White House Unveils Revamped Reform Plan, GOP And Industry React

President Obama began a final surge to overhaul the nation’s health system Monday, unveiling a White House-drafted plan days before a planned meeting with Republicans, The Washington Post reports. “This is the opening bid for the health meeting” on Thursday, a White House spokesman said…

White House Releases Health Reform Plan Ahead Of Thursday’s Summit

On Monday morning, President Obama released a health care reform proposal that “attempts to merge the Senate legislation (HR 3590) with its counterpart in the House (HR 3962) in ways that would address some of the most controversial provisions in the stalled bill,” the Washington Post reports…

CMA Tells State: Protect Patients, Keep Bogus Discount Health Plans Illegal Testimony Calls Into Question DMHC Plan To Regulate Discount Plans

Discount health plans that provide few or no discounts, often overstate benefits and send patients to phantom networks of physicians are illegal and should not be allowed to operate in this state, the California Medical Association testified yesterday…

CMA Sponsors Legislation Holding Insurers Accountable

State legislation sponsored by the California Medical Association aims to protect patient access to care, hold private insurers accountable and ensure that vaccinations continue to be widely available and administered. Three bills sponsored by CMA are among those filed this week to meet the Legislature’s deadline today for introducing new legislation. “As physicians, our No…

AHIP Statement On Premium Increases

America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President and CEO Karen Ignagni released the following statement regarding premium increases: “It’s time to stop the politics of vilification and focus on what Americans need most: real health care reform that addresses the serious and urgent problems facing our nation…

Stalled Health Bills Could Lead To Increase In Hospital Mergers

Some analysts expect an increase in hospital mergers if health care overhaul remains stalled and the head of the Cleveland Clinic discusses why he thinks an overhaul won’t lower health costs…

Sebelius Issues Sharp Rebuke Against Health Insurance Premium Hikes Across U.S.

News outlets paid close attention to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ release of a new report detailing double-digit insurance premium hikes for individual plans in six states across the country. Her examples included “requests that insurers made to state regulators to raise rates by 56% in Michigan, 24% in Connecticut, 23% in Maine and 20% in Oregon,” The Wall Street Journal reports…

Money In Chicago Health Savings Accounts Company Disappears

Federal investigators are looking into complaints that money put aside by consumers in health savings accounts has disappeared. NPR: “Thousands of people are learning that money they squirreled away in health savings accounts is gone. Many thought the money was sitting safely in banks. But now it appears it was stolen…

A Selection Of Today’s Opinions And Editorials

The Health Care Summit? Just Do It The Minneapolis Star Tribune All of us who have been at this task before understand three important realities: One, no president who has launched such an effort unsuccessfully has ever been able to relaunch; two, the Senate legislation, at least, has been the product of much bipartisan effort over the last several years, even though no Republ…

Private Health Insurance Around The World May Be Making Health Care Problems Worse

The Economist offers an analysis of private insurance around the world. “Governments are increasingly turning to private insurance in order to widen access to health care and make it more efficient. Are they expecting too much?” Private health insurance varies greatly by country. “In America, the Netherlands and Germany, it provides primary coverage for those not on government schemes…