Here's a good article regarding the current Debt Standoff. Given that whatever agreements are made are sure to impact health care coverage in the future, it's important that we understand what's happening here and how it will affect us personally.
http://healthpolicyandmarket.blogspot.com/2011/07/we-are-reaping-what-we-have-sewnthe.html
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Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Fixing glitch in Obama's health law saves $13B
WASHINGTON (AP) — Memo to President Barack Obama and the debt negotiators: You can save $13 billion by fixing a glitch in the new health care law.
That amount may pale in comparison to the "big deal" the president's looking for, but negotiators have got to start somewhere to reach the goal of cutting deficits by $4 trillion over a decade. And the fix would not increase the number of uninsured people.
"This proposal represents an area of savings where there is a rare opportunity for agreement on both sides of the aisle," said Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, senior Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Enzi introduced legislation Monday to fix a glitch that would have allowed some middle-class early retirees to get health insurance at virtually no cost by qualifying for Medicaid coverage meant for the poor. Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska introduced a similar bill, signaling the fix could have bipartisan support.
The problem came to light recently, an obscure provision of the complex health care law that changed the current practice of counting Social Security benefits as income for deciding who can get Medicaid.
The mix-up also would have created unintended consequences for tax credits that Obama's law provides to make private health insurance more affordable for people who purchase coverage individually.
An early retiree drawing Social Security would have paid much less for the same policy than a neighbor of the same age, similar medical history, earning the same total income from work.
Tax credits and a Medicaid expansion are part of the law's big push to cover the uninsured, which starts in 2014.
Health and Human Services spokeswoman Erin Shields welcomed Enzi's involvement. "We look forward to studying his proposal," she said. The administration is exploring options for a fix.
The Associated Press first reported the problem last month, after Medicare Chief Actuary Richard Foster raised concerns and said he was having trouble getting policymakers interested. The nonpartisan actuary's office conducts long-range cost estimates for government health care programs.
"I try to stay out of policy issues, but this is one where I think a change is in order," Foster told the House Budget Committee last week. Earlier, he said the glitch "just doesn't make sense."
Enzi's legislation would reverse the health care law, requiring Social Security income to be counted when determining eligibility for Medicaid and for tax credits to purchase private insurance.
In a memo provided by the senator's office, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the legislation would reduce the deficit by about $13 billion between 2014 and 2021, without raising the number of uninsured people.
"The change in the income definition is estimated to have a negligible effect on the number of individuals who are uninsured," said the CBO memo. People would still be able to get coverage, they just wouldn't be getting it free or as heavily discounted. The fix would affect about 500,000 to 1 million people a year, a smaller number than the 3 million Foster's office had estimated.
Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., was introducing companion legislation to Enzi's in the House.
That amount may pale in comparison to the "big deal" the president's looking for, but negotiators have got to start somewhere to reach the goal of cutting deficits by $4 trillion over a decade. And the fix would not increase the number of uninsured people.
"This proposal represents an area of savings where there is a rare opportunity for agreement on both sides of the aisle," said Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, senior Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Enzi introduced legislation Monday to fix a glitch that would have allowed some middle-class early retirees to get health insurance at virtually no cost by qualifying for Medicaid coverage meant for the poor. Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska introduced a similar bill, signaling the fix could have bipartisan support.
The problem came to light recently, an obscure provision of the complex health care law that changed the current practice of counting Social Security benefits as income for deciding who can get Medicaid.
The mix-up also would have created unintended consequences for tax credits that Obama's law provides to make private health insurance more affordable for people who purchase coverage individually.
An early retiree drawing Social Security would have paid much less for the same policy than a neighbor of the same age, similar medical history, earning the same total income from work.
Tax credits and a Medicaid expansion are part of the law's big push to cover the uninsured, which starts in 2014.
Health and Human Services spokeswoman Erin Shields welcomed Enzi's involvement. "We look forward to studying his proposal," she said. The administration is exploring options for a fix.
The Associated Press first reported the problem last month, after Medicare Chief Actuary Richard Foster raised concerns and said he was having trouble getting policymakers interested. The nonpartisan actuary's office conducts long-range cost estimates for government health care programs.
"I try to stay out of policy issues, but this is one where I think a change is in order," Foster told the House Budget Committee last week. Earlier, he said the glitch "just doesn't make sense."
Enzi's legislation would reverse the health care law, requiring Social Security income to be counted when determining eligibility for Medicaid and for tax credits to purchase private insurance.
In a memo provided by the senator's office, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the legislation would reduce the deficit by about $13 billion between 2014 and 2021, without raising the number of uninsured people.
"The change in the income definition is estimated to have a negligible effect on the number of individuals who are uninsured," said the CBO memo. People would still be able to get coverage, they just wouldn't be getting it free or as heavily discounted. The fix would affect about 500,000 to 1 million people a year, a smaller number than the 3 million Foster's office had estimated.
Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., was introducing companion legislation to Enzi's in the House.
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Friday, July 8, 2011
The Ryan Medicaid Plan - a Threat to Middle Class Security
The Medicaid changes in the Ryan budget plan would have extraordinary implications not only for poor individuals but for a very broad swath of middle-class families, as a very big share of Medicaid benefits protects middle class families from financial disaster in the event of severe accidents, catastrophic illness of prolonged infirmity in old age.
If Medicaid benefits are cut as outlined under the Ryan plan, the majority of middle class families will be at significantly greater risk of facing financial catastrophe at some point in their lives. Read more at the link below:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/07/ryan_medicaid.html
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Obama calls meeting with leaders 'constructive' - Medicare cuts put on hold
http://www.benefitspro.com/2011/07/07/obama-calls-meeting-with-leaders-constructive
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama declared a debt-crisis session Thursday with congressional leaders was "very constructive" but said the parties were still far apart on deficit reduction proposals. He said he would reconvene the negotiators on Sunday.
Obama acknowledged that the ultimate agreement will not satisfy partisans on both sides, but he said the deal would require both Republican and Democratic votes to pass Congress.
"Everyone acknowledged that pain will be involved politically on all sides," he said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama declared a debt-crisis session Thursday with congressional leaders was "very constructive" but said the parties were still far apart on deficit reduction proposals. He said he would reconvene the negotiators on Sunday.
Thursday's meeting came amid signals that the White House was willing to reduce costs for major benefit programs including Social Security and Medicare, while Republicans indicated they might consider new steps to raise government revenue.
"People were frank," Obama said, just moments after adjourning the one-and-a-half hour meeting with the eight lawmakers who make up the bipartisan leadership of Congress.Obama acknowledged that the ultimate agreement will not satisfy partisans on both sides, but he said the deal would require both Republican and Democratic votes to pass Congress.
"Everyone acknowledged that pain will be involved politically on all sides," he said.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
State Laws Seek to Deny Women Their Reproductive Rights
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/07/laws_abortion.html
This is an interesting piece that examines the other consequences that go with the efforts to curb abortion on a state by state basis. The laws that are being passed are also limiting much more than abortion - they are denying access to fundamental services that should be available to allow women to plan families, take care of their own health, and in the most dire of circumstances - allow her to work with her physician to take steps to prevent her from becoming gravely ill or dying as a result of a pregnancy.
This is an interesting piece that examines the other consequences that go with the efforts to curb abortion on a state by state basis. The laws that are being passed are also limiting much more than abortion - they are denying access to fundamental services that should be available to allow women to plan families, take care of their own health, and in the most dire of circumstances - allow her to work with her physician to take steps to prevent her from becoming gravely ill or dying as a result of a pregnancy.
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