Health Care Reform Update

6 August 2009

Before beginning their month-long August recess on July 31, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked-up their version of the health care reform package.  The Energy and Commerce Committee was the third House committee to mark up H.R. 3200.

Amendments offered by the Energy and Commerce Committee included financial incentives to states that enact certain medical liability reform measures.  Additional measures would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate payment rates in the public plan that are not lower than Medicare nor higher than the average rates paid by private plans in the Health Insurance Exchange, and the creation of a consumer operated and oriented plan (CO-OP) program, through which grants and loans will be made for the creation and initial operation of not-for-profit, member-run health insurance co-ops that provide insurance through the exchange. 

The three versions of H.R. 3200 will be combined so that the full House can consider the legislation when it returns to Washington in September. 

In the Senate, six members of the Finance Committee continue to negotiate party differences in how to approach health reform.  Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) set a September 15 deadline for the Senators to present a bill.  While the Senate negotiators are not releasing many details, they have announced that they will not put forth an option for a government-run health insurance plan, but rather will propose a network of member-owned cooperatives.  The Senate is set to begin its recess August 10.

MSV will be sending a grassroots alert to members who are constituents of Rep. Glenn Nye (D, VA-2), Rep. Tom Perriello (D, VA-5) and Rep. Rich Boucher (D, VA-9) asking them to talk to their legislators about the elements of health system reform that will benefit patients and physicians in Virginia. In the coming weeks, MSV will expand its grassroots efforts across the state. Stay tuned for more information on this outreach and talking points from MSV.