NASE News

CBO Proactively Anticipates Lawmakers’ Needs, Says CBO Director

NASE — Thursday, 28 July, 2011 13:09:00 EST

At a joint Coalition for Affordable Health Coverage (CAHC) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce event on July 12^th, Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Elmendorf said the agency has begun to research the effectiveness of healthy behavior on controlling health care costs.

At the conference, during which NASE Senior Health Policy Advisor Mike Beene also spoke, Elmendorf said the agency is looking at how taxes on tobacco impact smoking rates and how these changes affect spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs. Instead of simply responding to congressional reports to estimate the costs of legislation, the agency is proactively trying to anticipate lawmakers’ needs to provide a more comprehensive costs/benefits analysis, he added.

When questioned further, Elmendorf said creating federal policies that consistently promote healthier behavior is difficult.

“We don’t now have a set of policies at hand with demonstrated links to many… changes in behavior,” he said.

However, taxing tobacco appears to be the exception to the norm. Various research studies have shown that when taxes cause the costs of cigarettes to rise, smoking rates fall. The CBO’s research focuses on the link between these trends and whether these trends have broader affects on health care costs.

“We have a significant project under way at the CBO around tobacco in particular,” Elmendorf said. “We view that as a very important piece of work and one that we plan to apply to other sorts of policies in the behavioral area.”

While the implications of healthier behavior on controlling the costs of health care remain unclear, various federal agencies have promoted healthier behavior in order to combat smoking, obesity, alcohol abuse and other issues.

For instance, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has a page with information about healthy lifestyles, with links to resources to help with obesity, smoking and other lifestyle choices.

American Medical Association Support For Individual Mandate Hasn’t Changed, Says President

NASE — Monday, 11 July, 2011 14:09:54 EST

The American Medical Association’s House of Delegates recently voted to reaffirm its support for “individual responsibility” in the purchase of health insurance provided that individuals unable to afford insurance have assistance available to them, according to President Cecil B. Wilson. Wilson indicated that the vote was “overwhelmingly” in favor of the health care law (PL 111-148, PL 111-152), including the provision requiring all Americans have health insurance or face a financial penalty.

Wilson noted that the AMA delegates “came to a decision to reaffirm a policy that was originally established in the middle of the last decade. We’re proud of that, and the AMA believes that that’s the right course.”

In addition, delegates “reaffirmed support for AMA policy supporting health insurance tax credits and health insurance market regulation, health savings accounts, and direct subsidies for the coverage of high risk patients,” according to an AMA statement.

In response to a question on a press call after the vote suggesting that many doctors were leaving the AMA because of the association’s support for the individual mandate, Wilson said that membership had dropped between 1 and 2 percent more in 2010 than in 2009. He noted that some doctors had said they were dropping out because of the health care law, while others said they were joining because of it, and said that “we do not believe that the debate over health system reform had a significant effect in regard to our membership.”

Affordable Care Act Makes Preventive Services More Accessible To Americans

NASE — Wednesday, 6 July, 2011 16:47:54 EST

Under the Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148), if you and your family enrolled in a new health plan on or after September 23, 2010, your insurance provider is now required to cover certain recommended preventive services without charging you a co-pay, co-insurance or deductible.

These preventive services include blood pressure and cholesterol screening for adults, as well as immunizations and hearing and vision screenings for children. People enrolled in Medicare now also qualify for yearly wellness exams and many preventive services, and more than 150,000 seniors and others with Medicare have received an annual wellness visit since the Act’s implementation.

According to a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report, millions of Americans are not taking advantage of preventive services that health professionals say can prevent diseases and save lives. The report found that minority groups and older Americans are less likely to use preventive services, either due to socio-economic status or a lack of awareness about their risk factors.

Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Aging with HHS, said the Department must continue to reach Americans at a grassroots level to ensure they are educated about the benefits that are now available for them, including many made possible by the Affordable Care Act.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which according to the agency’s website is an “independent panel of non-Federal experts in prevention and evidence experts,” recommends various prevention services using five letter grades (A, B, C, D, or I). The grades rank the net benefit for obtaining particular prevention services, with “A” representing the highest net benefits and “I” the lowest.

The USPSTF has put prevention services such as various screenings for pregnant women, screenings for some cancers and testing for high blood pressure in adults in the “A” category of recommended services.

A full list of “A” and “B” grade recommended services can be found on USPSTF’s website.

Americans With Pre-Existing Health Conditions Gain Health Coverage

NASE — Wednesday, 6 July, 2011 16:45:41 EST

Although the Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148) became law in March 2010, many of its provisions will not go into effect until as late as 2014. One provision of the legislation that has yet to take effect is a new consumer protection provision that prevents private insurance companies from discriminating against or refusing insurance to patients with pre-existing health conditions.

To fill the gap until 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rolled out a new program in July 2010 aimed at insuring those who have been unable to obtain health insurance due to their pre-existing conditions.

If a patient is denied insurance by a private insurance company because of a pre-existing condition and has been uninsured for at least six months, he or she becomes eligible for the government’s Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP).

In May 2011, HHS reduced premiums and eased eligibility requirements in an effort to increase enrollment in the plan. In 17 states and the District of Columbia, premiums were lowered by as much as 40 percent. Furthermore, in 23 states and the District of Columbia, individuals applying for coverage can now demonstrate eligibility by providing a letter from a doctor to show they have a pre-existing condition, which makes applying for PCIP easier.

Even so, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal, critics say PCIP may be “too pricey, cumbersome and unrealistic to reach the right people.” For instance, even with the lower premiums, the insurance is still expensive compared to more traditional, employer-sponsored coverage. Furthermore, the requirement that enrollees be uninsured for six months is often too risky for sick individuals urgently in need of care.

Because of these issues, fewer than 22,000 Americans have signed up for coverage, well short of the expected 375,000. The Department of Health and Human Services plans to continue outreach programs in order educate Americans about the existence of the plan.

House Members Urge Administration to Support Health IT for Small Physician Practices

NASE — Wednesday, 6 July, 2011 16:34:08 EST

The administration’s health IT program has given doctors and hospital officials financial incentives to adopt Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems that meet federal standards, but lawmakers on the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Healthcare and Technology are questioning whether the Obama administration has done enough to help physicians in small practices.

