Archive | May, 2012

A Bird’s-Eye View Of Health Lobbying

The Center for Public Integrity’s new “analysis of Senate lobbying disclosure forms shows that more than 1,750 companies and organizations hired about 4,525 lobbyists – eight for each member of Congress – to influence health reform bills in 2009.” The AARP, a retirees’ advocacy group which is among the most active organizations in Congress, mustered 58 lobbyists to health overhaul issues…

Centrist Dems Have Mixed Responses To New Obama Health Plan

“The sweeping health-care package unveiled this week by the White House appears to face big hurdles in the House, with abortion and unease among moderates potential stumbling blocks to winning passage of the legislation,” The Wall Street Journal reports…

Political Cartoon: “Bipartisan” Summit

Kaiser Health News provides a different take on health policy news with “Bipartisan Summit” by Randy Bish. This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J…

Anthem Blue Cross Will Go Forward With Rate Hikes, Execs Tell Calif. Lawmakers

Anthem Blue Cross executives told California lawmakers Tuesday that they plan to go ahead with a rate hike of up to 39 percent for individual health insurance policies…

Poll: Americans’ Health Reform Fears Eased In January

“With President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul in limbo, Americans’ fears about its effect on them eased in January, according to a poll released as the president tries to revive sweeping Democratic legislation,” The Associated Press/MSNBC reports…

Current Health Reform Effort Haunted By Health Bills Of The Past

The current health reform debate is haunted by previous health legislation, according to news reports. Key provisions of the 1993 Republican bill, introduced by Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I…

Abortion, Public Option Questions Remain

The Wall Street Journal: “Abortion was one of the final matters to be resolved in December when the Senate created its version of the health-care bill, with a carefully crafted compromise that left neither side in the debate happy. If a final bill is to clear the House, Democrats will have to find a way to finesse the problem again…

Democrats Revisit Reconciliation As Means To Pass Health Overhaul

Reconciliation, a parliamentary tactic that could allow Congress to pass health reform with a simple Senate majority, was dismissed weeks ago by centrist Democrats, but some of those lawmakers are now warming to the approach, clearing a possible avenue for passage of the overhaul, Politico reports…

The Democrats’ 2010 Health Reform Plan Evokes 1993 Republican Bill

Kaiser Health News Maggie Mertens spoke to former Sen. Dave Durenberger, R-Minn., about his take on past and present health reform politics. In 1993, at the height of President Bill Clinton’s health care reform initiative, Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I., along with 19 other Republicans and two Democrats, put forth a bill which was considered the major GOP proposal…

Stupak Calls Abortion Language In Obama’s Health Reform Proposal ‘Unacceptable’

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who led efforts to restrict insurance coverage for abortion in the House health reform bill (HR 3962), on Tuesday criticized President Obama’s health overhaul proposal because it retains Senate language on abortion coverage in health plans that receive federal subsidies, the New York Times reports…