Health care news

Two items of interest in Today's Aliance for Retired Americans newsletter:

U.S. House Moves Forward on Health Care ReformThree committee chairmen in the U.S. House have agreed to work together to pass similar health care reform legislation in their committees before the recess in August. According to CQ Today, Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, Henry Waxman (D-CA) Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and George Miller, (D-CA) Chair of the Committee on Education and Labor, made the agreement. These committees have overlapping jurisdiction over health care, and the chairmen hope that their coordinated efforts to pass similar legislation will ensure success with reform efforts. The Senate probably will not be able to move as quickly as the House. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will have to schedule more time for debate in his chamber than Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will in the House. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) said last week that he wants his committee to vote on an overhaul in June. A health overhaul in the Senate will have to be approved by Baucus’ panel and by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). Sen. Kennedy is recuperating from brain cancer treatment in Florida and has not announced a timetable for his committee to vote on a bill. “Health care reform should come as soon as possible, and it should provide early retirees the option to purchase Medicare coverage. Many of the 5.1 million Americans between 55-64 who lack health insurance are victims of mass layoffs,” said Barbara Easterling, President of the Alliance.

Taxation of Employer-Provided Health Benefits is on the TableThe New York Times reported on Saturday that the Obama administration and Senator Baucus have indicated that they are open to the idea of taxing employee health benefits to offset the costs of health care reform. Eliminating “employer exclusion” would represent a tax increase for working families and retirees with employer provided insurance, and many policy analysts believe that this proposal would hurt efforts to expand access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans. The proposal would also undermine health care coverage by causing employers to discontinue the higher cost employee and retiree health care plans, disrupting health insurance for those who have coverage they like. “The Alliance opposes taxing employee health benefits because it would give employers an incentive to walk away,” Alliance Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Burks said. “Americans bargained for these benefits, and have every right to expect to move forward and not backward.”

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Comments: the taxing of our meager still existing health benefits is not acceptable and I assure folks that Soar units will respond to such with negative vigor. After all, most of us did not vote for John McCain whose contribution to the health care debate was he wished to tax benefits.

Note two: the exclusion of HR676 folks from the debate on healthcare is a serious political mistake. Employer based healthcare is presently a joke and should be scrapped in favor of something that would work and many models of this around the world. The hell with the insurance companies and big drug companies, Universal Health care now, it is the right of the people to have decient affordable healthcare.

Some of the "consiveridems" better take note. If your plans are to become Republican, do so now before the elections.