In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), which was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (PL 111-5), appropriated $2 billion in discretionary funding to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) to assist in HITECH program goals. Under the Act, physicians are eligible for financial incentives if they meet “meaningful use” requirements. However, the “meaningful use” requirements, along with the fact physicians cannot receive both Medicare and Medicaid incentives, has made it difficult for many physicians to take advantage of the funding.

Subcommittee Chairwoman Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.), said significant financial, legal, and technological barriers still prevent many practices from moving forward with electronic health records. In particular, she noted the lack of broadband access in rural areas, which prevents the adaptation of electronic records, as well as security and privacy concerns.

These issues remain crucial, as almost 60 percent of office-based physicians work in practices with fewer than ten doctors. These smaller practices have the most trouble taking advantage of HITECH funding due to lack of resources and manpower, Rep. Ellmers said.

Dr. Farzad Mostashari, National Coordinator at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Health IT, testified that overcoming barriers to the adoption and use of health IT will contribute to job creation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that from 2008 to 2018, the number of jobs for medical records and health information technicians will grow roughly 20 percent, to more than 35,000. Furthermore, EHR implementation requires installation and maintenance services, creating even more private sector growth, in particular for small businesses.

However, other witnesses described the challenges they have faced while attempting to implement EHR systems: Dr. Sasha Kramer, from the American Academy of Dermatology, explained that although she received a grant from state programs that covered nearly half of the cost of the EHR system, the challenges for implementing EHR systems remains too high. She spent over 160 hours selecting a vendor and for training, forcing her to decrease the amount of time spent with patients. Additionally, she is now being forced to implement a new EHR system after experiencing problems with her original vendor. Kramer added finding capital is difficult for solo practitioners like her, and that she would like to see the government provide sufficient financial resources to allow doctors to implement EHR systems.

The Subcommittee’s Ranking Member, Cedric Richmond (D-La.), questioned witnesses Mostashari and Karen Trudel, the Acting Director of the CMS Office of E-Health Standards and Services, on whether penalties for Medicare providers who do not meet the “meaningful use” of IT requirements would use it as an excuse to refuse Medicare patients.

Trudel agreed with Richmond’s characterization, and said current incentives may not be enough to sway physicians from more rapidly deploying EHR systems. Meanwhile, Mostashari said the administration is doing its best to quickly certify and set up more Heath IT Research Centers to provide training and technical assistance to practitioners who need guidance regarding HITECH.

Commonwealth Fund: Affordable Care Act Making A Difference For Young Adults

NASE — Wednesday, 6 July, 2011 16:04:00 EST

Young adults lack health insurance at the highest rate of any age group, and have the lowest rate of access to employer-based insurance. However, a recent study from The Commonwealth Fund found that the Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148) is already making a difference for them.

Signed into law by President Obama in March 2010, the Act puts into place comprehensive health care reforms that will roll into effect over the next few years, with most of the changes happening in 2014. The law has several provisions that affect small business owners, including small employer tax credits which the NASE has been supportive of.

Under the new law, dependents may stay on their parent’s plan until their 26^th birthday, regardless of whether they are married, living with their parents, or financially dependent on their parents. Previously, young adults lost their healthcare coverage when they graduated from high school or college.

According to the most recent U.S. Census data, nearly 15 million people ages 19 to 29 – one-third of the people in that age group – were without health insurance. The number of uninsured young adults increased steadily throughout the decade, from 10.9 million uninsured in 2000.

However, the Commonwealth study found that the legislation appears to have turned the tide for young adults: A Gallup poll found an increase of 600,000 young adult enrollees in five health plans since the law went into effect, and that the rate of uninsured fell in the early part of 2011. The study also suggests that when all health plans and employers with dependents are required to provide coverage to young adults by September 2011, the uninsured rate will continue to decrease.

When the central provisions of the law go into effect in 2014, nearly 7.2 million young adults will become eligible for newly expanded coverage under the Medicaid program, and an additional 4.9 million will qualify for newly subsidized private coverage under the law due to their economic status.

HHS Debuts Web Portal With Health Information For Consumers

NASE — Thursday, 8 July, 2010 16:07:32 EST

As required by the health reform law, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently launched a web portal, HealthCare.gov, to help consumers sort through the health insurance options available to them.

HealthCare.gov will allow individuals and small businesses to have more control over their own health care by providing them with information about insurance options available in their state. The portal helps consumers research and compare private health insurance plans from dozens of insurers, and determine their eligibility for existing public insurance programs like Medicare, CHIP and the new high-risk pools for individuals with pre-existing conditions.

Currently, the portal allows users to enter some demographic information, and then suggests health insurance options the consumer should look into based on the demographic information they entered, as well as health advice, information on small business tax credits and the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program.

In October 2010, HHS will upgrade the portal with new information and advanced functionality. As information is collected from insurers and compiled into a central and easily accessible format, the portal will provide more detailed pricing and benefit information, as well as show cost-sharing per service, deductibles and premiums for private insurance options. The updated portal will have plan compare functionalities and more details on eligibility for and the services covered by state Medicaid and CHIP programs. Additionally, the update will include more information on the federal high-risk pool program and state high risk pools, including information on premiums and cost-sharing.

The portal will help consumers evaluate their options in the private market with information such as plan names and types, summary of services provided, lists of network providers, links and contact information.
HealthCare.gov will allow consumers to access eligibility information, summary of services, and links and contact information for Medicaid and CHIP programs, while directing consumers existing Medicare websites and call centers.

Consumers will be able to access name and contact information for high-risk pools in order to obtain individual determinations of eligibility and enrollment through the portal, as well as view eligibility criteria for enrolling, coverage limitations and general premium descriptions.

Visitors to HealthCare.gov have the ability to give feedback to HHS about the portal by using the “comment” buttons that appear on the website.

Insurance Coverage For Young Adults: A Guide To Health Reform Changes

NASE — Thursday, 3 June, 2010 09:57:04 EST

Included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148) is a provision allowing young adults to receive health care coverage under their parents’ insurance policies until age 26. The policy aims to increase coverage among young adults with the least burden for these young adults or their parents.

