Health Care For America Now

Health reform is now law. So what will health reform do for you?

Today, Health Care for America Now launched a feature on the homepage of its website dedicated to answering that question. It lays out the benefits of health reform for people depending on their insurance status - and when those benefits go into effect.

In keeping with our tradition, we will also highlight ways you can get involved with the continuing health reform fight. Because it will continue. Even though health reform is law the reform fight is far from over. The battle must continue on numerous fronts.

First, reform is being attacked by the radical right-wing, who are calling for its repeal.

While the effort to challenge health reform in court is unlikely to be successful, repeal efforts present an opportunity. Anyone who advocates repeal should be asked how far they're willing to go. Are they willing to say insurance companies should be allowed to deny care based on pre-existing conditions? For children? Or small businesses should give back their tax cuts for employee health care?

When asked, reform opponents like, for example, Missouri Senate candidate Roy Blunt tend to tell us exactly which side they're on - siding with the insurance companies and saying denials of care are completely acceptable. Opponents like this need to be called out and exposed.

Second, reform could be gutted from the inside by insurance companies and their lobbyists.

Health reform leaves a large amount of the crucial details up to national and state regulators. Whether regulators can effectively control premium increases, enforce Medical Loss Ratio provisions, and police pre-existing condition regulations will depend on how regulatory rules get written and enforced. Already, HHS is taking public comment on rules relating to premium oversight and MLR. You can bet insurance company lobbyists will be submitting as many comments as they can to make the rules HHS and the states write as favorable to profits as they can. It's crucial the people stand up and make their voice heard in this process.

And lastly, real efforts must be made to improve the law in Congress.

Giving the government stronger authority over rate increases, as proposed by Senator Feinstein and endorsed by President Obama, is still a good idea. A national public health insurance option is still a good idea. There are still champions in Congress willing to push issues like this. There are people running for Congress who are pushing for more and who deserve support. And the American people are still with us. We should keep fighting for more.

Health Care for America Now was formed in July of 2008 with the express purpose of turning health reform into law. Now that this has happened, Health Care for America Now is sticking around to expose the right wing for the insurance industry cronies they are, make sure the law is implemented in a way that lives up to the promise of reform, and help make further legislation a reality. The organization will be led by Ethan Rome, up to now our Deputy National Campaign Director, with our National Campaign Director, Richard Kirsch, transitioning into a role of Senior Adviser.

I joined the campaign in July of 2008 vowing to see it through until health reform either passed or died. Come tomorrow, I will be leaving Health Care for America Now. However, I plan to continue writing on the health reform fight as it moves forward. You can find my future work at my blog, The Seminal.

Health Care for America Now will continue to rally the grassroots, pressure Congress, and above all, make it clear that if the insurance companies win, we lose. And I'm confident it will be as successful in future endeavors as it was in its mission to make history and pass health reform.

NEWS

List rates or pay, state tells insurers - Boston Globe

State regulators yesterday demanded that health insurers submit revised April 1 premium rates for tens of thousands of individuals and small businesses by 3 p.m. tomorrow or face stiff fines.

Cigna CEO: Move Beyond Obamacare - Forbes

David Cordani, who became Cigna's chief executive in January, says quite enough time and effort was been spent on the recently signed health legislation, even if he doesn't like the results. "It took a year of the country's energy. It's now time to move on," he said in an interview.

New Health Law Expands High-Risk Coverage - NPR

When Miles Owyang was born, six weeks premature, the doctors determined that he had a heart ailment. It was nothing serious, just something to monitor.

New Long-Term Care Insurance Will Provide Flexible Cash Benefits - Kaiser Health News

Millie Toda of Toledo, Ohio, takes cares of her husband Richard, 83, who is severely disabled from Parkinson’s Disease. She’s grateful that with the help of government-paid home health aides and adult day care, he’s able to continue living at home rather than move to a nursing home.

Health care reform: Attorney General Dustin McDaniel says office cannot issue an opinion on law - KTHV

Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel says his office cannot issue an opinion on whether the federal health care reform law is constitutional.

Sebelius: Gov't will work to close minority health gap - USA Today

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius  said Wednesday that she is developing a national plan of action that would focus for the first time on reducing health care disparities between minority and white populations.

AP-GfK Poll: Jump in opposition to health care law - AP

Opposition to President Barack Obama's health care law jumped after he signed it — a clear indication his victory could become a liability for Democrats in this fall's elections.

Waxman Backs Away From Challenge To Big Corporations On Health Costs - Kaiser Health News

A new congressional staff report has defused a standoff between Democrats and large corporations over losses the firms anticipate because of the new health overhaul law.

