Posts Tagged ‘Insurance’
Health Insurance Info
June 1, 2010 | 
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Our website provide a few information and advice on the topics of Health and Medical Insurance.
We hope you enjoy our range of informative of the Health and Medical Insuranc articles, topics and latest news. Whether you are doing specific research on this subject, or looking for content for your ezine or websites, you have come to the right place.
1. Five Tips to Trim your Medical Expenses and Save
With the rising cost of healthcare, medications, and insurance, it isn’t surprising that people are trying to figure out ways to avoid getting sick and choosing a better lifestyle to lower insurance costs. There is actually quite a bit one can do to help save same cash. It is just a matter of tweaking ones lifestyle choices and preventing health issues from arising or keeping the immune system up so you just don’t get as sick as much. For those people who are seriously sick of high medical premiums and paying out the nose year round for doctor’s visits and medications, this should be a great thing. Small things make a world of difference when it comes to your health.
a) Stop smoking is the biggest one. Not only do you get sicker than the average person, it is worse. Many smokers are treated for several bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia each year. Smoking also makes you susceptible to colds and other infection. You will also pay a higher premium on your insurance and in some cases won’t get covered in full for cigarette related illnesses or diseases. Plus the money you save from quitting can go to bigger and better things than your medical issues.
2. How to Get a Group Health Insurance Rate as an Individual
Most individuals can get really good group rates through their employers. As long as your place of business has more than 50 employees and actually offers a medical plan, you should get a pretty good deal. The overall cost is based on how many of the employees actually have the insurance plan. The more people who are signed up, the cheaper the plan will be. Most people will choose this over going with a private plan any day because it is so much more cost friendly. That is one of the first things you should be looking for when seeking a job, whether or not they offer insurance benefits or not. At your interview ask to see their healthcare providers plan and rates. If they will let you take it home. This way you can see if the plan offers what you want and at a price you can afford. There are some private insurance companies that have reduced individual rates that are comparable to group ones.
3. Five Ways to Cut your Health Insurance Costs
Nearly one-third of all health-insurance premiums increased to 30 percent or more. At that rate, the average cost of health insurance per employee will exceed $3,000. Seventy-three percent of senior executives believe health-care costs will continue to increase 20 percent or more each year for the next three years. The message here is clear: If you haven’t already gotten serious about cutting your company’s health-insurance costs, now is the time. It can be done. The first thing you should do is learn how the system works–or doesn’t work. Most small employers spend fewer than four hours a year thinking about their company health plans. Learn what your options are. Your insurance agent can help you shop for cheaper plans. But don’t stop there. Compare plan benefits, insurance-company records, and service guarantees.
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Ohio Health Insurance Online
Below are a few insurance companies that have done a great job setting up specific health insurance plans that will fit the needs of health_insuranceresidents within the State of Ohio.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Ohio:-The (BCBSA), Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association, is the national federation of thirty-nine independent, locally operated Blue Cross / Blue Shield companies. The (BCBS) of Ohio online resource offers loads of information including the ability to obtain quotes, physician searches and information packed webinars. This company is also one of the top 100 employers in Ohio. With this being said the Blue Cross and Blue Shield has made a significant employment impact in Surrounding Ohio cities including Akron, Cincinnati, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton and Youngstown. With well over 6,000 insurance Agents in the state of Ohio, you will have no problem finding answers to any health coverage related questions you may have.
Humana One Insurance:-Humana One’s online resource has a user friendly interface with the, “Plan Pointer”, a tool to help you locate the right health insurance plan for you. Humana One has networked physicians statewide.
Golden Rule of Ohio:-Health Insurance by Golden Rule of Ohio provides both health and dental health plans available to residents within the State of Ohio. Golden Rule in Ohio also offers (HSA’s) health saving accounts. Golden Rule also has health agents and a wide variety of networked physicians Statewide as well as nationwide.
