Health Care Reform: A Wrench In The Works?
The CBO score for the health care reconciliation bill was expected yesterday, but it was not released. The issue appears to be related to the hazards of reconciliation. To survive challenges during the reconciliation process, the items in the bill must be directly related to budgetary items and they must reduce the deficit. Right now, the Feinstein-proposed oversight committee for insurance rates is out of the bill. There also appears to be a problem with the excise tax. The changes to the tax lowered the CBO score more than expected:
On Wednesday, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka was called into an unplanned meeting at the White House to discuss late-stage negotiations on a proposed tax on high-end insurance plans. According to sources familiar with what transpired, congressional leaders had begun discussions earlier in the day (perhaps last night) about accelerating the tax’s impact in order to produce more savings under the president’s revised health care bill.
Under the president’s plan, those families with health care plans over $27,500 and individuals with plans over $10,200 would be taxed starting in 2018. That tax would be indexed to the Consumer Price Index plus one percent, which would provide some additional comfort to those with high-end policies — specifically for labor workers who had bargained for these plans.
The plan, however, got tripped up after congressional negotiators received poorer-than-expected feedback from the Congressional Budget Office, a senior Democratic hill aide confirmed. And as a compromise, on Wednesday, they began discussing indexing the tax simply to the Consumer Price Index.
“What the White House is putting out is not any big major changes to the deal,” said a source briefed on the matter. “What they are talking about is the way things are right now the tax was indexed to CPI+1 and they want to change it to CPI general inflation.”
The new CBO score is expected sometime today. This means the earliest the bill can be voted on is Sunday. Yesterday it looked like the bill was really gaining some momentum, we’ll have to wait and see if this derails that momentum.
Tags: Health Care Reform
So once again, a family recognizing the NEED for quality healthcare, and budgeted/spent for it–like college tuition mind you–is now going to be taxed for the responsibility of acquiring such. Believe it or not gang–not all this high end stuff, you folks worry about some so and so “getting”, is very often PAID FOR–out of pocket, by us rank and file small business owners–who have to mitigate health care expenses in lieu of business losses. And that’s supposed to be a comfort to labor? Maybe labor will now realize how golden and great AND expensive terrific healthcare really is. Leave mine alone–I paid for it.
Personally, I think this wrench in the works is going to once again bring back the public option from the dead. We will have to wait and see
I just want to bring up again that none of this ridiculous legislative dancing would be necessary if Republicans were willing to allow the Senate to be the majoritarian body it’s supposed to be. It’s nothing but a stupid procedural arms race.
And how would you explain their dancing partners who are Democrat? Family secret?
Let’s see – under this bill my choices are to be taxed for having a good insurance policy with low deductibles or have a cheaper insurance policy with higher deductibles and not get taxed. So the question still becomes how can I afford to pay for actual healthcare services when I am now either paying taxes I can’t afford for having a decent insurance plan or having to pay high deductibles that I can’t afford.
Being forced to buy health insurance is not the same as having access to health care. This bill does not address healthcare costs, drug costs, or even insurance costs in any significant way.
WMD 2002 = HCR 2010
I know that many here hate the analogy, but once again this whole deal smells just like the run-up to the war in 2002 with shifting rationales, trying to fix the numbers, rosy predictions, fear-mongering, and rushing to a vote.
Next thing you know, they’ll send Colin Powell out.
I agree anonone. Where is the health care cost reform? This is health insurance reform. And the “reform” is that the goverment is mandating that everyone purchase a health insurance plan? How is this helping me or my parents who can’t afford to purchase a plan that would actually matter (i.e., not a catastrophic plan).
I have a plan through my employer for myself and my son. I pay $250 a month towards it and my employer pays $250. Then I have to pay co-pays for primary care visits and generic drugs. I have a dedutible (not too high) to meet for anything above that before any benefits kick in. Is this a cadillac plan? If it is I will now not only continue my regular out of pocket expenses (premiums and co-pays) but now I’ll be taxed as well so that others can be subsidized to purchase a catastrophic plan that won’t even help them with everyday doctor visits and prescriptions? How is this reform that works or matters or makes a difference in peoples lives?
You can purchase catastrophic plans now that are very cheap. They don’t cover much but they’re out there already without all this junk legislation.
I think this is a very bad bill with lots of other stuff attached. With all the fraud already in Medicare and Medicaid it would have been better to reform these first. The whole purpose of these two was to take care of the elderly and low income individuals why can’t the Gov make these work before they add on more layers. Reform what you have then work on additional needs.
Nancy that is the lamest republican talking point argument against any reform! Where is your proof medicare/medicaid are berefit with massive fraud!It’s the for profits, unregulated, unmonitored where the fraud and THEFT is. This bill fixes some of the problems but doesnt go far enough.
How does looking into fraud provide medical care to the 45 million without, and 45,000 dying every year?I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Fixing Medicare Advantage was a good thing. They did’nt close the donut hole enough. A lousy $250? There should be no donut hole.
The problem with the bill, no public option! No mechanism for the public to opt OUT of for profit health care and purchase affordable, effective health care, like what Medicare offers. The system is already set up and could be operational in weeks not years. The bill offered provides billions to “build” yet another system! Delay, delay, delay! Why do you think it will take until 2014 to fully be in effect. Money for “building” the exchanges should be going for health care! Not renting space, furniture, staffing, systems etc. WASTED MONEY! Medicare costs 3% to administer that system. Seniors like it and would fight if forced to give it up.If that is not testimony enough as to why “expansion of buyin to medicare” was’nt the way to go, damn I give up! Alan Graysons 4page amendment did that?
Insurance companies, hospitals, medical equipment companies and big pharma will be clinking their champagne glasses if this bill as written stands. Anyone check the health care stocks on Wall Street? If there was a public option in this bill, the stock would be falling!