Obama picking up fundraising steam - LA Times

Now that his healthcare overhaul is complete, President Obama is raising campaign money at a ferocious pace, tapping into an energized corps of Democratic donors in quiet, less publicized forays to dinners and receptions embedded in official presidential trips.

NEWS

Insurance concerns may delay heart attack patients from seeking treatment - LA Times

A study links the insurance status of people suffering heart attack symptoms to the time they take to get to the hospital. Both the uninsured and underinsured tend to delay going.

Democrat front-runner wins Fla. US House race - AP

A Democratic state senator on Tuesday handily won the first U.S. House race since Congress passed a massive health care overhaul, beating a decidedly underdog Republican who tried to use the backlash against the measure to pull an upset.

Health care reform critic running for governor in Florida - CNN

A wealthy former hospital executive who became one of the most visible opponents of President Obama's health care reform effort is launching an upstart bid for governor in Florida.

Georgia Insurance Commissioner Balks at Request on New Health Law - New York Times

The insurance commissioner of Georgia has chosen not to comply with a federal request to create a state pool for high-risk insurance plans, opening a new front in the resistance by state Republican officials to the new federal health care law.

Thousands of Anthem Blue Cross customers await decision on rate hikes - LA Times

The insurer had delayed the increases till May 1 pending a review by an outside actuary appointed by the state insurance commissioner. That report is expected within two weeks.

NEWS

Mass. judge rules against insurers on premium cap - AP

A judge ruled Monday against Massachusetts health insurers in a dispute over premiums with state regulators.

Could Health Overhaul Incentives Hurt Some? - New York Times

The new health care law promises to extend coverage to millions of Americans and to cut costs by cultivating healthy habits and preventive care. But could its emphasis on wellness undermine one of its central achievements: putting an end to the practice of charging sick people more for health insurance?

Healthcare overhaul won't stop premium increases - LA Times

The new law doesn't prevent rate hikes such as Anthem Blue Cross' double-digit increase last year. 'It is a very big loophole,' says Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is pushing regulatory legislation.

Healthcare reform 'baton' passes to states - Washington Post

Now that the U.S. healthcare reform plan is law, the federal government is turning to states to institute key components — some of which have never existed before — and do so in a tight timeframe.

John Boehner: Repeal number one priority - Politico

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Monday that repealing the health care law is his “No. 1 priority” as Congress returns from a two-week spring recess.

NEWS

Thousands of Anthem Blue Cross customers await decision on rate hikes - LA Times

The insurer had delayed the increases till May 1 pending a review by an outside actuary appointed by the state insurance commissioner. That report is expected within two weeks.

PROMISES, PROMISES: Health plan maps Obama pledges - AP

The nation may be divided over the wisdom of President Barack Obama's big new health care law, but it largely delivers on more than 30 specific promises he made as a candidate.

Boccieri gives reasons for health care 'yes' vote on health care - The Daily Record

When U.S. Rep. John Boccieri cast his vote in support for the Senate version of health care reform, he did so because it was dramatically different from the House bill and "some things you vote on are just the right thing to do."

Scott lauded for helping pass health care reform - DailyPress.com

U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D-Newport News, took a political victory lap Sunday with local Democrats  applauding him for the passage of health care reform.

Back home, defending their healthcare votes - LA Times

For three lawmakers — one who opposed the bill, one who supported it and one who changed his mind — it's time to explain themselves to uneasy constituents.

Orszag: CBO lowballs savings from Obama's healthcare reform - The Hill

White House Budget Director Peter Orszag is arguing that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) underestimates the savings from President Barack Obama's healthcare bill.

NEWS

Judge to weigh in Monday on insurers suit vs. state - Boston Herald

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Stephen Neel plans to decide by Monday in a high-stakes showdown that pits the Patrick administration against the state’s six largest health insurers.

Health Care's Ugly Aftermath: The Death Threats Mount - Time

When someone threatens life of the President of the United States, the Secret Service reaction is usually swift and severe — casually joke about taking a potshot at the President in front of them and you'll wind up in jail quicker than you can say go. When members of Congress are threatened, by contrast, the response typically is not nearly as intense. Threats can languish on a clogged voicemail inbox of any number of staffers disbursed across many offices in different parts of the country. Capitol police must work backwards to reconstruct caller ID records, usually in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local authorities. And the offenders often turn out to be simply irritated voters, angry over this bill or that congressional resolution; a rap on the knuckles has often been considered sufficient punishment.