Other Health Option for Ohio Residents:-Sometimes existing conditions can be a pain when searching for a health insurance plan that can fit your personal needs. There are State subsidized programs available for uninsurable individuals. In June 2005, Ohio completed their high-risk pool feasibility study. While these particular health plans to develop the high-risk pool are still in an active state, the pool itself may not be fully completed until 2011 or later.
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Health Care Reform Weekly Easytoinsureme Health Insurance Quotes
Week of January 25, 2010
The sudden halt to health care reform’s steady march forward came as a shock to many who saw an upset win by Republican Senator-elect Scott Brown in Massachusetts as all but impossible. But if many took delight in the election outcome’s impact on health reform legislation, Aetna Chairman Ronald A. Williams made it clear in a New York Times story last week that the country still needs meaningful health care reform – reform that addresses access as well as affordability. Everyone benefits by health reform that gets at the factors driving soaring health care costs and the loss of coverage for so many Americans. While Congress thinks carefully about its next steps, Aetna will continue to support meaningful health care reform and continue to offer responsible solutions to legislative leaders.
Federal
The election of Republican Scott Brown as the new senator from Massachusetts has derailed the Congressional health care reform train, less because Brown denies Democrats the 60th filibuster-proof vote, though that is certainly a major result, and more because it collapsed the Democratic political house of cards by highlighting the power of independent voters and the frustrated anti-incumbent mood of the electorate. Whether Democrats can regroup from this wake-up call will consume their leadership from now until the November off-year elections. How Democrats handle, and how Republicans respond to, health care reform in the short term and other key priorities – such as jobs, the economy, energy and security – over the rest of the session will underscore all Congressional decisions from now until the first Tuesday in November. In short, the 2010 elections started in earnest with Brown’s victory.
Once Democrats get past the shock of losing Kennedy’s seat, they will have to grapple with health care reform, one way or the other. The early favorites, including passing the Senate bill “as is” in the House, have been dropped for now as Democrats recognize the political cost of ramming through something unpopular propelled by political muscle only. Passing a smaller, less invasive and mostly Democratic bill has only a slightly better chance, as Republicans are not too likely to “crossover” quite yet. There is a growing interest in using reconciliation (the 51-vote tactic) down the road to pass a Democratic-only bill, once the House and Senate Democratic leadership can agree to a single bill. And, there is the outside chance that Democrats will see the Massachusetts election as an imperative to craft a bipartisan bill with Republicans that can secure 70-plus votes in the Senate. Wednesday’s State of the Union speech, followed by the party issues retreats later in the week, will go a long way toward determining which path will be pursued.
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Making The Right Decisions on Individual Health Insurance
Now that you realize how important it is to get a California individual health insurance, your next step is to shop around for one. There are a wide number of options for individual health insurance in CA; finding the right coverage for you is a big task. However, you should invest time and effort on making the right choice if you want to get the best value out of the investment you will spend for health insurance. What are some factors to considering when deciding on individual health insurance?
First, before you start thinking about how much a California individual health insurance coverage will cost you, evaluate your needs first. Take note of your existing health conditions, evaluate your lifestyle, ask around for medical family history, and so on. Based on the information you collect, find out what type of insurance coverage you need. Predict what kind of medical attention you would most probably need in the future. Bear in mind though that the more expensive the medical bills needed for the medical coverage you want, the more expensive your premiums will be.
Having said that, remember that when you get a California individual health insurance, you will pay premiums, usually on a monthly basis. This cost associated to getting a health insurance in CA is something you need to be ready for. The cost you pay to enjoy medical benefits will depend on your coverage. The more you are covered, the more you will pay. Some insurance policies require you to pay some additional costs for getting medical treatment. You may be responsible for a portion of the total cost, or for paying a fixed amount for your hospital visit. These terms vary greatly depending on your policy, the medical problem, whether or not the medical service provider is covered by the insurance network, among others. It is very important that your insurance quote provides information on these.
A good way to lessen the financial burden in getting a California individual health insurance coverage is to specify a deductible cost. This is a fixed amount you pay before the benefit payments kick off. Closely related is the out of the pocket cost, wherein the insurance does not cover the entire claim so you have to pay minimal amount straight from your pocket. You need to decide how much deductible and out of the pocket costs you can take. Setting these two to a higher value will go a long way to lessening your monthly or annual payments.
