Health Care For America Now

NEWS

Congressional Democrats reach budget agreement - Los Angeles Times

Their plan would keep Republicans from stopping Obama's healthcare reform plan, expected this fall.

Reid, In Letter To McConnell, Calls For Bipartisan Effort On Health Care Reform - Harry Reid

Nevada Senator Harry Reid, in a letter today to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, called on Republicans to join Democrats for an open and honest debate about how to lower health care costs, expand access and improve the quality of care. In Reid’s letter to McConnell, he urges the Republican Leader to join him in providing health care for the residents of Nevada and Kentucky who are currently without coverage. More than one out of three Nevadans under the age of 65 went without health insurance during 2007 and 2008. Reid stressed the need for bipartisanship in meeting these challenges.

Post reports GOP criticism of HHS vacancy, but not GOP's role - Media Matters

Summary: The Washington Post allowed Bush HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt to criticize the Obama administration for not having an HHS secretary in place, but did not note Senate Republicans' role in delaying nominee Kathleen Sebelius' confirmation vote.

Baucus Setting Aside Talks on Public Plan To Focus on Other Aspects of Health Overhaul Legislation - Kaiser Daily News

At a meeting with reporters on Friday, Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said he will temporarily set aside talks on a new public insurance option to focus on maintaining employer self-insurance plans, CQ Today reports. Self-insured companies qualify for tax exemptions through the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The federal law allows firms to create their own tax-exempt insurance plan — a means of cutting costs by taking on the risks themselves — as long as the plans meet federal standards laid out by ERISA. Firms contract with private insurers to administer the plans. Baucus said he would aim to preserve this self-insurance system while expanding private coverage and public programs such as Medicaid. He said, "We'll end up with more private insurance and more public insurance" (Armstrong, CQ Today, 4/24).

Senate set to confirm Sebelius as health secretary - Associated Press

The Senate was set to approve President Barack Obama's nominee for health and human services secretary Tuesday, giving the agency a leader in the midst of the swine flu outbreak.

OPINIONS

CPR Releases New Fearmongering Health Care Ad Comparing American Reform To Britain And Canada - Think Progress

Conservatives For Patients rights, the Swift Boat Health Smear Group headed by disgraced health executive Rick Scott, has released a new ad, and POLITICO, in turn, has penned another blog post presenting the advertisement.

GO WEST, YOUNG BLOGGER. - Ezra Klein

Last week, I headed out to Missoula to give a talk on behest of Matt Singer's Forward Montana. Perks to giving talks in Missoula: 1) They happen in bars. 2) Wearing jeans makes you seem dressed up. There's literally a pitcher of scotch ale on the chair next to me in case I get thirsty during the talk. Take note, DC: This makes panel discussions more interesting.

Healthcare Reform: A Whole Pie in the Sky or Half a Pie Right Now? - Show Me Progress

Mid-day Saturday 55-60 people gathered at Forest Park Community College to hear representatives of a wide-ranging coalition, Healthcare for America Now (HCAN), at the Health Care Can't Wait! townhall discussion. The moderator, Jennifer Judd, was clear about the goal of the meeting — to fire up a well-organized and vocal grass roots campaign to demand that we fix our broken health care system and insure access to quality health care for all.