According to the Health and Human Services department (HHS), about 30 percent of young adults have no health insurance, the highest rate among all age groups and representing more than one in five of the country’s uninsured. Young adults often enter the job market through entry-level jobs, part-time jobs, or jobs in small businesses, and thus are unlikely to have access to employer-sponsored health insurance.

While many believe that young people don’t need health insurance, one in six young adults has a chronic illness like cancer, diabetes or asthma, and nearly half of uninsured young adults report problems paying medical bills. As a result of the health reform legislation, HHS estimates that 1.2 million young adults will elect to stay on a parent’s health plan in 2011.

Coverage

The law takes effect for insurers already providing dependent coverage starting on or after Sept. 23, 2010. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has called on leading insurance companies to begin covering young adults voluntarily before the required implementation date to help avoid gaps in coverage for new college graduates and other young adults. Over 65 insurers are voluntarily continuing coverage for young adults who graduate or age off their parents’ insurance before Sept. 23.

Individual employers can decide when to offer the provision, however many are likely to do so during the open enrollment period, which tends to be in the early fall. Insurers not offering voluntary early coverage must offer young adults an enrollment period of at least 30 days to join their parents’ family plan or policy, even if the plan does not have an open enrollment period. Qualifying young adults must be provided with this enrollment period and a written notification of the enrollment opportunity no later than the first day of the first plan or policy year beginning on or after Sept. 23, 2010.

Insurers and employers that sponsor health plans will inform young adults of continued eligibility for coverage until the age of 26. While the law requires health plans to cover enrollee’s children up to age 26, some employers may decide to continue coverage beyond the child’s 26th birthday. The law does not apply to Medicare.

The law requires that coverage be offered to dependents of policyholders regardless of whether a child lives with his or her parents, attends college, is a dependent for income tax purposes, receives financial support from the parents or is married. However, the policy does not extend to the spouses or children of policyholders’ dependents.

Young adults under the age of 26 who were previously dropped from dependent coverage will be able to re-enroll as long as they do not have access to another employer-sponsored plan (such as if the child is working for a business that offers health benefits to employees). If an adult child has access to another employer-sponsored plan, insurers can generally refuse coverage, but only until 2014. Re-enrollment only applies to plans that already offer dependent coverage. If a company has such a plan, it must inform employees that their children, who may have aged out of the plan, will be eligible again starting Jan. 1, 2011.

Under the law, insurance companies are required to treat all dependents the same, regardless of age. Companies must offer young adults the same benefit packages that are available to other subscribers, and are not allowed to offer fewer benefits or charge more for these young adults. Only insurers that have provided dependent coverage are required to extend coverage to dependents up to age 26. Insurers that have not previously provided dependent coverage are not required to expand coverage to young adults.

Costs

According to HHS, parents will face a 0.7 percent increase in insurance premiums for adding dependents to their plans. Those premium costs will rise by an additional 1 percent in 2012 and 2013. For those who enroll adult children in dependent coverage, the average policy will cost $3,380 per dependent in 2011; $3,500 in 2012; and $3,690 in 2013.

Tax Implications

The health reform law also includes a tax provision allowing employees to exclude the value of any employer-sponsored health coverage for dependents from their income. These tax benefits went into effect March 30, 2010, and employees can exclude the value of any coverage provided to an adult child from March 30, 2010 through the end of the taxable year in which the child turns 26.

In addition, this expanded health care tax benefit applies to self-employed individuals who qualify for the self-employed health insurance deduction on their federal income tax return. Employees can also receive the same tax benefit if they contribute toward the cost of coverage through a cafeteria plan.

For more information, read the White House Fact Sheet and Q&A on the law, and visit the HHS website, healthreform.gov.

Study Finds Some Doctors Order Unnecessary Tests Because Of Malpractice Fears

NASE — Friday, 23 April, 2010 10:24:56 EST

A study recently released by the medical journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that about one in four heart doctors say they order medical tests that may be unnecessary because they are afraid of being sued.

The study surveyed close to 600 doctors to determine how aggressively they treat their patients, and if their decisions to order invasive heart tests are influenced by non-medical issues.

Most of the doctors surveyed indicated that their decision to order a test was not influenced by things like financial gain or a patient’s expectations. However, about 24 percent of those surveyed said they had recommended a test in the previous year because they were worried about malpractice lawsuits, and 27 percent said they recommended a test because they thought their colleagues would.

The study asked doctors to recommend tests and treatment for three hypothetical heart patients. Their responses were used to score them on how aggressively they tend to treat patients. The doctors were also asked whether other issues had led them to recommend the heart test – called a cardiac catheterization – during which a thin tube is threaded to the heart to check how it is functioning and look for disease.

Comparing the scores to Medicare records, the researchers found that doctors with higher scores were more likely to practice in regions with higher spending overall or higher rates for cardiac catheterization, although the differences were small.

The survey was conducted to see whether doctors’ attitudes and practices might be contributing to the wide differences in health care use and spending across the country.

The researchers suggest that targeting malpractice concerns would help reduce regional differences in health care spending and use. Although medical malpractice was discussed during the health care debate, no malpractice provisions were included in the new health care reform law.

The lead author of the study said patients can help rein in health spending by not pressuring their doctors to do tests.

HHS Secretary Sebelius Explains Health Reform

NASE — Wednesday, 7 April, 2010 12:39:11 EST

Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), recently spoke about the new health reform legislation. The Secretary began her remarks by discussing how many people understandably still have questions about the law and stressed that HHS is where Americans should go to have all of their questions on health insurance reform answered.

Sebelius explained that provisions in the CHIP reauthorization act and the Recovery Act that both became law in 2009 are the base that the rest of reform is being built on. Some provisions from the health law take effect immediately, such as allowing children to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, while others, like the implementation of the health care Exchanges and tax credits for coverage, will not be available until 2014.

In addition, tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums are available to small businesses now to make employee coverage more affordable. Beginning in 2014, the small business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums.

“Our goal is to put these Americans back in charge of their health care. We will provide information and education if it’s needed; set basic guidelines that will help foster a competitive insurance market; serve as an umpire to make sure insurance companies treat Americans fairly; and provide targeted resources to help empower consumers,” said HHS Secretary Sebelius. “It’s about giving Americans more choices, more security, and more control.”