Moreover, another important point about health insurance in CA is the network of medical practitioners. You will make the most out of your health insurance if you see a doctor that is covered by the company you chose. If you are choosy with doctors, try to find a health plan that includes the doctor you want to keep seeing. Finally, choosing the right Californiaindividual health insurance is all about proper self evaluation and thorough research. Some effort and time will save you a fortune when a medical emergency happens. If you follow this guideline, you’re on your way to the health insurance plan that will work best for you.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Decisions, Health, Individual, Insurance, Making, Right | 1 Comment »
Know What To Look For When Buying Individual Health Insurance
Most Americans who have health insurance are covered through an employer’s plan. However, some employers do not offer health insurance coverage. If you work for one of these companies, you will need to purchase private individual health insurance.
There are certain advantages to purchasing health coverage in the private market. Instead of choosing from plans pre-selected by an employer, you decide which plan features you want, and pick a plan accordingly. For example, by choosing a plan with a higher deductible, or one that doesn’t cover certain services, you may realize a substantial premium savings each month.
Instead of having your coverage tied to a place of employment, coverage through a private health plan is yours to keep no matter where you work. A health insurer can’t drop you as long as you pay your premiums on time.
But along with these advantages come some potential disadvantages—
• Employer plans provide considerably more coverage than individual plans, even when you are paying the same premium rate. That’s because with an individual policy, a larger percentage of the premium goes to pay for such operational costs as marketing and paying claims.
• A group plan generally must insure all employees and family members, while individual plans can reject applicants who aren’t in perfect health. They can also offer plans that exclude coverage for certain pre-existing conditions.
• In most states, private health insurance plan premiums increase as you age. Initially, you can avoid these rate increases by periodically changing plans, because new rates tend to be lower than renewals. However, as you get older, it will become more difficult to find a company to insure you and individual policies will get more expensive.
If you do need to shop in the private health insurance market, you first need to find a competent insurance agent. Determining what kind of insurance you need and how much coverage to buy are complex issues. A good agent will help you assess your situation, and work with you to find the right coverage for your specific needs. The key to a successful working relationship with aninsurance agent is trust. You should be able to trust your agent’s knowledge, experience and professional judgment, and you should always feel secure that your agent is acting in your best interest. But keep in mind that trust is a two-way street: Your agent also needs to trust you to provide information that is truthful and complete.
If you are comparing several plans, you need to know what to look for before making a decision. When choosing a health plan ask your health insurance agent the following questions:
· Will the plan cover me for the specific doctor or hospital I would like to use?
· How does the referral system work?
· What pre-existing conditions would affect coverage?
· How will the plan handle care if I (or a family member) am away from home?
· What is the plan’s monthly premium, and what deductible and coinsurance am I required to pay?
· Are there other fees, such as copayments and any additional charges if I use providers that are out-of-network?
· Is there a maximum amount the plan will pay over a year or a lifetime?
· What types of benefits are specific to this plan?
The purchase of individual health insurance in the private market can seem confusing. Approach its purchase like you would that of any important item—research your options and compare prices, and get the best advice and assistance you can, in this case, the services of a qualifiedinsurance agent.
Keeping Your Health Insurance Premiums Low
Health Savings Accounts offer tax deductions for medical expenses, and the opportunity to set up an additional retirement account. But regardless of any other positive benefit of HSAs, lower premiums are the primary reason that thousands of Americans have chosen Health Savings Accounts as the best way to protect their family’s health and assets. Here are some key suggestions on how to keep your health insurance premiums low.
1. Choose an HSA-qualified plan for lower rate increases.
Average group health insurance premiums rose by 9. 6% last year and rose over 10% for each of the previous six years. Individual plans went up even more. Yet it is expected most HSA plans will experience much lower rate increases. A very large study was recently published showing that rate increases over the past year for consumer-driven plans such as HSA plans was only 3. 4%. Blue Cross of Minnesota has reported that its HSA customers spent 8% less than their traditional insurance clients. Humana has reported claims’ costs of 4. 9% for consumer-driven plans, versus a 19. 2% increase in claims for other plans. In fact, average HSA premiums for individuals have actually dropped 19. 5% over the last two years.
