Anne Vorce, director of the New America Foundation’s Fiscal Roadmap Project, says she thinks that the financial reform plan proposed by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) “goes too far.” (0:38)
Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) says that Republicans know that America’s health care system needs reform, but says they don’t agree with the Democrats on how to go about it. (0:14)
The Congressional Budget Office’s new estimate that the federal deficit will reach $7.14 trillion over the next ten years isn’t making Americans feel any more comfortable about supporting President Obama’s healthcare reform plan said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) in a conference call on Tuesday.
“We are running trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see, and with these updated numbers that CBO is coming out with, clearly the fiscal picture has worsened…and I think that animates a lot of people’s concerns about an expansion of healthcare.”
Thune, who has held a few town hall events on healthcare in his home state during the August recess, said that the country’s fiscal situation is causing some folks to oppose certain elements of reform, such as the public option provision endorsed by Obama.
“A real concern on people’s minds is ‘Why are we looking now at doing something that will add costs, build on programs that are already halfway to bankruptcy…and on an unsustainable trajectory.’”
Thune, of course, was referring to Medicare, the government’s heath insurance program for senior citizens. He did, however, say that Senate Republicans are open to supporting Medicare spending cuts that would “find savings” for the plan.
Thune reiterated his support for a recent report put out by the non-partisan National Federation of Independent Business Association. The study concluded that the three healthcare bills that have passed the House would increase taxes, and as a result would harm small businesses across the country.
Thune stated confidently that no Republican will support a comprehensive healthcare bill, although he suggested that a more incremental bill could achieve bipartisan backing in the Senate. However, Thune sounded skeptical that Democrats would allow Republicans to be a part of the legislative process once the bill shifted back to the House.
Thune also expressed doubts over the possibility that Democrats may attempt to pass legislation through the process of reconciliation, which would require lawmakers to split the bill into pieces and then vote on the different parts individually.
“As a policy matter, they could do it. As a political matter, it’s really difficult. Americans don’t want to see something jammed through,” said Thune. He added that although reconciliation is hard to understand, many of his constituents would oppose its use by Democrats on the grounds that “something as large as healthcare could be passed on a party line vote.”
Thune articulated that Republicans want healthcare reform to address issues like tort reform and long-term sustainability of Medicare. He maintained that Republicans are supportive of provisions that would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to customers with pre-existing conditions, but suggested that most in the party are wary of a bill that includes any sort of mandate on individuals to obtain health insurance.
By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service
A focus on prevention and wellness is key to quality health care reform, according the the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and three top HHS officials participated in a webcast Friday to clarify the Obama administration’s health care reform message.
“This is a public health opportunity, not just a physician opportunity. We believe prevention should occur not just between a doctor and a patient and not just at an individual level, but at the family level, the neighborhood level, the community level,” said Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. “Public health and prevention is now a major theme for every person in this country and we all have an investment in it.”
Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, said what seems like simple steps, such as, immunization or counseling for an addiction, can save money in the long-term.
The officials also highlighted aspects that the administration claims are essential to comprehensive health reform including: reducing long-term growth of health care costs, a guaranteed choice of doctors and health plans, improved patient safety and quality of care, affordable quality coverage, and the ability to maintain coverage when you change or lose your job.
“We’re not just focusing on saving costs, but saving lives,” Sebelius said.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says the U.S. health care system is chronically ill and that it can not survive as it currently exists. Durbing goes on to say that it is “time to do things which may be hard, but are absolutely essential for the survival of good health care in America.” (0:21)
By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service
Doctors from around the country visited the U.S. Capitol Thursday to promote health care reform and to present their diagnoses on the current health care system.
“We are too close to achieving health care reform to stop now,” said Dr. Jim King, a family physician. “Family physicians cannot understand why we would ever want to continue a health care system that reduces productivity, accelerates costs increases and promotes inefficiency. Why would this status quo be acceptable to anyone?”
King said health care in this country will deteriorate greatly if Congress doesn’t produce a system that works for everybody.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) issued a diagnosis of his own, saying, “Our health care system is chronically ill. It cannot survive as it currently exists.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said both the doctors and the American public know that the nation needs reform. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y) agreed, but noted that Congress can’t be expected to snap its fingers and have it done. Rather, real change will take time, he said.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he believed the media had created a false deadline for getting legislation passed before the August recess. Reid said he wants the bill passed before the end of the year.