HHS intends on working closely with states on implementing this law. Health reform will provide many benefits to states, such as lower spending on uncompensated care, saving money because of reduced insurance paperwork and receiving more resources from the federal government to provide coverage to children.

The Secretary stated that she expects state high risk pools to be up and running in 2010. About 34 states currently have high risk pools, according to Sebelius, however the costs are so high that many people who qualify cannot afford to join. If states choose to create new high risk pools under the health reform legislation, rates in these pools will be capped at 100 percent of the market rate, and if a state does not choose to create a pool, there will be a federal pool available.

Secretary Sebelius said that HHS is working to implement the law with the goals in mind of making information as convenient for all Americans to access as possible so that people have the health information they need to make smarter choices, utilizing existing resources as much as possible to fulfill new responsibilities while saving money, and making sure that all Americans are treated fairly under the system.

Secretary Sebelius suggests visiting the HHS reform Website, healthreform.gov, often for the most updated information.

Senate Committee Explores If Health Reform Proposals Meet Needs of Small Firms

NASE — Thursday, 22 October, 2009 16:00:14 EST

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship recently held a hearing on health care reform and small business entitled, “Reform Done Right: Sensible Health Care Solutions for America’s Small Businesses.”

In her opening statement, Committee Chair Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) expressed concerns about the impact of high health care costs on small firms. “Today, small businesses are seeing their health care costs increase faster than the prices of the products and services they sell – four times faster than the rate of inflation since 2001,” said Sen. Landrieu. “If Congress fails to act now, health care costs are only expected to continue to rise.”

Witnesses from the Small Business Administration (SBA), Treasury Department and small business groups, as well as small business owners testified before the committee that current health care costs were unsustainable for small business owners, and offered a variety of suggestions to deal with rising costs.

“Less than half of small employers with three to nine workers offer health coverage. Fully 13 million of America’s uninsured workers are employed by businesses with fewer than 100 employees,” stated SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “It’s clear that we can’t help our nation’s uninsured without addressing the need for access to affordable health insurance for small businesses.”

Witnesses before the committee testified in support of an insurance exchange with as large a pool as possible, tax credits to help small businesses pay for health care coverage for employees, allowing small businesses and their employees to purchase insurance across state lines and a measure that prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Also noted in the testimony of multiple witnesses was the current inequity in the tax code faced by the self-employed because they are not allowed to fully deduct the cost of health insurance as larger businesses are. These witnesses called for this inequity to be remedied and the self-employed to be able to fully deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums for the purposes of both income and self-employment taxes.

Multiple witnesses expressed concern at how small businesses pay significantly more than larger businesses for the same coverage, and also were opposed to an employer mandate to provide health insurance coverage.

To read testimony if full and view footage of the hearing, please click here.

Small Businesses Should Prepare Now For Flu Season, Hearing Finds

NASE — Monday, 14 September, 2009 10:15:57 EST

The House Committee on Small Business recently held a hearing to explore the potential impact of the H1N1 influenza on small businesses and investigate the resources available to small firms.

Representatives from various government agencies as well as small business owners shared recommendations and resources for helping small businesses deal with the possibility of a pandemic.

“To maintain critical operations, small businesses should be prepared to change business practices as needed during an outbreak,” Dr. Anne Schuchat testified on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services. “For instance, small businesses should prepare to identify alternative suppliers, prioritize customers, or temporarily suspend some operations as needed.”

Many witnesses before the committee suggested that small businesses visit the government inter-agency Web site flu.gov and begin creating preparedness plans sooner rather than later. The Web site has many resources for small business owners, including agency guidance and helpful fact sheets for both employers and employees.

Small business owners were also encouraged to visit the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) preparedness Web site, ready.gov, for materials to assist with preparedness planning such as a sample emergency plan, worksheets to help inventory equipment and assets, and information on how to deal with employee concerns, facilities management and other issues. Bridger McGaw, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Private Sector Office for DHS testified that emergency preparation can help businesses “build resiliency into their broader business models and can increase their capacity to better withstand all hazards.”

Government agency representatives recommended that small businesses should:

Implement flexible sick leave policies allowing workers to stay home to care for sick family members or children and encouraging sick workers to stay home, keeping in mind that workers will likely be absent for 3 to 5 days with the flu and should not return to work until free of fever or symptoms of fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication;
Take action to stop the spread of germs by encouraging frequent hand washing, the covering of coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, frequently cleaning commonly touched surfaces, and considering spacing workers farther apart or work-from-home strategies;
And prepare for increased employee absences by cross-training employees and being prepared to change business practices if needed to maintain critical operations of the business.

Biden Announces $1.2 Billion For Health IT

NASE — Thursday, 3 September, 2009 15:34:28 EST

Vice President Joe Biden recently announced that nearly $1.2 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will be allocated as grants to help hospitals and health care providers transition to electronic medical records.

Of the money set aside, $589 million will establish approximately 70 centers that will assist hospitals and other medical providers choose and utilize electronic health record systems. Another $564 million will be set aside for state initiatives to support the development of information sharing systems within an emerging nationwide system of networks.

“With electronic health records, we are making health care safer, we’re making it more efficient, we’re making you healthier and we’re saving money along the way,” said Biden. “These are four necessities we need for health care in the 21st century.”

Advocates say that proper use of electronic health records would make health care more efficient by cutting down on duplicative tests, unnecessary procedures and harmful drug interactions.

The Obama administration has cited the results of some studies that estimate the universal adoption of electronic health technology could save more than $77 billion a year in health care costs. However, the Office of Management and Budget has questioned the validity of those studies, in part because of the complexity and unknowns involved in implementing these systems.

The grants will be available after October 1, 2009, when federal fiscal year 2010 begins.

Federal Agencies Encourage Businesses To Plan For Flu Season

NASE — Thursday, 3 September, 2009 15:31:25 EST

The heads of three federal agencies, Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Gary Locke, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano, recently announced new recommendations to help business owners plan for the upcoming flu season.