The reason these plans have lower rate increases is that people who have HSA-qualifying high-deductible health plans are likely to pay closer attention to costs, and take better care of their health. For instance, an HSA owner offered a statin drug to lower her cholesterol may be more likely to request a generic version, or ask her doctor if inexpensive nutritional supplements such as niacin or fish oil may be a solution. These actions save the insurance company money and should result in lower rate increases.
2. Raise your deductible as your HSA account grows.
When you fund your account you build up a financial “cushion” which allows you to raise your deductible as your account grows. Every time you raise your deductible, your premium should go down.
By the way, don’t forget that every time you fund your account you get an instant tax-deduction. When you offset the tax savings against your premiums, you’ll find your net cost for an HSA plan can be very low.
The maximum allowable contribution goes up every year with the rise of the Consumer Price Index. Currently, the individual contribution limit is $2,700, and the family limit is $5,450. So each year you can deposit greater amounts into your HSA and continue to raise your deductible, if you choose.
3. Stay healthy, so you can switch plans.
All health insurance plans have rate increases, and weve even seen premiums jump on some HSA plans. If a rate increase happens to you, you can switch to a different insurance company but only if you pass their underwriting requirements. If chronic disease develops, you may be stuck with your current plan, and its accompanying rate increases, for eternity. Or at least it may seem that long
If you pay attention to the pharmaceutical commercials, you learn lifestyle really has nothing to do with disease, and it is natural and healthy to be on many medications for the rest of your life, which will then solve your health problems.
If you pay attention to the science, you know the truth is quite different. It appears lifestyle is probably 95% of the picture, and we know the occurrence of degenerative disease can be dramatically reduced and even prevented.
Fortunately, most HSA owners are interested in health, wellness, and disease prevention. After all, theyre paying for their own doctor visits if they do get sick. HSA owners are also “forward thinking” people, and like to plan for their future both financial and physical. You can improve your odds of excellent health with just a few key habits:
Eat very high quantities of fresh vegetables and fruits. Shoot for 35% of your calories. This will lower your risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and much more.
Limit your intake of sugar and starchy carbohydrates like bread and pasta. The majority of health problems in the U. S. are related to metabolic diseases that involve insulin resistance.
Exercise and lift weights. Exercise guru Jack La Lanne turns 93 on September 26, and he says if you have muscles you never feel old.
4. Compare your plan to other available plans at least once a year, or whenever you get a rate increase.
Often-times people keep their plan much longer than they should, and end up paying too much. If your rates go up, you should compare a wide variety of plans to determine if you are in the right plan for your needs and budget.
By using these four strategies, the typical family can save thousands of dollars in health insurance premiums and still protect themselves against unexpected major medical expenses.
Senators Question Mandatory Health Insurance Constitutionality
Scott P. Brown’s win yesterday may be a harbinger of things to come for Obama’s health care reform plan; the idea of universal health insurance first touted in Obama’s platform for change seems to be on the verge of severe change itself. One question Republicans will likely concentrate on at present is whether mandatory private insurance violates the constitution or not.
The shock of a Republican winner in Massachusetts, a traditionally very, blue, very Democratic state is just beginning to be felt. One thing, however, is sure – voters are angry. The Obama administration’s focus on passing health care reform to make affordable health insurance more accessible to masses seems to have caused ire in his constituency. With the effects of the recession still on everyone’s mind, the concentration on health care has hampered Obama’s plans. Now Republicans have the power to impede those exact plans.
Republicans have plenty to discuss. Many Republicans have seen the health care plan from the get-go as a travesty to local governments. It would put a tax burden on small businesses, the rich, as well as unions. The cost of these new taxes may be more of a hindrance than a blessing. Furthermore, Republicans fear it would put Big Brother at the helm.