Reid added that his focus is working on coming up with enough votes in the Senate to override a filibuster.
“I’m pretty good at arithmetic. I know how to count to 60,” he quipped.
By Courtney Ann Jackson – Talk Radio News Service
The health care debate has taken on many angles, but today the focus of Democratic leaders in the Senate was on uninsured families. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-N.V.) welcomed two families directly affected by health care issues to a press conference Thursday to represent the many families being affected everyday.
“Our opponents aren’t talking about the real families and the real problems these families have,” said Reid. “Reforming health care is not abstract because health care is not theoretical…It’s about people, real people.”
Reid was joined by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). The Senators noted that the families in attendance know the real costs of health care due to personal experiences. Reid repeated the phrase, “we’re talking about people,” multiple times in his opening statement.
Murray said she’s asked constituents in her home state to share their personal stories about health care and why they feel health care reform is needed. So far, she said she’s received over 5,000 e-mails in two weeks.
Murray highlighted the need to control the costs for family health insurance, noting that people with quality health insurance are paying more in premiums because the system as a whole does not cover everyone.
“Overcome the obstacles and get something done. We have to get something done,” said Schumer. “The system just isn’t working or it’s getting to the point that it won’t work in the next decade.”
Durbin said stories about ordinary Americans losing health insurance are not uncommon because 14,000 people lose health care everyday. He said that if nothing is done now, the problem won’t just go away, and that’s why health reform must happen this year.
The Senators said they will give the legislation more time so that Republicans who oppose the plan can review what Reid described as a “complex difficult issue.” They said they would continue to work on the bill when they return from recess in the fall.
“I’ve had conversations with them [Republicans] and I’ll have future conversations to give them assurances that we’ll take everything they do and we’ll do what we can to make sure their issues aren’t buried,” said Reid.
Reid expressed confidence that all 60 Democrats in the Senate are prepared to vote for the legislation.
By Courtney Ann Jackson- Talk Radio News Service
Republican Senators reiterated Wednesday their desire to let the public to see the health care bill before Congress considers passing it, adding that if a bipartisan bill couldn’t be created that included the key elements of their proposals such as cutting costs and coverage for everyone, they should just start over.
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) argued that attempting to pass a health care bill before the August recess creates a “false deadline.”
“My recommendation to the President is to back off on that [deadline]. He’s going to find plenty of us to work with on a common sense proposal,” said Coburn. “Back off…and take us at our word that we truly want to work to solve this problem and I think that’s reflective of the vast majority of our conference.”
Coburn was joined by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to discuss the Republican health care agenda. Both Coburn and Barrasso are the Senate’s only two doctors.
Barrasso said physicians know we need health care reform. He also noted that we must get the costs under control and improve patient care.
“We’re here as two doctors to say we want to make this system better for all Americans,” said Barraso.
Coburn highlighted the need for Republicans to continue working and not slow down or lose focus as they continually push for their proposals to be seriously considered.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says that two out of the five relevant House and Senate committees have passed health care reform legislation which is something that’s never been done before. She says, “Congress has made historic progress on health insurance reform that will put patients and doctors back in charge and ensure quality, affordable, accessible health care for America’s middle class.” 0:33)
By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service
Financial industry leaders were in agreement Friday that the Obama administration’s proposed financial regulatory reform is necessary, noting that the reform will renovate and strengthen the financial marketplace and many of its regulations. During a Committee on Financial Services hearing Friday, many of the panelists applauded the administration’s proposal.
“We fully support the Administration’s five key principles for strengthening consumer protection-transparency, simplicity, fairness, accountability, and access-and we are pleased to see the Chairman carry these principles forward as he works to fill the regulatory gaps to protect consumers,” said Diahann Lassus on behalf of the Financial Planning Coalition.
Other panelists highlighted the administration’s “diagnosis of the deficiencies” of the current financial framework. They said it is outdated and some aspects have led to confusion and inefficiencies for years now.
Regulations received much attention with panelist Robert Nicholas, President and COO of Financial Services Forum, saying the framework as it currently stands, “undermines regulators’ ability to ensure institutional and systemic safety and soundness-helping to create the opportunity for, and exacerbating, the current financial crisis.”
Committee member Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) noted a survey by ShareOwners.org that sites 58 percent of investors are now “less confident in the fairness of the financial markets” than they were one year ago. He noted that a major reason for the lack of confidence is due to the failure of regulators.
“We must enact strong new laws,” said Kanjorski.
