WASHINGTON WIRE
June 12, 2009
Issue 204
Senate HELP Committee Set to Mark Up Healthcare Reform Legislation
Republican and Democratic Lawmakers Continue to Disagree on Key Healthcare Reform Issues
President to Sign Bill Giving FDA Authority to Regulate Tobacco Industry
PPSV’s Jim Pyles to Discuss Privacy and HIT on Radio Show
Top Story
Senate HELP Committee Set to Mark Up Healthcare Reform Legislation
On June 9, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee headed by Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-MA) released a draft healthcare reform bill, the Affordable Health Choices Act. The bill aims to expand coverage by reforming the individual health insurance market, and includes a public plan option with individual and employer mandates. There is a hearing on the bill scheduled for June 11 and a two-week committee mark-up is also arranged to start on June 16. Despite this, major provisions of the bill are still under development.
Lawmakers have several options as to which course of action to take in terms of the public plan concept. For example, they need to determine which public plan model, if any, to include in the bill and whether to impose a pay-or-play mandate for employers.
Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) is working to bring both parties together around key issues such as improving the quality of healthcare and increasing coverage for preventative care. But Democrats are getting pushback from Republicans on the content and timing of the legislation. Also on June 9, Senate HELP and Senate Finance Committee Republicans wrote to the chairmen of the committees requesting more time for the Congressional Budget Office and the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation to look over expenditures and estimates for provisions in the health care bill.
Health Care News
Republican and Democratic Lawmakers Continue to Disagree on Key Healthcare Reform Issues
With only days to go until the Senate HELP Committee begins marking up legislation on healthcare reform, lawmakers on both sides continue to disagree on key issues, such as whether to include a public plan option and or an employer mandate in the bill. In addition, Democrats have yet to reach consensus on the details of some major policies.
While Democrats debate between variations of a public plan, Republicans would eliminate the option altogether. Democrats continue to deliberate between three employer mandate options, while Republicans similarly prefer to drop the idea. Democrats and Republicans also diverge on their views towards some insurance market reforms, such as how to implement new rating policies. Although committee leaders continue to voice a desire to have a bi-partisan bill, it appears such legislation remains out of reach for now.
President to Sign Bill Giving FDA Authority to Regulate Tobacco Industry
On Thursday, June 11, the Senate passed 79-17 legislation that gives FDA authority to regulate the tobacco industry. The House passed a similar bill in April and it is expected that the two bills will be reconciled quickly. President Obama has said that he is eager to sign the bill.
The bill mandates FDA establish a Center for Tobacco Products and an advisory committee. Under the new law, FDA will regulate the ingredients of cigarettes, oversee marketing restrictions and implement requirements for warning labels. Once Obama signs the bill, the agency can restrict, but not ban, nicotine.
Upcoming Events
PPSV's Jim Pyles to Discuss Privacy and HIT on Radio Show
PPSV Principal Jim Pyles will be appearing on "My Technology Lawyer" an AM radio show broadcast over the Internet and on AM radio in major outlets including Washington, D.C., New York, St. Louis and San Francisco. The show will air live at 4:00 p.m. eastern on Thursday June 18. Mr. Pyles will be discussing the privacy implications of electronic health information systems and recently enacted health information technology legislation. You may listen to the program using the following link: www.mytechnologylawyer.com/radio.
Hearings
Tuesday, June 16
Health Care Overhaul
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Full Committee Markup
2:30 p.m., 325 Russell Bldg.
For More Information
For further information on any topics discussed or publications listed, or to get copies of anything mentioned in this alert, please call (202) 466-6550 and ask for the Legislative Practice Group.
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