Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Gordon H. Smith, R-Ore., introduced legislation that would provide a tax credit to businesses that offer comprehensive wellness programs to their employees. Read more »
If health costs continue to grow as they have in the past four decades, income tax rates will have to rise dramatically by 2050 if they are the mechanism used to pay for those added outlays, according to an analysis released by the Congressional Budget Office. Read more »
While a group of California physicians on Capitol Hill hailed the benefits of Medicare Advantage plans, the American Medical Association (AMA) made a counter move by reiterating its plea to lawmakers to trim payments to the plans. The jockeying occurred as lawmakers continue to mull ways to cut Medicare to pay for other health care priorities, including coverage of uninsured children. Read more »
The chief Republican architects of a tentative deal the Senate Finance Committee has struck on children's health insurance are defending the proposal against criticism by President Bush, who may veto it. Read more »
Electronic prescribing could save the Medicare program as much as $29 billion over the next decade and prevent almost two million medication errors, yet many physicians are reluctant to adopt the practice, according to a new report and poll released by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA). Read more »
Members of the Senate Finance Committee said they have reached agreement on the framework for an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Under the bipartisan agreement, the expansion would cost $35 billion over five years—significantly short of the $50 billion increase sought by Democratic congressional leaders and included in the congressional budget resolution (S Con Res 21), several senators said. Read more »