Author Archive
Does Medicare ‘Doughnut Hole’ Spur Increase In Foreign Drug Imports?
Medill Reports: “Unless federal legislation closes the Medicare coverage gap colloquially known as the ‘doughnut hole,’ seniors may opt for online drug imports to alleviate steep prescription costs. … ‘As seniors start falling into the doughnut hole, they are going online to find deals on prescription drugs, whether they’re based in the U.S…
Health Bill Deal ‘Close’ Though Some Democrats - And All Republicans - Hold Out
Congressional Democrats, reportedly closing in on a final health reform agreement, are seeking to alleviate concerns of reluctant members. The Associated Press: “It will come down to a phenomenal effort by congressional leaders and the White House to win over skittish lawmakers after a year of incendiary debate …
PhRMA Spends $6.3 Lobbying In Fourth Quarter, Slight Increase From Year Before
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America spent $6.3 million lobbying Congress and other government arms on health care in the fourth quarter of 2009, The Associated Press reports. PhRMA “spent just 2 percent more than the $6.17 million it paid out for lobbying in the year-ago period. The group’s members include drug giants Pfizer […]
Survey: Employers Plan To Shift More Health Costs To Workers
News outlets report on new trends in health insurance for employers. The Washington Post: “Most big employers plan to shift a larger share of health-care costs to their workers next year, according to a survey to be released Thursday. …
House Dems Discuss Abortion, Other Non-Budget Issues While Awaiting CBO Score On Health Reform
On Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said lawmakers are focusing on resolving issues that fall outside the scope of the budget reconciliation bill — legislation Democrats are drafting that would include changes to the Senate health reform bill (HR 3590), CQ Today reports…
Today’s OpEds: Congressional Dealmaking, Cutting ‘Honchos Pay,’ Controlling Costs
Congressional Deals: Watching The Sausage Making Politico Legislators need pork to make things happen, especially in an age when chronic obstruction has so weakened the legislative process that policy breakthroughs are almost impossible. This does not excuse all kinds of deal making, nor should we ignore that deals sometimes go too far (Julian E. Zelizer, […]
GOP Putting Strategies In Place To Thwart Dems On Reform
Politico: “When Mitch McConnell speaks these days, he expects House Blue Dogs to be listening…
Obama Makes Final Public Push For Health Reform As Democrats Consider Timeline
President Obama is delivering his “closing argument” for health care reform in St. Louis today as Democratic leaders strategize on moving the bill through the House and Senate.The Associated Press: “Obama is to speak Wednesday at St. Charles High School, his second health care address in three days…
Senate Poised To Pass COBRA Subsidy Extension, Medicare ‘Doc Fix’
The Senate is set to vote Wednesday on a jobs bill that would extend the COBRA subsidy program and Medicaid funding for states and prevent a Medicare reimbursement cut for doctors. The Associated Press: The bill “extends health insurance subsidies for the unemployed through December. It would add $132 billion to the budget deficit over […]
Non-Profit Operations Plugging Health Care Gap In Chicago
Medill Reports presents a story on community health centers in Chicago that try to fill access-to-care gaps for people too sick to get health care coverage or too poor to afford other care. “Community health centers … are private, non-profit operations that fill a gap between for-profit health systems and free public health clinics…