Released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the guidance aims to help employers begin preparations now for the impact that the seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza could have this fall and winter on employees and business operations.

The CDC guidance urges employers to develop plans that address encouraging employees with flu-like symptoms or illness to stay home, possibly having employees who are at higher risk of serious medical complications from infection work from home, operating with fewer employees, and implementing common sense measures to help prevent the spread of flu in the workplace.

The CDC also recommends that employers:

Encourage seasonal flu vaccination as well as H1N1 vaccination for employees
Implement measures such as regular, frequent hand washing and routine cleaning of commonly touched surfaces to help reduce the spread of flu
Consider canceling non-essential face-to-face meetings and travel

Employers should review sick leave policies and ensure that employees understand them, and also try to make sick leave policies flexible for workers who may need to stay home and care for a sick family member, according to the CDC guidance.

“One of the most important things that employers can do is to make sure their human resources and leave policies are flexible and follow public health guidance,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “If employees are sick, they need to be encouraged to stay home. If people begin to experience flu-like symptoms at work, they should be sent home and possibly encouraged to seek medical treatment.”

For more information, please visit www.flu.gov.

Briefing Highlights Consumer Directed Health Care As Reform Option

NASE — Tuesday, 14 July, 2009 13:27:06 EST

The Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI) recently hosted a briefing to discuss consumer driven health care. A consumer driven health plan is generally defined as a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) offered in combination with a savings fund such as a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) or a health savings account (HSA).

In his introductory comments, briefing moderator Merrill Matthews of CAHI expressed concern that Congress and the Obama Administration have not looked at consumer driven health care in their reform discussions and warned that current reform proposals could end the consumer driven market.

Greg Scandlen of Consumers for Health Care Choices at the Heartland Institute stated that consumer directed health plans were good for everyone and were the most effective way to lower premium costs.

Both Scandlen and Mac McCarthy of McCarthy Actuaries testified that consumer driven health plans tend to pay more for wellness programs and preventive care, and that participants in these plans are more likely to do research on providers and procedures, as well as participate in wellness programs.

Other panelists also spoke in support of consumer directed health plans, and especially in favor of HSAs. Some recommendations on improving HSAs included providing tax credits for those without employer-sponsored health coverage, allowing those without employer-sponsored health insurance to pay for health insurance with funds from their HSAs, and using the proposed health insurance “exchanges” to increase access to HSAs for the self-employed and others in the individual and small group market.

NASE Asks Senators To Lower Health Costs For Small Business

NASE — Tuesday, 14 July, 2009 13:24:56 EST

The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship recently held a roundtable to discuss the impact of various health reform proposals on small businesses. Kristie Arslan, Executive Director of the Legislative Office for the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), participated in the roundtable along with Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and other small business owners and advocates.

Arslan spoke about how NASE Members consistently cite health care as the top issue affecting their business, and asked Congress to help the self-employed with the high health care costs that are damaging their businesses. Arslan mentioned the results of a June 2009 survey by the NASE in which approximately 60 percent of respondents chose cost containment as the most important aspect of reform for them and their business.

“Our nations’ smallest businesses not only want health reform but in fact, they need reform in order for their businesses to remain viable,” she commented. “Improving affordability and stability of premiums as well as providing for sustainable cost containment in the overall healthcare system must be a top reform priority.”

Both Small Business Committee Chair Mary Landrieu (D-La.), and Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), acknowledged the high costs that small business owners face to provide health care for themselves and their employees.

“The cost of providing coverage is rising at an unpredictable and unsustainable rate, making it difficult for small business owners to secure stable healthcare for their employees,” said Sen. Landrieu. “Simply put, we need to reform our health care system to provide small businesses the opportunity to grow and prosper. The cost of doing nothing is just too great.”

“Small business health reform must be a central component to our broader reform efforts, and that is why I am working diligently, as a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, to craft bipartisan, comprehensive health care reform legislation that will make health care more affordable and universal for small businesses and the self-employed,” added Sen. Snowe.

Watch archived footage of the roundtable here.

View comments submitted on behalf of the self-employed by Executive Director Kristie Arslan.

Criticism of House Tri-Committee Health Care Draft at Ways and Means Hearing

NASE — Monday, 29 June, 2009 13:15:00 EST

The House Committee on Ways and Means recently joined the long list of congressional committees talking about health care reform, holding a hearing entitled “Health Reform in the 21st Century: Proposals to Reform the Health System.”

Committee Republicans and some witnesses were very critical of the discussion draft of health care reform legislation released by the chairs of the Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor Committees. Although Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) stated that “the book is not closed” on discussion of the bill, Ranking Member David Camp (R-Mich.) expressed concern that the bill did not contain details of cost estimates or revenue-raising offsets.

House Democrats have been considering multiple provisions to raise revenue, such as a surtax on high-income individuals, a value-added tax and limits on itemized deductions. Democrats have not yet obtained a score from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for the costs included in the draft bill, and did not say when those details would be released.

David Gratzer of the Manhattan Institute was not supportive of the House draft, insisting that a public plan would inevitably lead to a single-payer health care system like in his native Canada. Gratzer testified that Canada implemented a single payer system in the 1960s, and that many Canadians are unhappy with their system now. Gratzer asked the committee not to forget what is good about the American system, and emphasized individual choice as the best health reform solution.

Richard Kirsch of Health Care for America NOW! was critical of the current health care system getting in the way of delivering health care, reminding the committee that many Americans cannot afford health care, and high costs contribute to the “job lock” phenomenon for those that can afford health care. Kirsch noted that health care is often prohibitively expensive for small businesses, but that an exchange would allow those happy with current coverage to keep it, and not force others to depend on employers for coverage.

Chip Kahn of the Federation of American Hospitals gave a fairly supportive testimony, saying “we realize the Congress is going to call upon hospitals to contribute financially to health coverage expansion,” despite the bill’s provisions to trim hospital payments.

Read testimony from the hearing on the committee’s Web site.

President Obama Comments on Self-Employed and Health Reform

NASE — Thursday, 25 June, 2009 13:45:54 EST

President Barack Obama spoke via ABC News’ “Nightline” to Americans about health care reform during a special edition of the program from the White House on June 24, 2009. The President specifically addressed the concerns of the self-employed and small business owners in response to a question from Gary Cloutier, a self-employed body shop owner from Massachusetts, who is currently unable to afford health insurance.

