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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Health Care Reform Articles - January 20, 2011



Especially noteworthy today are the proposals for a single-payer system for Vermont from Bill Hsiao and his group (actually two different versions of single-payer).  See below.

Health bill would allow waivers in 2014

By NEAL P. GOSWAMI
Bennington Banner, 01/18/2011
BENNINGTON - Vermont's congressional delegation joined Gov. Peter Shumlin Tuesday to announce legislation that would allow states to seek federal health care waivers in 2014, and the flexibility to craft their own state-level health care plans.

Proposals for Reform from Vermont

Vermont: A Health System for the 21 Century
Presentation before Vermont State Legislature, January19, 2011
Achieving Affordable Universal Health Care in Vermont
Act 128, Health System Reform Design
Submitted by WILLIAM C. HSIAO, PhD, FSA; STEVEN KAPPEL, MPA; JONATHAN GRUBER, PhD; And a team of health policy analysts
January 19, 2011

No Room in NYT for Single-Payer Doctors, but Right-Wing Cranks Are OK

By Peter Hart
Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, 01/20/2011
When I saw the headline (1/19/11), "Vocal Physicians Group Renews Health Law Fight," I thought maybe--just maybe--the New York Times might be talking about Physicians for a National Health Program, the group comprised of "18,000 physicians, medical students and health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance."
But no. The Times story is about the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, a 3,000-member organization that is on the far right of the healthcare debate, and is garnering coverage now because they support repeal of the new healthcare law. How far? These excerpts from the Times piece should give you some idea:



January 19, 2011

House Votes for Repeal of Health Law in Symbolic Act












WASHINGTON — The House voted Wednesday to repeal the Democrats’ landmark health care overhaul, marking what the new Republican majority in the chamber hailed as the fulfillment of a campaign promise and the start of an all-out effort to dismantle President Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement.
The vote was 245 to 189, with 3 Democrats joining all 242 Republicans in support of the repeal.


AP Exclusive: Insurers profit on Medicare float

WASHINGTON – Private health insurance plans catering to Medicare recipients are making millions by taking money the government sends in advance — but isn't immediately needed — and using it to make investments, federal investigators say in a report obtained by The Associated Press.
In financial parlance, it's called "playing the float."


GOP Wins Vote Against Health Law

WASHINGTON — House Republicans, in a determined but subdued manner lacking the fiery rhetoric that helped propel Tea Party candidates into office in November, voted yesterday to repeal President Obama’s signature law overhauling the nation’s health care system.
The vote was the first significant — although largely symbolic — victory for the newly empowered Republicans, but the eight hours of debate before the tally lacked the populist fireworks that for two years have punctuated the debate over health care. The shift reflected a more somber tone adopted by both parties following the shooting of Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson this month.


Fact Check On Health Law

In their successful push for a House vote to repeal the health care overhaul, Republicans have leveled several charges against the law. A few are myths:
‘This is a “government takeover’’ of the health care system’


The GOP’s Political Theater - The Boston Globe

TAKING CUES from Broadway, the show in Washington always goes on.
House Republicans went through last night with their largely symbolic vote to repeal health care reform. The Senate won’t go along, and even if it did, President Obama would veto repeal.


January 19, 2011

Cameron Seeks Vast Changes in England’s Health Service




LONDON — Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday proposed a radical reorganization of England’s health care system, introducing legislation that would hand responsibility for most of the country’s health budget to its 42,000 general practitioners and, his political opponents say, open the door to private competition that could threaten the foundations of socialized care.


In Maine, Multistate Lawsuit Spurs Rally - Maine News, Sports, Obituaries, Weather

Several dozen people turn out for a rally outside the Maine State House, asking elected officials to support the national health care law, in Augusta, Maine, on Wednesday. The rally comes a day after Maine Attorney General William Schneider's move to join other states in a lawsuit in Florida against the overhaul.




January 19, 2011
Categories:

Abortion on deck in health care debate

House Republicans will follow their health care law repeal vote with a more targeted attack: legislation to take down provisions that they contend allow for taxpayer funding of abortion.

Anti-abortion legislators will introduce the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act as H.R. 3 on Thursday. The bill intends to prevent federal funding for abortion procedures by codifying the Hyde Amendment, which has long barred federal agencies from paying for abortions.

The legislation is supported by the chairman of an Energy Committee health panel, Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-Pa.), and the co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.). It also comes in tandem with the Protect Life Act, another measure meant to prevent taxpayer funding of abortion.


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