The big question remains: is mandatory private health insurance constitutional? Democrats cite the case of Social Security, which was approved by the Supreme Court in 1937 as a tax and spending program to provide insurance for the retired. No doubt, Social Security is not the most perfect plan, but has thus far worked.
The only problem with the Social Security argument is that Social Security remains a federal insurance, whereas the proposed Obama insurance is a private affair. American citizens, would essentially, be forced to buy their own private health insurance.
Republicans fear large government interference in the private lives of its citizens. Too much regulation takes away the freedoms of Americans as stated in the Constitution itself. Democrats would argue that it counts as economic activity, which can be regulated by Congress. Others find that argument to be rather flimsy. Where exactly does the Federal government have the authority to force its citizens to buy private insurance? What will the Supreme Court have to say? States already regulate car insurance, but that is on a state-to-state basis.
This is, by no means, a new issue. In November, Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oregon and Representative John Shadegg of Arizona began a push to force Congress to have to consider the authority of any legislation put forth. The legislation entitled “The Enumerated Powers Act”, has brought with it a large amount of discussion, however not much action.
Senator Obama has many challenges ahead. The Republican win last night indicates that people want a change. The question of the constitutionality of mandatory private health insurance looms. Republicans are expected to press the issue. However, many liberals and progressives have also questioned it. This may prove difficult for any health care reform – at least as it exists now – to succeed. Health care talks in the Senate are expected to come to a close soon.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Constitutionality, Health, Insurance, Mandatory, Question, Senators | No Comments »
This Week In Health Insurance Reform Easytoinsureme. com
January 27, 2010
This Week in Health Reform–Federal Legislative Overview
House and Senate
Republican Scott Brown’s victory over Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) in the January 19 special election to fill the seat of the late Senator Edward Kennedy (D) is proving to be a game-changer for the health care reform debate. It is now unclear what Democrats can do to pass President Obama’s most important legislative agenda item. Even though the Democrats held a majority in the House and Senate this year, they failed to coalesce around a strategy to pass this legislation. Initially after Brown’s win, there were two options under discussion for moving forward on the current legislation.
Have the House take up the Senate-passed bill and use the “reconciliation” bill process to “fix” several of the provisions the House finds unacceptable (e. g. , the “Cadillac” tax, etc. ). If the House passes the Senate bill, it will go directly to the President for his signature, with no further action needed in the Senate. A “reconciliation” bill, which would need only 51 votes in the Senate, could be passed either in tandem with the Senate bill or follow soon after.
.
Scale back the health care reform bill. A scaled-back bill could include health insurance reforms, exchanges, as well as several other provisions and possibly could attract bipartisan support. While many Democrats are likely to view this approach as a major lost opportunity, leadership may determine this is the most viable approach.
However, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) publicly stated on January 21 that the House does not have the 218 votes needed to pass the Senate version of the health care reform bill, which takes option number one (above) off the table.
While numerous private discussions are reportedly being held on the matter, at the outset it seems that Democrats’ only option for keeping the current legislation alive is to reach across the aisle to their Republican counterparts, most notably, moderate Senator Olympia Snow (R-ME). That would mean a more conservative bill, which could anger rank and file Democrats who are supportive of the legislation.
Although no plans have emerged for how to move forward, it now looks like Democrats will have to modify their plans. On the night of Scott Brown’s win in Massachusetts, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) – one of the biggest proponents for a single-payer health care system – said: “The only way to go forward is to take a step back. If there isn’t any recognition that we got the message and we are trying to recalibrate and do things differently, we are not only going to risk looking ignorant but arrogant. I don’t think it would be the worst thing to take a step back and say we are going to pivot to do a jobs thing,” and include elements of health care reform in it, he said.
Rep. David Camp (R-MI), Ranking Member on the House Ways and Means Committee, declared Democrats’ health care overhaul legislation “dead” and said that instead of full-scale change Congress should take a “first step toward comprehensive reform” of the nation’s health care system.