President Obama’s comments on the self-employed and health care reform start at the 4:00 mark of this video clip of the interview.

CBO Estimates Senate Health Bill To Net Third Of Coverage Goal

NASE — Monday, 22 June, 2009 13:12:00 EST

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released a preliminary analysis of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s draft health care reform bill, finding that the proposal would provide insurance coverage to 39 million people who were not previously insured.

The CBO estimated that the proposals in the bill would cost $1 trillion over 10 years, with almost all of that cost resulting from subsidies provided to help people obtain coverage.

While providing coverage to some of the uninsured, the CBO estimate says that while millions of the uninsured would gain insurance under the proposal, many others would change or lose their coverage, resulting in a net decrease in the number of uninsured Americans of 16 million – only one-third of the current goal.

The CBO estimate sparked more Republican criticism of the bill, with HELP Committee Ranking Member Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) issuing a statement saying, “these early reports from CBO show that this bill will cost too much, cover too few, and cause too many people to lose the coverage they enjoy now.”

According to the estimate, 15 million people who get coverage through their employer would no longer do so, and an additional 8 million people covered by programs like Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) would move to new coverage options available from the bill. Despite a projected 6 percent decrease in the number of uninsured from 19 percent in 2010 to 13 percent in 2019, the bill would still leave 37 million Americans under the age of 65 uninsured.

The HELP bill would create a health insurance “exchange” for insurers to sell plans and people to purchase coverage.

The committee is still working on the bill, and other sections may add to the number of newly insured. The CBO also stressed that the whole bill was not scored, and the estimate also assumes that the bill will include a mandate for people to have coverage, a proposal not in the current draft.

The committee is expected to mark up the bill in the next few weeks.

Senate HELP Committee Hears Many Opinions On Health Reform

NASE — Friday, 19 June, 2009 16:04:02 EST

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions recently held a hearing on health care reform featuring the testimony of numerous witnesses from across the health care sector.

Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), sitting in for Committee Chairman Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), stated that health care reform is an urgent issue and “delay is not an option.” On the other hand, Ranking Member Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) cautioned that “if we don’t get [health care reform] right, America will suffer. We shouldn’t be subject just to timetables; we should be subject to getting it right.”

Many of the witnesses before the committee made a point to say that health care is a right, not a privilege just for those who can afford it. Some witnesses also noted their belief in the difference between health insurance and health care, and testified that all Americans need access to the latter.

While witnesses ranged from economists to association representatives to the Insurance Commissioner of Kansas and had many different ideas for health reform, most were opposed to an employer mandate. Some witnesses supported an individual mandate, and most felt that reforms like guaranteed issue and a health insurance connector would most help decrease the number of uninsured Americans. Witnesses also expressed support for health care tax credits (especially for small businesses), and for programs that incentivize healthy behaviors.

Read testimony from the hearing on the committee’s Web site.

House Subcommittee Considers Single Payer Health Care System

NASE — Friday, 19 June, 2009 16:00:08 EST

The House Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee of the Education and Labor Committee recently held a hearing to examine the option of a single payer health care system amongst the many proposals for health care reform currently being discussed by legislators.

Much of the debate was inspired by a bill that would establish a single payer system proposed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.). Rep. Conyers’ bill, The United States National Health Care Act (H.R. 676), would establish a publicly financed, privately administered universal health care system with single payer financing, based on improvements and expansion of the existing Medicare program.

Although Subcommittee Chairman Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) and most of the witnesses expressed support for a single payer system, Ranking Member John Kline (R-Minn.) was more critical of the proposal, saying “creating a new, one-size-fits-all health care system modeled on Medicare is a recipe for disaster.” Rep. Kline also cautioned the committee to search for the best health care reform plan, not just the most expeditious one.

Most witnesses before the committee supported a single payer system, stating that decreasing administrative costs and implementing cost controls would be easier in a single payer system. Dr. Walter Tsou of Physicians for a National Health Program also testified that a single payer system would have benefits beyond the health care sector as entrepreneurs would not have to make the choice to not start their own business because they were afraid of losing their employer-sponsored health insurance.

David Gratzer of the Manhattan Institute was the only witness on the panel opposed to a single payer system. Gratzer testified that Canada implemented a single payer system in the 1960s, and that many Canadians are unhappy with their system now. Gratzer instead recommended more consumer driven plans, and that Congress come up with a uniquely American solution instead of basing reforms on Canadian or European plans.

Read testimony from the hearing on the committee’s Web site.

Small -Business Owners Tell Congress They Cannot Wait For Health Reform

NASE — Friday, 19 June, 2009 15:55:02 EST

A reflection of the varied small businesses across America, small-business owners with businesses ranging from a café to a commercial printing company gathered in Washington recently to advise the House Committee on Small Business on the health care reform proposals that would most help small businesses.

“As a general rule, small business premiums shoot up between 8 percent and 16 percent annually…. For small businesses already battered by the recession, these costs have become impossible to absorb,” said Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) in her opening statement. “As rates continue to climb, entrepreneurs are facing tough choices - cut healthcare, or cut jobs.”

All of the witnesses before the committee stated that they wanted to provide their employees with health care coverage, but even those currently providing insurance noted that the often double-digit increases in premiums were making it impossible for them to continue providing these benefits.

Many witnesses testified in support of options such as a national health insurance exchange and pooling arrangements, but were opposed to mandates. Witnesses also supported equalizing tax treatment for the self-employed, targeted tax credits, price transparency from insurers, and the adoption of health information technologies.

Competing Congressional Recovery Bills Contain Many Health Provisions

NASE — Wednesday, 27 May, 2009 18:13:00 EST

Members of both houses of Congress are busy putting together legislation that the President and congressional Democrats hope will lead the economy out of a recession. The bills in both the House and Senate (H.R. 1, S. 1) contain many health provisions.

The House bill includes provisions to overhaul the COBRA program, with the government subsidizing 65 percent of COBRA premiums for up to 12 months, and allowing people 55 or older with 10 years of tenure or more at their jobs to continue COBRA coverage until they find a new job offering health coverage or reach age 65 and are eligible to enter Medicare.

