Archive for the Health Insurance Category
CongressDaily : "Senate Majority Leader [Harry] Reid plans to file a package of cloture motions next week that would allow a final vote on healthcare legislation before the Senate goes home for Christmas, a leadership aide said today." He plans to offer "simultaneous cloture motions" for the overall bill, for a substitute amendment and for a manager's amendment containing "key compromises." The plan "came to light as senators from both parties wondered why leaders have not scheduled a vote on an amendment to allow reimportation of cheaper prescription ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
The proposal to expand Medicare to include people aged 55 and older as part of an alternative to creating the public option may have expanded support for the Senate version of the overhaul bill, the Los Angeles Times reports. "Despite the enthusiasm, the proposal must clear at least one big hurdle: cost. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has not yet analyzed the idea, and its conclusions could be a major factor -- positive or negative -- in determining whether the compromise opens the way for final Senate action on healthcare." The expansion ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
Health insurance companies that offer private alternative Medicare plans, called Medicare Advantage, put billions of dollars toward profits and marketing rather than patient care, according to a report released Wednesday by House Democrats. Reuters : "From 2005 to 2008, Medicare Advantage insurers reported $27 billion in expenses unrelated to care, according to the report released by [the House Energy and Commerce Committee], which looked at 34 such insurers. It also pointed to millions spent on executive compensation and company retreats in Hawaii, ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
Some of the key players in the health care debate are featured in news articles today.The Fargo Forum reports that Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., is "back in the national spotlight.""Earlier this year, Conrad was a member of the 'Gang of Six' senators to cultivate health care reform legislation. Now, Conrad is among some Democrats who have voiced reluctance and opposition toward a deal struck by Senate leadership Tuesday, which trades a public health insurance option for an expansion in Medicare coverage to include those between 55 and 64 years old. ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
The Washington Post: "While confusion reigned on Capitol Hill on Wednesday over the prospects and details of a Senate deal to replace a government-run insurance plan with other measures, it is not too soon to ask what the proposal would mean for regular people."Based on the Senate's recent revisions, the short answer is "that those without employer-provided insurance would have more options for buying coverage, but if they are younger than 55, their money would go to a private insurer, no matter what. Rates would be more competitive than what they ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
Groups representing doctors and hospitals are coming out against the inclusion of a Medicare "buy-in" in the Senate health bill, The Washington Post reports. The groups joined Republicans in arguing "that a plan by liberal Democrats to allow uninsured individuals as young as 55 to buy into Medicare would be financially untenable and would jeopardize access to health-care services for millions of Americans."The organizations, including the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals and the American Medical Association, ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
CNN reports that the Senate's public option "compromise appears to be a far cry from the government-backed public health care option offered in the House bill. The Senate's original health care bill included a public option similar to that of the House version. The biggest difference was that under the Senate plan, states could opt out of the public option. Should the Senate pass a bill with the public option alternative, merging it with the House bill would not be easy, but there's still a long ways to go before lawmakers get to that point."CNN ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission suggested Thursday that Congress should adjust what it pays hospitals for inpatient care in 2011 to recoup overpayments that have come from changes in documentation and coding used by Medicare, according to a report on Modern Healthcare. At the same time, the commission, known as MedPAC, called for Medicare to increase its payment rates for inpatient and outpatient hospital services at the full rate of inflation, along with establishing a quality incentives program. Currently, the projected increase would ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
Coverage of the Senate's "broad agreement" to create a national health insurance plan continues, with Democratic leaders remaining mum on details while insisting the compromise leaves a "public" option in the bill. (See KHN's Tuesday night breaking news round-up ). The Washington Post : "Democratic Senate negotiators struck a tentative agreement Tuesday night to drop the controversial government-run insurance plan from their overhaul of the health-care system, hoping to remove a last major roadblock preventing the bill from moving to a final vote ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance, Medical Insurance | Jessen
"Congressional Democrats are laying groundwork that would allow the House to pass the Senate's healthcare overhaul bill without a conference, a move that would avoid additional Senate filibusters and possibly send a bill to President Obama before the end of the year." After a meeting of top Democratic staffers, one aide said "[f]rom a strategic standpoint, the ideal situation is that we do something like [skip the conference]... We'd go into the new year with a major accomplishment. The decks would be cleared, and we can move on to other issues." ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance, Medical Insurance | Jessen
Insurers' profits are a lightning rod for reform advocates. Aetna's earnings have now attracted reprimand from Senate Democrats who say the major insurance company overstated it spending on patient care in regulatory filings, minimizing profits and overhead, The Wall Street Journal reports. "The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation launched an investigation last summer into the percentage of premiums insurers spend on medical care versus profits and other administrative expenses. That percentage, known in the industry as 'the ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance, Medical Insurance | Jessen
"Despite the economic downturn that's busting state budgets from Sacramento to Tallahassee, 26 states this year made it easier for low-income children, parents or pregnant women to get health coverage, according to a report released Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation," Kaiser Health News and The Miami Herald report (KHN is a program of the foundation). "But the gains could be fleeting as most were made possible by new federal stimulus dollars, which run out at the end of 2010, along with a requirement that states maintain Medicaid eligibility ... [Full Story]
12.11.2009| Health Insurance, Medical Insurance | Jessen
Heath Lambert has announced that it is to be the sole provider of cover for Admiral’s Diamond home insurance brand, which is aimed at female customers.The new assignment comes alongside Heath Lambert’s existing involvement with Admiral’s elephant.co.uk brand.According to the broker, the revamped Diamond product will be unique to the market, providing a tailored solution for females seeking a home insurance product with a difference, whilst retaining competitive pricing.The policy will include Handbag Cover, Home Emergency Cover, Keycare and ... [Full Story]
12.9.2009| Health Insurance | Jessen