APNewsBreak: Doyle could create public option - AP

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle could use his veto power to create a state-funded public option health insurance plan in Wisconsin that would extend coverage to virtually everyone, according to a memo by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Suspect called Nancy Pelosi dozens of times - Politico

The California man charged with threatening House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called her office and home phone numbers at least 48 times, according to court documents released Thursday afternoon.

The thank yous continue rolling in for Members of Congress who voted YES on health reform.

Out in Florida, people met Alan Grayson at the airport to thank him:

In Montana, they marked passage of reform with a vigil for those who lost their lives because they didn't have health care:

In New York, the people turned out at City Hall:

In North Dakota, they thanked Congressman Dorgan, Conrad, and Pomeroy:

In California, they thanked Reps. Speier, Napolitano, Berman, Pelosi, Miller and other members of the California delegation:

In Ohio, they thanked Representative Marcy Kaptur:

In Pennsylvania, they thanked Congresswoman Dahlkemper:

They also gathered outside the PA Attorney General's office to protest his decision to sue the federal government over health reform:

In Rhode Island, people met with Representative Langevin:

And in Washington, they thanked Senators Murray and Cantwell, Rep. Jay Inslee, and Rep. Brian Baird:

NEWS

2 insurers to resume sales with old rates - Boston Globe

Seeking to tone down their dispute with state regulators, two Massachusetts health insurers yesterday said they will, as ordered, resume making new policies available for individuals and small businesses — using last year’s base rates, not the requested double-digit increases rejected by the state last week.

Internal grumbling over Republican healthcare message intensifies - The Hill

Republican leaders on Capitol Hill are facing a mini-rebellion against their message on healthcare reform.

State creates health care reform office - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Gov. Jim Doyle has created an Office of Health Care Reform to prepare for the sweeping changes from health care reform that take effect in 2014.

DNC tops Steele's record March for donations - Washington Times

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele can't seem to catch a break these days. On the day when the RNC announced a record fundraising haul for March, the rival Democratic National Committee revealed that it had collected an even bigger amount.

Man arrested for Nancy Pelosi threats - Politico

Federal agents in California have arrested a man for allegedly threatening House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

NEWS

Insurers call halt, get state warning - Boston Globe

The standoff between Massachusetts regulators and health insurance companies intensified yesterday, as most insurers stopped offering new coverage to small businesses and individuals, and state officials demanded that the insurers post updated rates online and resume offering policies by Friday.

Healthcare reform will keep newborns with heart defects from insurance rejection - Star Telegram

Soon after President Barack Obama signed health reform, a local baby with a heart condition was rejected for insurance. The story became front-page news in Fort Worth and was picked up nationally.

How the F.B.I. Identified Murray’s Caller - New York Times

As the F.B.I. moved in on a man who allegedly threatened Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, because of her support for health care legislation, law enforcement agents faced a challenge: they needed to confirm that Charles A. Wilson, the man whose phone number was used to leave menacing messages on her office voicemail, was in fact the man who made the threats.

Health Secretary Warns of Insurance Scams - New York Times

The secretary of health and human services, Kathleen Sebelius, wrote to state officials on Tuesday to urge that they take action against “scam artists” reportedly marketing fake insurance policies to exploit the new law overhauling the health care system.

Pelosi describes effort behind health care reform - AP

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described pushing through health care reform legislation as a fractious endeavor hampered by partisanship, but one she never doubted would succeed.

NEWS

Health insurers sue to raise rates - Boston Globe

A half-dozen health insurers yesterday filed a lawsuit against the state seeking to reverse last week’s decision by the insurance commissioner to block double-digit premium increases — a ruling they say could leave them with hundreds of millions in losses this year.

Swanson won't sue to stop health care reform - Minnesota Public Radio

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson has rejected a request from Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sue over the new federal health care law.

Changes Coming To Insurance Plans - Kaiser Health News

Consumers and employers who provide health insurance are scrambling to understand what will change in their premiums and benefits once provisions of the recently passed law go into effect.

Big Lie: Healthcare Reform Won't Cost Texas $27B. More Like $1.4B - BNET

The Republican health and human services commissioner in Texas has wildly inflated the extra health costs that the state will incur under the national reform legislation. As U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) has pointed out, Tom Sueh’s estimate that reform will cost Texas $27 billion over 10 years is far more than the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of the cost for all states combined. But Texas will spend more than many other states to comply with the law, just because it currently underfunds Medicaid.

Battle over Abortion in Health Care Overhaul Moves to States - CBS

While a lengthy and controversial debate over abortion almost killed the Democrats' health care reform overhaul in Congress last month, at least two states are now taking the matter into their own hands.