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) proposed an amendment during the Energy and Commerce markup that would bar COBRA participation for anyone with an income above $1 million. The amendment was passed by voice vote.

The bill would provide $20 billion for the creation of government standards for health information technology and the implementation of electronic medical records systems for public insurance programs, and monetary incentives for private hospitals and physicians to do the same.

The House bill would also provide $9 billion for states to expand Medicaid to cover low-income workers who lose their jobs through 2010, and $87 billion in increased Medicaid reimbursements to states to ease budget shortfalls.

The Senate bill contains almost identical provisions regarding the privacy of health records as the House bill, and would allocate a similar sum to encourage private hospitals and physicians to adopt electronic medical records systems.

Some disagreement arose in the Senate Finance Committee markup surrounding the disbursement of the $87 billion in extra Medicaid payments included in the bill. The original language would have provided 60 percent of the money as flat-rate increases in Medicaid reimbursements that would be constant for every state, with the other 40 percent of the money divided between states based on economic circumstances, meaning that states with more unemployed people receiving a larger share.

To the ire of some Democrats from larger states, an amendment by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) was passed that changed the split between the two payment systems to 80 percent and 20 percent. Under the House version of the bill, the split between the two payment methods is 50-50.

Legislation approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee also includes $3.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health, $5.8 billion for preventive health activities, and $1 billion for construction and renovations at community health centers, which often provide basic health care for many of the uninsured.

Congress Working to Reauthorize SCHIP

NASE — Tuesday, 26 May, 2009 18:12:00 EST

Congressional Democrats have been working on enactment of a children’s health insurance bill that President Bush vetoed twice in the 110th Congress. The legislation would reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

SCHIP began in 1997 to provide health care to low-income children whose parents’ income level does not qualify them for Medicaid yet who can’t afford private insurance. The program is financed by both the federal government and the states.

The House bill would provide an additional $35 billion for the program over four and a half years, a sum bill sponsors say would bring total enrollment up to 11 million children by allowing coverage of an additional 4 million.

As originally written, the Senate bill would have increased spending on SCHIP by $31.5 billion over the same period, however changes made in committee are expected to increase the cost by several billion.

The bills differ only slightly from the two versions vetoed by President Bush in 2007. The House passed its bill (HR 2) by a vote of 289-139 on Jan. 14, and the Senate Finance Committee approved a very similar measure, 12-7, the following day.

Both bills would rely on a cigarette tax increase of 61 cents per pack to fund most of the expansion. The Senate committee added language by Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) to allow legal immigrants and new citizens into the program without the standard five-year waiting period. The panel adopted the amendment, 12-7, thus eliminating any real difference between the bills.

Congressional Republicans however, are in opposition to the bill’s elimination of the waiting period for immigrants and new citizens, looser citizenship and residency documentation requirements, and slightly looser provisions on income limits.

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) argued that doing a full SCHIP reauthorization would make a health care overhaul only more complicated in the future, saying “In a lot of ways it makes more sense to do a simple extension of SCHIP for two years so we can work through how to fold SCHIP into a program that covers everyone.”

Republicans said eliminating the waiting period would encourage illegal immigration, and offered several motions to require more stringent documentation of legal residency or citizenship. All failed, with the exception of an amendment by Grassley that would require states to also review the citizenship or legal residency status of SCHIP enrollees when reviewing income levels. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

The committee also adopted an amendment to give states the option of offering dental insurance to children who are privately insured but do not have dental coverage.

The bill will now go to the Senate floor and then to a conference committee to resolve differences.

No Surprises During Daschle’s Senate Health Committee Confirmation Hearing

NASE — Friday, 3 April, 2009 15:23:40 EST

Tom Daschle, President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), faced no hostile questions from Republicans on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee during the committee’s recent hearing on his nomination.

Daschle is no stranger to Capitol Hill, having served four terms in the House and three in the Senate before losing his seat to Republican John Thune in 2004. It was apparent that Daschle had already begun relationship building, as several Republicans on the panel mentioned that they had spoken privately with Daschle about health policy in recent days. Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said upfront that he would support Daschle’s confirmation, indicating that the eventual Senate vote will be in Daschle’s favor.

President-elect Obama has repeatedly said that he wants Republicans to be more involved in drafting major legislation and to operate in a more bipartisan fashion than has been the norm in recent years. During the hearing, Daschle promised Senate Republicans that any health care legislation pursued by the new administration would follow “the regular order,” contrary to a suggestion in his 2008 book on health policy “Critical” that including a health care overhaul in the annual budget resolution would speed its passage through the Senate.

President-elect Obama has also named Daschle to lead a new White House Office of Health Reform, making him the president-elect’s authority on health policy. “If confirmed, I will use these dual roles to marshal the talent and energy necessary to at last succeed in making health care affordable and accessible for all Americans,” Daschle said.

The committee did not vote on the nomination. The Senate Finance Committee also has jurisdiction over Daschle’s nomination and will hold its own confirmation hearing and vote to advance it to the Senate. The Finance Committee has not yet set a date for its confirmation hearing.

Health IT May Find Vehicle In 2009 Stimulus

NASE — Friday, 3 April, 2009 14:59:00 EST

Health care reform was a major focus in 2008 presidential campaign, with electronic medical records mentioned as one of many ways to improve the system. In a recent press conference about the economy, President-elect Obama called for an immediate stimulus, naming health-care modernization as one possible avenue for short- and long-term growth.

However, the infrastructure needed to adopt health IT fully is expensive, which has deterred small physicians’ offices and larger cash-strapped facilities. Legislation introduced in the 110th Congress proposed tax breaks to help pay for the equipment. In the meantime, patient advocacy groups worried about implementing enough protections in order to prevent privacy breaches. Other experts pushed for a standardized system that could be used nationwide.

“Now, somebody's got to help set [this] up,” Obama said. “We've got to buy computers, systems and so forth. That's an immediate boost to the economy, in some cases, working with state and local governments. But it's also laying the groundwork for reducing our health-care costs over the long term.”