Issue Overview: Nebraska Medicaid Deal
While key elements of the health care reform legislation remain in flux, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its cost estimate of the expansion of the State of Nebraska’s Medicaid Deal, negotiated by Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) who then voted for the Senate’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HR 3590.
The letter responds to a request from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)), Ranking Member, House Committee on the Budget, asking if the cost estimate of the Senate health reform bill would change if all states received the same level of federal assistance for Medicaid as Nebraska receives under the bill.
The CBO stated on January 21 that the net spending for the Senate legislation would increase by $35 billion over ten years if all states received the same level of assistance as Nebraska.
Under the Senate’s provisions, non-elderly individuals with incomes below 133 percent of the federal poverty level would be eligible for Medicaid beginning in 2014. The federal government would pay the cost of covering newly eligible enrollees through 2016; and federal spending would be about 90 percent by 2019. The Senate legislation states that it would pay all Medicaid expansion costs to Nebraska beginning in 2014.
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Secrets For Buying Individual Health Insurance
If you’re not knowledgeable about buying individual health insurance, please study through the rest of this article, because we will offer some of the most reliable tips that will reward you with the best medical protection you need.
When there is need for purchasing insurance for anything, even vehicles, you need to be informed of the numerous plans you get. To know more about individual medical insurance for yourself, you have to spend some time studying the providers that sell the plans.
Where to Search for Health Insurance – First off, you need to know the list of insurance companies. This means studying on world wide web for medical insurance for individuals.
Insurance providers can provide you with a comprehensive list of the policy types they give, such as the services that are protected and what is insured for specific medical issues you are living with.
The Internet is a wonderful place to obtain information about health insurance companies and comparing the types of protection and rates each insurer gives. You can also learn that provider to understand the sort of client notes and statements that exist.
What you are looking for with Health protection – You could stumble on numerous insurers that offer good protection, but you are not certain if you’re paying too much. You may be billed a little more on specific coverage’s, but you must make sure the higher costs are justified. Insurance for X rays or MRI scans for example, are a needed consideration and you need to be certain the plan provides coverage for these.
Individual Health Insurance Tips
Individual health insurance insurers offer medical insurance to individuals and not groups. A lot people don’t have access to group medical coverage because they are not working in a good company or their employer has no medical benefits for its workers. In these cases, an individual medical care insurance company will prove very helpful. They have prices and coverages specially targeted to individuals.
Choosing a good individual health care protection provider can save you thousands of dollars in health costs. Count on spending a fair amount of time studying for the trusted quote from an individual care medical protection provider. By using the world wide web, anyone can easily get individual health protection insurers. Search engines, medical coverage information websites and company websites are some of the few ways of comparing prices for individual health protection companies.
This Week in Health Care Reform EasyToInsureME health insurance
JANUARY 22, 2010
This Week in Health Care Reform
After months of public debate and private negotiations, health care reform discussions stalled following Tuesday’s Senate vote in Massachusetts. The Democratic Senate lost its 60th vote supermajority when Republican Scott Brown was elected to the United States Senate in the Massachusetts special election.
Health Care Reform Negotiations Post-Massachusetts Special Election
Massachusetts Election of Senate Republican Recasts Debate: Following the election of Republican Scott Brown to the Massachusetts Senate seat Tuesday night, Democratic leaders have been scrambling to revive what could now be a dying bill. The loss of the Democrat’s 60th vote in the Senate opens up the legislation to a Republican filibuster – something the Democrats have managed to avoid thus far in the debate.
House and Senate Democrats met this week to discuss how to move forward with the reform legislation in light of this election and promised Wednesday that they would push ahead. There are a number of options that Democrats are considering, but at this point they have not charted their course.
On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) attempted to rally House Democrats around a strategy to push the Senate bill through the House and onto President Barack Obama’s desk so as to avoid the need to again secure 60 Senate votes. However, the Speaker indicated on Thursday morning that she did not believe she has the needed 218 House votes necessary to move forward. This option would have allowed lawmakersto then propose additional modifications to the approved legislation through a process called “reconciliation,” which only requires 51 votes in the Senate.
