week, due in large part to the sheer number of amendments filed against Chairman Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) bill."

For more on this story, click here.  (Subscription required.)

Tags: Reform, SFC, OTH

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ON THE HILL: New Documents Related to the Senate Finance Committee Markup

Posted by The Campaign on September 22, 2009 at 11:28 AM

 New CBO analysis of financial assistance for individuals in the exchange.

New Chairman's mark updated with changes to proposal.

New revenue table reflecting changes in the mark.

Tags: SFC, OTH

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ON THE HILL: Senate Finance Committee Mark Up Begins Today at 9:00 AM

Posted by The Campaign on September 22, 2009 at 5:32 AM

Open Executive Session to Consider an Original Bill 
Providing for Health Care Reform

September 22, 2009, at 9:00 a.m., in 216 Hart Senate Office Building

 

Member Statements: 
Max Baucus, MT
Charles Grassley, IA

 

Watch it live by clicking here.

 

Tags: OTH, Reform, SFC

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ON THE HILL: Senate Finance Committee Releases Chairman's Mark

Posted by The Campaign on September 16, 2009 at 6:49 AM

Below find a link to the press release from the Senate Finance Committee as well as a link to the Senate Finance Committee Chairman's mark.

Press Release

Chairman's Mark

Tags: OTH, Reform

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On The Hill: Statement From Senator Grassley on Reform and Government-run Plan

Posted by The Campaign on July 30, 2009 at 4:56 PM

From a statement from Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee:

"The public doesn't want a government takeover of the health care system that would put a government bureaucrat between patients and their doctors..."

Tags: OTH, GRP

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