After several years spent lusting for oversight of Medicare's private insurance plans, known as Medicare Advantage, House Democrats started sharpening their knives with a first hearing on the plans' higher payment rates and the benefits they offer to enrollees. Democrats have long eyed the plans as a potential source of billions of dollars in offsets that they could use to pay for other health priorities. Read more »
Hospital groups, lawmakers, and governors are continuing to fight the Bush administration on proposed regulatory changes to Medicaid they say would cut nearly $4 billion from the nation's health care safety net over the next five years. Read more »
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will continue to work with Louisiana state and local officials to improve access to health care services in areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina, HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt told House lawmakers this week. Read more »
In a move that portends resistance from rural-state senators to possible Medicare payment cuts to private health plans, Utah Republican Orrin G. Hatch fell one vote short in an attempt to require a reserve fund to pay for wider coverage of uninsured children and other Medicaid and Medicare changes. Read more »
Many of the health care proposals pending on Capitol Hill could significantly reduce the number of uninsured Americans and decrease health care costs, according to a new Commonwealth Fund study. The report analyzed 10 health plans introduced in the 109th and 110th Congresses as well as President Bush's proposal to give tax deductions of $7,500 to individuals and $15,000 to families for purchasing health insurance, no matter what the cost or type of insurance or whether it is purchased through an employer. Read more »
A new health care plan proposed by two Senate Republicans includes so many changes to the nation's health care system that one of its sponsors, Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, says the bill will not pass this year. But that won't stop Burr and his colleague, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, from trying. Read more »