There has been no formal number given to the cost of implementing nationwide health IT. During his campaign, President-elect Obama proposed spending $50 billion on such an overhaul. However, he and his team have been adamant that health care reform is one piece of the pie when it comes to revamping the economy.

Senators Advocate More Health Cost Disclosure

NASE — Friday, 3 April, 2009 14:50:00 EST

Health insurance premiums grew about 4.7 percent for family coverage and cost about $12,680 in 2008, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. A bipartisan group of senators is hoping more transparency among employers and employees regarding health costs is on the horizon.

They have introduced legislation would require employers to report what they pay for all polices provided to workers, including health insurance or separate dental and vision plans. Earlier this year, the Congressional Budget Office argued that if workers knew what they or their employers pay for health care, it might encourage them to reign in health care costs more actively.

The proposal would require employers to include the amount paid for health insurance coverage on the W-2 Form. It would inform workers about the total cost of their coverage and what they may be giving up in wages.

The senators will accept public comment on the proposal through Dec. 31; comments should be sent to disclosure@finance-rep.senate.gov. Find out more information at the Web site of Sen. Grassley (R-Iowa), the proposal’s lead sponsor.

Mental Health Parity Legislation Included In Government Bailout Package

NASE — Friday, 3 April, 2009 14:49:00 EST

In addition to provisions allowing the federal government to provide stability by purchasing and insuring troubled assets, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 also included mental health parity legislation that has been a priority of some lawmakers for over a decade.

The House and Senate both passed different versions of mental health parity legislation earlier this year, with the White House expressing support for the Senate bill in March. Supporters of the legislation forged a compromise between the chambers on issues of required coverage for certain conditions and out-of-network treatment over the summer. Congressional leaders included the mental health parity proposal in a revised version of the bailout measure (H.R. 1424) after an earlier bailout package failed to pass the House on Sept. 29.

The Senate passed the revised version of the economic bailout package that included the mental health parity provisions on Oct. 1 by a vote of 74-25. The House followed and passed the legislation 263-171 on Oct. 3. President Bush signed the measure into Public Law No: 110-343 on Oct. 3.

The bipartisan mental health parity legislation has been a long-standing goal for lawmakers in both chambers. The measure stipulates that the financial requirements and treatment limitations of insurers are to be no more restrictive for mental health conditions than for physical health conditions. For example, deductibles and out-of-pocket payments as well as limits on frequency of treatment would have to be the same.

For more information, visit thomas.loc.gov

Policy Experts Concerned For Elderly Americans In Need of Long Term Care

NASE — Friday, 3 April, 2009 14:47:00 EST

Due to prolonged physical illness, disability, or cognitive impairment, many people may need long term care as they grow older. Long term care ranges from assistance with daily activities like dressing, eating, or running errands to skilled medical care such as physical therapy. According to policy experts at Genworth Financial’s Third Annual Long Term Care Symposium, two-thirds of Americans aged 65 can expect to need some long term care. Forty-four percent of Americans aged 65 are likely to live in a nursing home, and 20 percent will need long term care for more than 5 years.

Although many Americans are likely to need long term care, a 2007 national public opinion research poll commissioned by Genworth found that fewer than 10 percent of Americans most likely to need long term care currently have private insurance coverage. Additionally, that poll also found that some 44 percent of Americans incorrectly believe that Medicare or their private health insurance will provide the funds for their long term care needs. In reality however, long term care tends to be financed by individuals, private long term care insurance, or Medicaid, as the Medicare program does not generally pay for long term care.

Genworth’s 2008 Cost of Care Survey provided a comprehensive look at the cost of long term care across the U.S. The survey found that the average annual cost of a private room in a nursing home was $76,460, while the average annual cost of a private one bedroom apartment in an assisted living facility was $36,096, a two percent increase and 11 percent increase over 2007 respectively.

According to Genworth’s “A Workforce to Care for Our Aging” report, a “care gap” is looming for those needing long term care, as America’s elderly population is expected to increase by 104 percent to 71 million in 2030 from 35 million in 2000 with the population that typically provides long term care - women 25 to 44 - only increasing by 7 percent in that time frame.

Even now, it is estimated that unpaid caregivers (usually a family member or friend providing care within the home) provide 80 percent of the long term care services in the U.S. AARP estimates that unpaid caregiving had an economic value of $350 billion in 2006, and calls family caregivers “the backbone” of the long term care system. However, U.S. employers lose an estimated $34 billion annually from missed work and other issues arising from full-times employees that also serve as caregivers.

Although the government officials, think tank policy experts, and representatives from Senator John McCain’s and Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns at the Genworth Symposium did not all agree on the best approach to healthcare reform or the best way to ease the “care gap,” all agreed that long term care is an issue that can no longer be ignored, and that Americans must do everything they can to save and prepare for their own long term care needs.

For more information on all of Genworth’s publications on long term care, please visit www.genworth.com.

Senator Unveils Health Care Overhaul Plan

NASE — Friday, 3 April, 2009 02:58:16 EST

Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, recently expressed his intention for Congress to take the lead on health care reform with the presentation of his health care plan. The detailed three-year overhaul plan has many elements that are similar to proposals made by President-elect Barack Obama during the campaign, but also has similarities to the Massachusetts plan that has led to nearly universal coverage in that state.

Sen. Baucus’ plan would establish an insurance exchange offering a menu of health plans to the uninsured and to small businesses like in the Massachusetts plan. Employers would be required to pay premiums for coverage, however small businesses would be exempt from this requirement. The Baucus plan offers tax credits to small businesses to help cover costs, and provides subsidies to low-income Americans to help pay for premiums.

Sen. Baucus tied his health care reform proposal to the nation’s economic recovery by saying, “There’s no way to really solve American’s economic troubles without fixing the health care system. Health care costs suck up more than 16 percent of our economy, and they’re growing.”

An element of Sen. Baucus’ plan that differs from President-elect Obama’s plan would be a requirement that all Americans carry health insurance. Obama has proposed offering health care access for all Americans, but without a requirement that they be covered. Sen. Baucus’ plan would also require State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP) to cover children at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level, and state Medicaid eligibility up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level.

Visit the Web page of Sen. Baucus for more information.