Is Health Reform Dead or Alive

January 31, 2010

Depending on whom you listen to, it could be different

The President asked Congress to continue the push for healthcare reform in his State of the Union Address last week. Congressional leaders were offering commentary that seemed to be in conflict with others but that is not the case. They will continue to pursue avenues to push through the agenda, but it may take on a different focus, starting with health insurance market reforms. The reconciliation process is still and option as well. The reconciliation process allows a simple majority vote in the Senate and would limit the reform changes directly to federal budgetary impact.

There is also talk of repealing the Anti Trust Exemption for health insurance carriers. A misconception about the McCarran-Ferguson Act is that it would help bring down costs but it is the contrary. The act only provides a limited exemption whereas it allows carriers to share information relative to fraud, licensing, standardization of forms and other items that actually help reduce costs by eliminating the need for each carrier to create their own systems and processes.

Read more about these stories in the NAHU Washington Update January 29, 2010 edition.

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