Other remaining options:
1.
House and Senate Democrats could also quickly complete the merging of the two bills and vote on the combined package before Mr. Brown is sworn in.
2.
Democratic leaders could attempt to re-engage Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), the only Republican who voted for the Senate Finance Committee’s bill passed in October. Democrats would need to allow her to amend the bill so that she could support its passage and give Democrats the needed 60th vote; or,
3. House and Senate Democrats could essentially start over in their respective chambers and propose scaled-back versions of the bill under “reconciliation” procedures or regular order. Reconciliation procedures would greatly limit the scope of the legislation to issues only related to raising or spending federal funds; therefore, many provisions, such as creating new insurance exchanges and an individual mandate, might be excluded.
President Obama seemed to indicate that he favors having House and Senate lawmakers start over again and produce a scaled-back bill. In addition, more moderate Senate Democrats – hesitant to push through such a huge partisan bill in light of the Massachusetts election – urged leaders to slow down.
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) has called on Senate leaders to suspend voting on health care reform until Mr. Brown is sworn into office. President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) have iterated this same message. Further, Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) called for a bipartisan effort as the best way to achieve health care reform legislation.
Health Care Reform Negotiations Prior to Massachusetts Special Election
Senators Urge Guarantee of Government Savings: In a letter sent last Thursday to Sen. Reid, five Democratic Senators asked for the inclusion of a “fail-safe mechanism” in the final bill. This mechanism would give Congress “the tools to keep costs under control should the current savings estimates fail to materialize. “
Both the Senate and House versions of the bill rely heavily on reductions in government spending, particularly around Medicare, to help pay for reform. Republicans and some nonpartisan analysts believe the government will not follow through on these spending reductions, which will lead to soaring costs.
President Obama Pushes for Less Protection for Biologic Drugs: Last Thursday President Obama pushed for a change in the health care reform legislation that would reduce the number of years that biologic drugs were patent protected from generic competition, previously set at 12 years. White House officials and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) were negotiating for 10 years protection or less.
Members of the news media speculated that the move to reduce biologic drug protections could be a leverage point for President Obama to pressure the drug industry to increase contributions to pay for health care reform. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reported that Congressional Democrats had already asked drug companies to contribute an additional $10 billion or more, over and above the $80 billion which the industry agreed to early on in the reform negotiations.
President Obama Strikes Deal with Unions: Last week Democratic negotiators struck a deal with union officials and conceded to union demands to scale back a tax on high-end insurance plans. The deal would exempt union workers from having to pay the tax until 2018, five years after the tax would apply to other workers. While the deal would help gain union support for the bill, it would also reduce the amount of tax revenue generated by about 40 percent, to $90 billion. As such, Democratic leaders would need to find other sources of revenue to make up the difference.
Public Opinion
Exit Poll Indicates Health Care Reform as Hot Button Issue: As the ballot polls closed on Tuesday night’s Massachusetts Senate election, an exit poll conducted by Frabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates indicated that 52 percent of voters said that they oppose the federal health care reform measure and 42 percent said they cast their ballot to help stop President Obama from passing this legislation. In addition, 48 percent said that health care was the single issue driving their vote.
Polls Show Discontent: The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll indicated that almost half of Americans believe the health care reform bill in Congress is a bad idea (46 percent). This figure is up dramatically from April when only 26 percent believed the plan was a bad idea. Further, just 33 percent say the plan is a good idea. Nearly half of those surveyed (48 percent) believe that passing the current legislation would be a “step backward. “
In addition, a new Quinnipiac University poll showed that public support for health care reform continues to decline. Thirty-four percent mostly approve, while 54 percent mostly disapprove. At the end of December, 53 percent of Americans mostly approved, while 36 mostly disapproved.
Looking Ahead
Currently, the path to health care reform is unclear. Democrats seek a way to secure the necessary votes to pass the legislation, and some now question the value of pushing such a large bill. President Obama had hoped to see a final bill prior to his State of the Union address, which has been scheduled for January 27; however, it appears this goal is likely out of reach.
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