Managed Healthcare Executive - December 2008 - (Page 7)

NEWS ANALYSIS Congress maps route for health reform That will require support for any Democratic reform initiative from Republican leaders on health policy: Senators Mike Enzi of the HELP Committee, and Charles Grassley and Orrin Hatch on Finance. Baucus’s proposal aims to achieve univerLeading legislators weigh prospects for sal coverage by mandating that all Americans broad reform versus incremental change have health insurance, a marked di erence from reform proposals articulated by PresiJILL WECHSLER | W A S H I N G T O N B U R E A U C H I E F dent-elect Barack Obama. Otherwise, the Baucus plan echoes many WASHINGTON, D.C. — Policy makers of health IT and to support Obama concepts, such as on Capitol Hill are staking out positions comparative-e ectiveness expanding public safetyfor the anticipated debate on overhauling research. And he will back net programs and reformthe nation’s healthcare system. initiatives to reduce paying the insurance market to A number of powerful legislators ments to Medicare Adimprove coverage options involved in steering reform legislation vantage plans to put them for those without employerthrough Congress are crafting strategies on a more “level playing based bene ts. for gaining consensus—and also lling eld” with the Medicare Companies that want the void while the new administration FFS program. to sell through a Health lines up its healthy policy and adminInsurance Exchange to The number of votes istrative sta . The economic crisis and SENATE MANEUVERS individuals and small Democratic leaders soaring budget de cits, however, may Senate leaders appear more businesses would have to believe are needed to rule out ambitious new initiatives to ex- open to broader reform meet minimum bene t enact comprehensive pand coverage for the near future. initiatives, as seen in the standards, compete with a A more practical strategy, as suggest- comprehensive “Health health reform legislation new public plan option and ed by leaders of the House, is a piece- Reform 2009” proposal comply with guaranteed ismeal approach to health reform. House unveiled by Senate Finance Committee sue and community rating policies. Ways & Means Health Subcommittee chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) in NoWhile Baucus retains the employer-based Chairman Pete Stark (D-Calif.) is urg- vember. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), head healthcare system, his plan acknowledges the ing quick action on legislation to reau- of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & need to revise existing tax incentives related thorize or expand the State Children’s Pensions (HELP) Committee, has been to health bene ts. Instead of eliminating the Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and meeting with key stakeholders electroni- tax exclusion for employer-based health into bolster state Medicaid programs. cally with an eye on proposing a “one bill” surance premiums, as proposed by Sen. John The next priority will be to address the legislative strategy. McCain, the plan proposes more targeted Medicare physician reimbursement sys“We want 80 votes for healthcare reform reforms of the system, such as capping the tem, which should be acted on next year in the Senate,” says a Baucus aide, empha- amount of premiums that can be excluded to avoid a steep drop in doctors’ fees. Stark sizing the importance of crafting bipartisan from wages, based on the value of the benplans to enact legislation to spur adoption legislation based on a consensus approach. e ts or individual income. MHE 80 SECRETARY TOM DASCHLE PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA MOVED QUICKLY in selecting former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle has been a close advisor to Obama and now will be the administration’s point person on moving health reform legislation through Congress. Reform advocates consider the selection a sign that the Obama administration will seek to ful ll its promises to make health reform a top priority. Daschle’s familiarity with health policy issues is evident in the book he coauthored earlier this year: “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” With less administrative experience than the governors who preceded him, Daschle will need capable deputies to oversee key HHS agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and CMS. The former senator from South Dakota lost his seat in a hard-fought battle in 2004. He was criticized then as being too much of a Washington insider, and his nomination provoked similar comments from some parties. Most observers regard the appointment as agreement that consummate political skill is needed to reform the nation’s healthcare system. — Jill Wechsler DECEMBER 2008 7 Thomas Northcut/Getty Images

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Managed Healthcare Executive - December 2008 For Your Benefit Editorial Advisors Contents News Analysis Politics & Policy Letter of the Law Puerto Rico’s PLAN State Report Bundled Payment Technology Drug Class Overview Managed Care Outlook Desktop Resource Ad/Edit Index

Managed Healthcare Executive - December 2008

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